<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;Because<n id="1" /> you have acted like a wanton prostitute<n id="2" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">a seductive mistress who practices sorcery,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">who<n id="4" /> enslaves<n id="5" /> nations by her harlotry,<n id="6" />p> <p class="poetry">and entices peoples by her sorcery<n id="7" /> &#8211;p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Whatever<n id="1" /> you plot<n id="2" /> against the <sc>Lordsc>, he will completely destroy!<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Distress<n id="4" /> will not arise<n id="5" /> a second time.p>

<p class="poetry">From you, O Nineveh,<n id="1" /> one has marched forth who plots evil against the <sc>Lordsc>,p> <p class="poetry">a wicked military strategist.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">I will pelt you with filth;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I will treat you with contempt;p> <p class="poetry">I will make you a public spectacle.p>

<p class="poetry">But with an overwhelming flood<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">he will make a complete end of Nineveh;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">he will drive<n id="3" /> his enemies into darkness.p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> is good<n id="1" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">indeed,<n id="2" /> he is a fortress<n id="3" /> in time of distress,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and he protects<n id="5" /> those who seek refuge<n id="6" /> in him.p>

<p class="poetry">Your courtiers<n id="1" /> are like locusts,p> <p class="poetry">your officials<n id="2" /> are like a swarm of locusts!p> <p class="poetry">They encamp in the walls on a cold day,p> <p class="poetry">yet when the sun rises, they<n id="3" /> fly away;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and no one knows where they<n id="5" /> are.<n id="6" />p>

<p class="poetry">Nineveh was like a pool<n id="1" /> of water<n id="2" /> throughout her days,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">but now<n id="4" /> her people<n id="5" /> are running away;<n id="6" />p> <p class="poetry">she cries out:<n id="7" /> &#8220;Stop! Stop!&#8221; &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">but no one turns back.<n id="8" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry"><v id="(2:1)" /><n id="1" /> Look! A herald is running<n id="2" /> on the mountains!p> <p class="poetry">A messenger is proclaiming deliverance:<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Celebrate your sacred festivals, O Judah!p> <p class="poetry">Fulfill your sacred vows to praise God!<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">For never again<n id="5" /> will the wicked<n id="6" /> Assyrians<n id="7" /> invade<n id="8" /> you,p> <p class="poetry">they<n id="9" /> have been completely destroyed.&#8221;<n id="10" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> is a zealous<n id="1" /> and avenging<n id="2" /> God;p> <p class="poetry">the <sc>Lordsc> is avenging and very angry.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> takes vengeance<n id="4" /> against his foes;p> <p class="poetry">he sustains his rage<n id="5" /> against his enemies.p>

<p class="poetry">Draw yourselves water for a siege!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Strengthen your fortifications!p> <p class="poetry">Trample the mud<n id="2" /> and tread the clay!p> <p class="poetry">Make mud bricks to strengthen your walls!<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> has issued a decree against you:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Your dynasty will come to an end.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I will destroy the idols and images in the temples of your gods.p> <p class="poetry">I will desecrate<n id="3" /> your grave &#8211; because you are accursed!&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">He shouts a battle cry<n id="1" /> against the sea<n id="2" /> and makes it dry up;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">he makes all the rivers<n id="4" /> run dry.p> <p class="poetry">Bashan and Carmel wither;<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">the blossom of Lebanon withers.p>

<p class="poetry">Your destruction is like an incurable wound;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">your demise is like a fatal injury!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">All who hear what has happened to you<n id="3" /> will clap their hands for joy,<n id="4" />p> <p class="bodytext">for no one ever escaped your endless cruelty!<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">The charioteers<n id="1" /> will charge ahead;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">their swords<n id="3" /> will flash<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and their spears<n id="5" /> will glimmer!<n id="6" />p> <p class="poetry">There will be many people slain;<n id="7" />p> <p class="poetry">there will be piles of the dead,p> <p class="poetry">and countless casualties<n id="8" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">so many that people<n id="9" /> will stumble over the corpses.p>

<p class="poetry">You too will act like drunkards;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">you will go into hiding;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">you too will seek refuge from the enemy.p>

<t /><p class="poetry"><v id="(2:2)" /> The watchmen of Nineveh shout:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;An enemy who will scatter you<n id="2" /> is marching out<n id="3" /> to attack you!&#8221;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Guard<n id="5" /> the rampart!<n id="6" />p> <p class="poetry">Watch the road!p> <p class="poetry">Prepare yourselves for battle!<n id="7" />p> <p class="poetry">Muster your mighty strength!&#8221;<n id="8" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">You are no more secure<n id="1" /> than Thebes<n id="2" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">she was located on the banks of the Nile;p> <p class="poetry">the waters surrounded her,p> <p class="poetry">her<n id="3" /> rampart<n id="4" /> was the sea,p> <p class="poetry">the water<n id="5" /> was her wall.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">The chariot drivers will crack their whips;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">the chariot wheels will shake the ground;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">the chariot horses<n id="3" /> will gallop;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">the war chariots<n id="5" /> will bolt forward!<n id="6" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">The oracle against Nineveh;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">the book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite:<n id="2" />p>