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.”
Ninawi Kuanguka
12:1 Yer 51:20Mshambuliaji anasogea dhidi yako, Ninawi.
Linda ngome,
chunga barabara,
jitieni nguvu wenyewe,
kusanya nguvu zako zote!
22:2 Eze 37:23; Isa 60:15Bwana atarudisha fahari ya Yakobo,
kama fahari ya Israeli,
ingawa waangamizi wamewaacha ukiwa
na wameharibu mizabibu yao.
32:3 Eze 23:14-15Ngao za askari wake ni nyekundu,
mashujaa wamevaa nguo nyekundu.
Chuma kwenye magari ya vita chametameta,
katika siku aliyoyaweka tayari,
mikuki ya mierezi inametameta.
42:4 Yer 4:13; Eze 23:24Magari ya vita yanafanya msukosuko barabarani,
yakikimbia nyuma na mbele uwanjani.
Yanaonekana kama mienge ya moto;
yanakwenda kasi kama umeme.
52:5 Yer 46:12Anaita vikosi vilivyochaguliwa,
lakini bado wanajikwaa njiani.
Wanakimbilia haraka kwenye ukuta wa mji,
ile ngao ya kuwakinga imetayarishwa.
62:6 Isa 45:1; Nah 3:13Malango ya mto yamefunguliwa wazi,
na jumba la kifalme limeanguka.
72:7 Mwa 8:8; Isa 59:11; 32:12Imeagizwa kwamba mji uchukuliwe
na upelekwe uhamishoni.
Vijakazi wake wanaomboleza kama hua
na kupigapiga vifua vyao.
8Ninawi ni kama dimbwi,
nayo maji yake yanakauka.
Wanalia, “Simama! Simama!”
Lakini hakuna anayegeuka nyuma.
9Chukueni nyara za fedha!
Chukueni nyara za dhahabu!
Wingi wake hauna mwisho,
utajiri kutoka hazina zake zote!
102:10 Yos 2:11; 7:5; Isa 29:22Ameharibiwa, ametekwa nyara, ameachwa uchi!
Mioyo inayeyuka, magoti yanalegea,
miili inatetemeka,
na kila uso umebadilika rangi.
112:11 Isa 5:29Liko wapi sasa pango la simba,
mahali ambapo waliwalisha watoto wao,
ambapo simba dume na simba jike walikwenda
na ambapo wana simba walikwenda
bila kuogopa chochote?
122:12 Yer 51:34; 4:7; Isa 37:18Simba aliua mawindo ya kutosha watoto wake,
alinyonga mawindo kwa ajili ya mwenzi wake,
akijaza makao yake kwa alivyoua
na mapango yake kwa mawindo.
132:13 Isa 10:5-13; Yer 21:13; Nah 3:5; Za 46:9; 2Sam 2:26; Mik 5:6Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote anatangaza,
“Mimi ni kinyume na ninyi.
Magari yenu ya vita nitayateketeza kwa moto,
na upanga utakula wana simba wako.
Sitawaachia mawindo juu ya nchi.
Sauti za wajumbe wako
hazitasikika tena.”
