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

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;

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.

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.

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.