This is the heavy burden of Nineveh, which Nahum of Elkosh did write, as he saw it.

The LORD suffereth long, he is of great power, and so innocent that he leaveth no man faultless before him. The LORD goeth forth in tempest and stormy weather; the clouds are the dust of his feet.

When he reproveth the sea, he drieth it up, and turneth all the floods to dry land. Bashan is desolate, Carmel and the pleasure of Lebanon wasteth away.

For like as the thorns that stick together, and as the dry straw, so shall the drunkards be consumed together, even when they be full.

The water ports shall be opened, and the king's palace shall fall.

Where is now the dwelling of the lions, and the pasture of the lion's whelps? Where the lion and the lioness went with the whelps, and no man frayed them away?

Yea, all they that look upon thee shall start back, and say, "Nineveh is destroyed!" Who will have pity upon thee? Where shall I seek one to comfort thee?

Art thou better than the great city of Alexandria: that lay in the waters, and had the waters round about it? Which was strongly fenced and walled with the sea?

Even so shalt thou also be drunken, and hide thyself, and seek some help against thine enemy.

yet the fire shall consume thee, the sword shall destroy thee. Yea, as the locust doth, so shall it eat thee up. It shall fall heavily upon thee as the locusts, yea right heavily shall it fall upon thee, even as the grasshoppers.

Thy wound cannot be hid, thy plague is so sore. All they that hear this of thee, shall clap their hands over thee. For what is he, to whom thou hast not always been doing hurt?