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

The LORD is a jealous God, and a taker of vengeance: yea, a taker of vengeance is the LORD, and wrathful. The LORD taketh vengeance of his enemies, and reserveth displeasure for his adversaries.

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.

Who may endure before his wrath? Or who is able to abide his grim displeasure? His anger taketh on like fire, and the hard rocks burst in sunder before him.

Full gracious is the LORD, and a stronghold in time of trouble. He knoweth them that put their trust in him:

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.

There come out of thee such as Imagine mischief, and give ungracious counsel against the LORD.

Therefore thus sayeth the LORD, "Let them be as well prepared, yea and as many as they can, yet shall they be hewn down, and pass away. And as for thee, I will vex thee, but not utterly destroy thee;

Behold, upon the mountains come the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, and preacheth peace. O Judah, keep thy holidays, perform thy promises: for Belial shall come no more in thee, he is utterly rooted out.

for the LORD shall restore again the glory of Jacob, like as the glory of Israel. The destroyers have broken them down, and marred the wine branches.

The shield of his giants glistereth, his men of war are clothed in purple. His chariots are as fire when he maketh him forward, his archers are well decked and trimmed.

The chariots roll upon the streets, and welter in the highways. They are to look upon like cressettes of fire, and go swiftly as the lightning.

The queen herself shall be led away captive, and her gentlewomen shall mourn as the doves, and groan within their hearts.

Nineveh is like a pool full of water, but then shall they be fain to flee. "Stand, stand," shall they cry, and there shall not one turn back.

Away with the silver, away with the gold: for here is no end of treasure. There shall be a multitude of all manner costly ornaments.

Thus must she be spoiled, emptied and clean stripped out: that their hearts may be melted away, their knees tremble, all their loins be weak, and their faces black as a pot.

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?

Woe to that bloodthirsty city, which is all full of lies and robbery, and will not leave off from ravishing.

There the horsemen get up with naked swords, and glistering spears. There lieth a multitude slain, and a great heap of dead bodies. There is no end of dead corpses: yea, men fall upon their bodies.

And that for the great and manifold whoredom of the fair and beautiful harlot: which is a mistress of witchcraft, yea and selleth the people through her whoredom, and the nations through her witchcraft.

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?

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 merchants have been numbered with the stars of heaven: but now shall they spread abroad as the locusts, and flee their way.

Thy lords are as the grasshoppers, and thy captains as the multitude of grasshoppers: which when they be cold, remain in the hedges: but when the Sun is up, they flee away, and no man can tell where they are become.

Thy shepherds are asleep, O king of Assyria, thy worthies are laid down: thy people is scattered abroad upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them together again.

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?