Yahweh is a jealous God and avenging; Yahweh is avenging and {full of wrath}. Yahweh takes vengeance against his enemies; he rages against his adversaries.

Yahweh is good--a refuge in [the] day of distress; [he knows] those who take refuge in him.

Yahweh is slow to anger but great [in] power; he will certainly not allow [the guilty] to go unpunished. {He marches} in storm wind and in gale; storm clouds [are the] dust of his feet.

He rebukes the sea and he dries up the rivers; he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither; the blossom of Lebanon languishes.

Mountains quake before him; the hills shake apart. The earth heaves before him-- the world and all her inhabitants.

His indignation--who can stand before it? Who can endure {his fierce anger}? His wrath is poured out like fire; rocks are shattered before him.

But with a rushing torrent he will bring [Nineveh] to an end; he will chase his enemies into darkness.

What do you plot against Yahweh? {He will completely destroy it}; trouble will not rise up a second time!

For like entangled thorns, and like their drink which is drunk, they will be consumed like fully dry chaff.

From you goes out one who plots evil against Yahweh, one who plans wickedness.

Look! On the mountains! The feet of the one who brings good tidings, the one who proclaims peace! "Celebrate [a festival], O Judah, Fulfill your vows! For he will not invade you again; the wicked one is cut off completely!"

Yahweh says this: "Even though [they are] powerful and likewise many, even so they will be cut off and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no longer.

Yahweh has commanded concerning you: "Your name will no longer be sown. I will cut off {the idols and images} from the {temple} of your gods; {I will send you to the grave} because you are worthless."

And now, I will break his yoke from upon you; I will snap your bonds."

"Because of the many idolatries of [the] prostitute, the beautiful charm [of] a mistress of witchcraft, she who enslaves nations by her harlotries, and peoples by her sorceries,

The shields of his warriors [are] dyed red; The powerful men [are] dressed in scarlet. The metal of the chariots [shines] like fire {on the day of battle}, and [their] spears quiver.

"Look! I am against you!" {declares}Yahweh. "I will strip up your skirts over your face; I will let nations look [at] your nakedness and your shame.

"I will throw filth upon you, I will treat you with contempt, I will make you a spectacle.

"And it will be that everyone who sees you will flee from you, And {they} will say, 'Nineveh is destroyed!' Who will mourn for her? From whence shall I seek comforters for you?"

The chariots race madly through the streets; they rush back and forth in the public squares. Their appearance like lightning bolts, they dart about like flashes of lightning.

Are you better than Thebes? She who sits at the Nile, surrounded by her waters, her rampart [was the] sea and water [was] her wall.

Cush [was] her strength, Egypt without end; Put and Libya were among {your allies}.

The gates of the river are opened; the palace trembles.

Woe to the city [that has shed] {much blood}! {She is a deceiver}, She is filled [with] plunder, {She has hoarded her spoils of war}.

Nineveh [is] like a pool of water without its water. {As they flee}, [she cries,] "Stop! Stop!" But there is no one who turns back.

He calls his officers; they stumble as they march; they rush to her wall; they set the covering in place.

Yet she went into captivity as an exile; her children were dashed to pieces at the head of [the] streets; they cast lots for all of her nobles; all of her dignitaries were bound with chains.

{One who shatters} has come up against you! Guard [the] fortification! Watch [the] road! Gird [your] loins! {Muster} all [your] strength!

Emptiness and plundering and devastation! Their hearts faint and their knees tremble, {All their loins shake} and all their faces {turn} pale.

You also will behave like a drunkard; You also will hide yourself; You also will seek refuge from [the] enemy.

{Her goddess is taken out and taken into exile}; her maidservants moan like doves; they beat on their breasts.

Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold! There is no end to the spoils, an abundance of {everything one could want}!

There is no healing for your wound; your injury is fatal. All who hear the report of you will clap [their] hands [for joy] concerning you, {For who has not suffered at the hands of your endless cruelty}?

The lion tore apart enough [prey] for his cubs, he strangled [prey] for his lioness; he filled {his lair} [with] prey and his den [with] mangled carcass.

Where [now] [is] the den of [the] lions and [the] cave of the fierce lions? There the lioness, the cub, and the lion once {prowled}, {and no one disturbed them}.

For Yahweh will restore the majesty of Jacob like the majesty of Israel; for ravagers have ravaged them and ruined [their] branches.

Look! Your troops [are like] women in your midst. The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; fire will consume the bars [of your gates].

There fire will consume you; the sword will cut you off. It will consume you like the locust.

All of your fortifications [are like] fig trees with [ripe] firstfruits-- if they are shaken, they will fall into the mouth of the eater.

Chariots charge! Swords flash! Spears glitter! {Many corpses are piled high}! There is no end to the slain! They stumble over their dead!

You have increased your merchants more than the stars of heaven; [like] the locust they will shed [their skin] and fly away.

"Look! I am against you!" {declares} Yahweh of hosts. "I will burn her chariots {with fire}; the sword will devour fierce lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth; the voice of your messengers will no longer be heard."

Your shepherds are sleeping, king of Assyria! Your nobles slumber. Your people are scattered on the mountains; no one can gather them.

Your officials [are] like locusts; your commanders [are] like a swarm of locusts. They encamp on the walls on a cold day; when the sun rises, they fly away-- no one knows where they have gone.

Draw water for a siege! Strengthen your fortifications! Go to the mud [pit]! Trample the clay! Grasp the brick mold!

The crack of the whip! The rumbling of the [chariot] wheel! The galloping of the horse! The racing of the chariot!

The oracle concerning Nineveh-- the scroll of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite: