The Overthrow of Nineveh

1  עָלָ֥ה (Has come up) מֵפִ֛יץ (the one scattering)

עַל־ (before) פָּנַ֖יִךְ (your face);

נָצ֣וֹר (guard) מְצֻרָ֑ה (the fortress),

צַפֵּה־ (watch over) דֶ֙רֶךְ֙ (the road),

חַזֵּ֣ק (strengthen) מָתְנַ֔יִם (your loins),

אַמֵּ֥ץ (strengthen) כֹּ֖חַ (your power) מְאֹֽד׃ (greatly).

2  כִּ֣י (For) שָׁ֤ב (will restore) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) אֶת־ (-) גְּא֣וֹן (the majesty) יַעֲקֹ֔ב (of Jacob),

כִּגְא֖וֹן (like the majesty) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel),

כִּ֤י (for) בְקָקוּם֙ (have emptied them) בֹּֽקְקִ֔ים (those emptying)

וּזְמֹרֵיהֶ֖ם (and their branches) שִׁחֵֽתוּ׃ (have ruined).

3  מָגֵ֨ן (The shields) גִּבֹּרֵ֜יהוּ (of his mighty men) מְאָדָּ֗ם (are red),

אַנְשֵׁי־ (the men) חַ֙יִל֙ (of valor) מְתֻלָּעִ֔ים (are clothed in scarlet);

בְּאֵשׁ־ (with fire) פְּלָד֥וֹת (of burning steel) הָרֶ֖כֶב (the chariots come)

בְּי֣וֹם (on the day) הֲכִינ֑וֹ (of his preparing),

וְהַבְּרֹשִׁ֖ים (and the cypress shafts) הָרְעָֽלוּ׃ (are made to shake).

4  בַּֽחוּצוֹת֙ (Through the streets), יִתְהוֹלְל֣וּ (dash) הָרֶ֔כֶב (the chariots)

יִֽשְׁתַּקְשְׁק֖וּן (they rush around) בָּרְחֹב֑וֹת (in the squares),

מַרְאֵיהֶן֙ (their appearance) כַּלַּפִּידִ֔ם (is like torches),

כַּבְּרָקִ֖ים (like the lightning) יְרוֹצֵֽצוּ׃ (they run).

5  יִזְכֹּר֙ (He summons) אַדִּירָ֔יו (his nobles);

יִכָּשְׁל֖וּ (they stumble) בַהֲלִכוֹתָם (in their walk);

יְמַֽהֲרוּ֙ (they hurry) חֽוֹמָתָ֔הּ (to her wall)

וְהֻכַ֖ן (and is prepared) הַסֹּכֵֽךְ׃ (the siege-cover).

6  שַׁעֲרֵ֥י (The gates) הַנְּהָר֖וֹת (of the rivers) נִפְתָּ֑חוּ (are opened),

וְהַֽהֵיכָ֖ל (and the palace) נָמֽוֹג׃ (is dissolved).

7  וְהֻצַּ֖ב (And it is established)

גֻּלְּתָ֣ה (she shall be ncovered), הֹֽעֲלָ֑תָה (and brought up),

וְאַמְהֹתֶ֗יהָ (and her maidservants) מְנַֽהֲגוֹת֙ (will be moaning) כְּק֣וֹל (as the voice) יוֹנִ֔ים (of doves),

מְתֹפְפֹ֖ת (beating) עַל־ (on) לִבְבֵהֶֽן׃ (their breasts).

8  וְנִינְוֵ֥ה (And Nineveh) כִבְרֵֽכַת־ (was like a pool) מַ֖יִם (of water);

מִ֣ימֵי (from the days) הִ֑יא (of her)

וְהֵ֣מָּה (and they) נָסִ֔ים (flee).

עִמְד֥וּ (Stand) עֲמֹ֖דוּ (stand),

וְאֵ֥ין (and no one) מַפְנֶֽה׃ (is turning back).

9  בֹּ֥זּוּ (Plunder) כֶ֖סֶף (the silver),

בֹּ֣זּוּ (plunder) זָהָ֑ב (the gold)!

וְאֵ֥ין (And there is no) קֵ֙צֶה֙ (end) לַתְּכוּנָ֔ה (to the provision)

כָּבֹ֕ד (the worth) מִכֹּ֖ל (of every) כְּלִ֥י (article) חֶמְדָּֽה׃ (precious).

10  בּוּקָ֥ה (Emptiness),

וּמְבוּקָ֖ה (and an empty place), וּמְבֻלָּקָ֑ה (and laid waste)!

וְלֵ֨ב (And the heart) נָמֵ֜ס (melts), וּפִ֣ק (and shake), בִּרְכַּ֗יִם (the knees)

וְחַלְחָלָה֙ (and there is anguish) בְּכָל־ (in all) מָתְנַ֔יִם (loins),

וּפְנֵ֥י (and the faces) כֻלָּ֖ם (of all of them) קִבְּצ֥וּ (are gathered) פָארֽוּר׃ (to paleness).

11  אַיֵּה֙ (Where) מְע֣וֹן (is the dwelling) אֲרָי֔וֹת (of the lions),

וּמִרְעֶ֥ה (and the feeding place) ה֖וּא (that was) לַכְּפִרִ֑ים (unto the young lions),

אֲשֶׁ֣ר (where) הָלַךְ֩ (walked), אַרְיֵ֨ה (the lion), לָבִ֥יא (and lioness), שָׁ֛ם (there)

גּ֥וּר (and cub), אַרְיֵ֖ה (of the lion)

וְאֵ֥ין (and nothing) מַחֲרִֽיד׃ (made them afraid)?

12  אַרְיֵ֤ה (The lion) טֹרֵף֙ (was tearing) בְּדֵ֣י (enough for) גֹֽרוֹתָ֔יו (his cubs),

וּמְחַנֵּ֖ק (and strangling) לְלִבְאֹתָ֑יו (for his lionesses),

וַיְמַלֵּא־ (and he filled) טֶ֣רֶף (with prey), חֹרָ֔יו (his caves)

וּמְעֹֽנֹתָ֖יו (and his dens) טְרֵפָֽה׃ (with flesh).

13  הִנְנִ֣י (Behold, I am) אֵלַ֗יִךְ (against you)

נְאֻם֙ (a declaration) יְהוָ֣ה (of YHWH of) צְבָא֔וֹת (Hosts),

וְהִבְעַרְתִּ֤י (And I will burn) בֶֽעָשָׁן֙ (in smoke), רִכְבָּ֔הּ (your chariots)

וּכְפִירַ֖יִךְ (and your young lions); תֹּ֣אכַל (will devour) חָ֑רֶב (the sword)

וְהִכְרַתִּ֤י (and I will cut off) מֵאֶ֙רֶץ֙ (from the earth), טַרְפֵּ֔ךְ (your prey)

וְלֹֽא־ (and no) יִשָּׁמַ֥ע (will be heard). ע֖וֹד (Anymore)

ק֥וֹל (the voice) מַלְאָכֵֽכֵה׃ס (of your messengers).