8Are you better than populous No-amon (Thebes) that was situated among the rivers, surrounded by much water, whose defensive walls were the sea? 9Ethiopia (Cush) and Egypt were her strength, and it seemed to be unlimited; Put and Lubim (Libya) were your allies. 10Yet was she conquered and went into captivity; her young children also were dashed in pieces at every street corner; and they cast lots for her nobles; and all her great men were bound in chains. 11And you, too, Nineveh, shall also become drunk; you shall go into hiding, you also shalt seek rescue from your enemy. 12All your strongholds shall be like fig trees with the first-ripe figs; if they are shaken, they shall fall into the mouth of those desire to devour them. 13Look at your troops – they are weaklings; the gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; the fire has consumed the bars of your gates.

14Draw and store water for the siege, fortify your defenses! Work the clay, and tread the mortar, repair, and make strong the brickwork. 15There shall the fire devour you; the sword shall cut you down, it shall devour you like the locusts. Make yourself many like the cankerworm, make yourself many like the locusts. 16You have increased the number of your merchants above the stars of heaven; but like the cankerworms, they strip the land, then fly away. 17Your guards and officials are like the locusts, and your captains like the great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun arises, they flee away, and disappear.

18Your shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria; your nobles lie down to rest. Your people are scattered upon the mountains, with no one to gathers them. 19There is no healing of your wound; your wound is grievous; all that hear the report of you shall clap the hands over your fall; for upon whom has your wickedness not shown its cruelty continually?