The Lord is good – indeed, he is a fortress in time of distress, and he protects those who seek refuge in him.

The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will certainly not allow the wicked to go unpunished.He marches out in the whirlwind and the raging storm; dark storm clouds billow like dust under his feet.

The chariots race madly through the streets, they rush back and forth in the broad plazas; they look like lightning bolts, they dash here and there like flashes of lightning.

The shields of his warriors are dyed red; the mighty soldiers are dressed in scarlet garments. The metal fittings of the chariots shine like fire on the day of battle; the soldiers brandish their spears.

Your warriors will be like women in your midst; the gates of your land will be wide open to your enemies; fire will consume the bars of your gates.

Your courtiers are like locusts, your officials are like a swarm of locusts! They encamp in the walls on a cold day, yet when the sun rises, they fly away; and no one knows where they are.

Everyone who sees you will turn away from you in disgust; they will say, ‘Nineveh has been devastated! Who will lament for her?’ There will be no one to comfort you!”

The Lord has issued a decree against you: “Your dynasty will come to an end. I will destroy the idols and images in the temples of your gods. I will desecrate your grave – because you are accursed!”

The mountains tremble before him, the hills convulse; the earth is laid waste before him, the world and all its inhabitants are laid waste.

Yet she went into captivity as an exile; even her infants were smashed to pieces at the head of every street. They cast lots for her nobility; all her dignitaries were bound with chains.

The commander orders his officers; they stumble as they advance; they rush to the city wall and they set up the covered siege tower.

Destruction, devastation, and desolation! Their hearts faint, their knees tremble, each stomach churns, each face turns pale!

“I am against you!” declares the Lord who commands armies: “I will burn your chariots with fire; the sword will devour your young lions; you will no longer prey upon the land; the voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.”

Your shepherds are sleeping, O king of Assyria! Your officers are slumbering! Your people are scattered like sheep on the mountains and there is no one to regather them!

Surely they will be totally consumed like entangled thorn bushes, like the drink of drunkards, like very dry stubble.

No one can withstand his indignation! No one can resist his fierce anger! His wrath is poured out like volcanic fire, boulders are broken up as he approaches.

The lion tore apart as much prey as his cubs needed and strangled prey to provide food for his lionesses; he filled his lairs with prey and his dens with torn flesh.

“Because you have acted like a wanton prostitute – a seductive mistress who practices sorcery, who enslaves nations by her harlotry, and entices peoples by her sorcery –

There the fire will consume you; the sword will cut you down; it will devour you like the young locust would.Multiply yourself like the young locust; multiply yourself like the flying locust!

But with an overwhelming flood he will make a complete end of Nineveh; he will drive his enemies into darkness.