New Revised Standard NRS
Common English Bible CEB
1 A shatterer has come up against you. Guard the ramparts; watch the road; gird your loins; collect all your strength.
1
A scatterer has come up against you. Guard the ramparts, watch the road, protect your groin, save your strength!
2 (For the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob, as well as the majesty of Israel, though ravagers have ravaged them and ruined their branches.)
2
The LORD will restore the pride of Jacob, indeed, the pride of Israel, because ravagers have destroyed them and spoiled their branches.
3 The shields of his warriors are red; his soldiers are clothed in crimson. The metal on the chariots flashes on the day when he musters them; the chargers prance.
3
The shields of his warriors are red; his soldiers are dressed in crimson. The ironwork of the chariots flashes like fire on the day he has prepared; the horses quiver.
4 The chariots race madly through the streets, they rush to and fro through the squares; their appearance is like torches, they dart like lightning.
4
The chariots race wildly through the streets; they rush back and forth through the squares. They look like flaming torches; they dart like bolts of lightning.
5 He calls his officers; they stumble as they come forward; they hasten to the wall, and the mantelet is set up.
5
He musters his officers; they stumble as they press forward. They hurry to the city wall, and the portable shield is set up.
6 The river gates are opened, the palace trembles.
6
The gates of the rivers are opened; the palace melts.
7 It is decreed that the city be exiled, its slave women led away, moaning like doves and beating their breasts.
7
It is decreed: She is sent into exile, carried away, while her female servants moan like doves, beating their breasts.
8 Nineveh is like a pool whose waters run away. "Halt! Halt!"— but no one turns back.
8
Nineveh has been like a pool of water. Such are its waters, and others are fleeing. "Stop, stop!"—but no one can turn them back.
9 "Plunder the silver, plunder the gold! There is no end of treasure! An abundance of every precious thing!"
9
Plunder silver! Plunder gold! There is no end to the supplies, an abundance of precious objects!
10 Devastation, desolation, and destruction! Hearts faint and knees tremble, all loins quake, all faces grow pale!
10
Destruction and devastation; the city is laid waste! The heart grows faint and knees buckle; there is anguish in every groin; all the faces grow pale.
11 What became of the lions' den, the cave of the young lions, where the lion goes, and the lion's cubs, with no one to disturb them?
11
Where is the lions' den, the meadow of the young lions, where lion, lioness, even lion cub go about with no one to terrify them?
12 The lion has torn enough for his whelps and strangled prey for his lionesses; he has filled his caves with prey and his dens with torn flesh.
12
The lion has torn enough prey for his cubs and strangled enough for his lionesses; he has filled his lairs with prey, his dens with torn flesh.
13 See, I am against you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall be heard no more.
13
Look! I am against you, proclaims the LORD of heavenly forces. I will burn your chariots in smoke; the sword will devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, the voice of your messengers will never again be heard!
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible