2 oThe scatterer has come up against you.
pMan the ramparts;
dress for battle;1
2 For qthe Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob
for plunderers have plundered them
and rruined their branches.
3 The shield of his mighty men is red;
shis soldiers are clothed in scarlet.
The chariots come with flashing metal
the cypress spears are brandished.
4 tThe chariots race madly through the streets;
they rush to and fro through the squares;
5 He remembers uhis officers;
vthey stumble as they go,
the siege tower2 is set up.
6 wThe river gates are opened;
the palace xmelts away;
7 its mistress3 is ystripped;4 she is carried off,
her slave girls zlamenting,
8 bNineveh is like a pool
whose waters run away.5
but cnone turns back.
There is no end of the treasure
or of the wealth of all precious things.
10 dDesolate! Desolation and ruin!
eHearts melt and fknees tremble;
ganguish is in all loins;
hall faces grow pale!
the feeding place of ithe young lions,
where the lion and lioness went,
where his cubs were, with jnone to disturb?
12 kThe lion tore enough for his cubs
and lstrangled prey for his lionesses;
13 mBehold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts, and nI will burn your6 chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and othe voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard.