Nineveh to Fall
In Hebrew texts 2:1-13 is numbered 2:2-14. 1An attacker advances against you, Nineveh.
Guard the fortress,
watch the road,
brace yourselves,
marshal all your strength!
2The Lord will restore the splendor of Jacob
like the splendor of Israel,
though destroyers have laid them waste
and have ruined their vines.
3The shields of the soldiers are red;
the warriors are clad in scarlet.
The metal on the chariots flashes
on the day they are made ready;
the spears of juniper are brandished.2:3 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac ready; / the horsemen rush to and fro.
4The chariots storm through the streets,
rushing back and forth through the squares.
They look like flaming torches;
they dart about like lightning.
5Nineveh summons her picked troops,
yet they stumble on their way.
They dash to the city wall;
the protective shield is put in place.
6The river gates are thrown open
and the palace collapses.
7It is decreed2:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain. that Nineveh
be exiled and carried away.
Her female slaves moan like doves
and beat on their breasts.
8Nineveh is like a pool
whose water is draining away.
“Stop! Stop!” they cry,
but no one turns back.
9Plunder the silver!
Plunder the gold!
The supply is endless,
the wealth from all its treasures!
10She is pillaged, plundered, stripped!
Hearts melt, knees give way,
bodies tremble, every face grows pale.
11Where now is the lions’ den,
the place where they fed their young,
where the lion and lioness went,
and the cubs, with nothing to fear?
12The lion killed enough for his cubs
and strangled the prey for his mate,
filling his lairs with the kill
and his dens with the prey.
13“I am against you,”
declares the Lord Almighty.
“I will burn up your chariots in smoke,
and the sword will devour your young lions.
I will leave you no prey on the earth.
The voices of your messengers
will no longer be heard.”
Ninewe Asehweɛ
1Ɔtohyɛsoɔni reba wo so, Ninewe
bɔ aban no ho ban,
wɛn ɛkwan no,
bɔ wo ho so
na boa wʼahoɔden nyinaa ano!
2Awurade de Yakob animuonyam bɛsane ama no
te sɛ Israel deɛ no,
ɛwom sɛ, asɛefoɔ no ama ada mpan
na wɔasɛe ne bobe mfuo.
3Asraafoɔ no akokyɛm yɛ kɔkɔɔ;
akofoɔ no hyehyɛ kɔben akotaadeɛ.
Nnadeɛ a wɔde yɛɛ nteaseɛnam no
twa nyinam nyinam sɛ da a wɔyɛeɛ no;
mpea a wapoma wɔ nnua so no rehim.
4Nteaseɛnam no twi fa mmɔntene so,
na wɔdi akɔneaba.
Wɔte sɛ ogyatɛn a ɛrederɛ;
wɔbɔ yerɛdɛ te sɛ anyinam.
5Ɔfrɛfrɛɛ nʼakofoɔ a wodi mu
nanso wɔsuntisunti wɔ ɛkwan mu.
Wɔde mmirika kɔ kuropɔn no afasuo ho;
na wɔyɛ wɔn akokyɛm krado.
6Wɔbuebue asubɔnten apono no,
na ahemfie no dwiri gu fam.
7Wɔhyɛ mmaraden sɛ
wɔmfa kuropɔn no nnommum
na wɔmfa wɔn nkɔ.
Ne mfenaa de wɔn nsa gu wɔn koko so
su te sɛ mmorɔnoma.
8Ninewe te sɛ ɔtadeɛ a
emu nsuo resene korɔ.
Woteam sɛ, “Monnyina hɔ! Monnyina hɔ!”
Nanso, obiara ansane nʼakyi.
9Momfom dwetɛ no!
Momfom sikakɔkɔɔ no!
Ahonyadeɛ a ɛwɔ akoradan mu nyinaa!
Na ahonyadeɛ no dɔɔso.
10Wɔabɔ Ninewe korɔno, wɔayɛ no pasaa!
Akoma boto, na nkotodwe woso woso,
nnipa ho popo na wɔn anim to hoa.
11Seesei ɛhe na gyatabuo no wɔ,
baabi a wɔma wɔn mma aduane no,
baabi a gyatanini ne gyatabereɛ korɔ
na wɔn mma nso kɔ a wɔnsuro?
12Gyata akum deɛ ɛbɛmee ne mma.
Wabobɔ ahaboa ama gyatabereɛ no.
Ɔde deɛ wakum ahyɛ ne bɔn ma
na ɔde ahaboa ahyɛ nʼatuo mama.
13“Me ne wo nnka,”
sɛdeɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ ni,
“Mɛhye wo nteaseɛnam na adane wisie
na akofena bɛkunkum wʼagyata mma.
Merennya wo ahaboa biara wɔ asase so.
Wɔrente wʼasomafoɔ no nne bio.”
