1 He is come up that shall scatter before thee, that shall keep the siege: behold the way, fortify the loins, strengthen force exceedingly.
1 He is come up that shall destroy before thy face, that shall keep the siege: watch the way, fortify thy loins, strengthen thy power exceedingly.
2 Because our Lord hath rendered the pride of Jacob, as the pride of Israel: because the waters have dissipated them, & have marred their branches.
2 For the Lord hath rendered the pride of Jacob, as the pride of Israel: because the spoilers have laid them waste, and have marred their vine branches.
3 The buckler of his valiants fiery, the men of the army in scarlets, the reins of the chariot fiery in the day of his preparation, & the drivers are brought asleep.
3 The shield of his mighty men is like fire, the men of the army are clad in scarlet, the reins of the chariot are flaming in the day of his preparation, and the drivers are stupefied.
4 In the ways they are troubled, the chariots struck one against another in the streets: their appearance are as it were lamps, as it were lightning running to & fro.
4 They are in confusion in the ways, the chariots jostle one against another in the streets: their looks are like torches, like lightning running to and fro.
5 He will remember his valiants, they shall fall in their ways: they shall quickly scale the walls thereof, and a bower shall be prepared.
5 He will muster up his valiant men, they shall stumble in their march: they shall quickly get upon the walls thereof: and a covering shall be prepared.
6 The gates of the rivers are opened, and the temple thrown down to the ground.
6 The gates of the rivers are opened, and the temple is thrown down to the ground.
7 And the soldier is led away captive: and her handmaids were led away mourning as doves, murmuring in their hearts.
7 And the soldier is led away captive: and her bondwomen were led away mourning as doves, murmuring in their hearts.
8 And Ninive her waters as it were a fishpool of waters: but themselves are fled. Stand stand, and there is none that will return.
8 And as for Ninive, her waters are like a great pool: but the men flee away. They cry: Stand, stand, but there is none that will return back.
9 Spoil the silver, spoil the gold: and there is no end of the riches of all vessels that are to be desired.
9 Take ye the spoil of the silver, take the spoil of the gold: for there is no end of the riches of all the precious furniture.
10 She is dissipated, and rent, and torn: & pining heart, and dissolution of the knees, and defect in all reins: and the faces of them all as the blackness of a pot.
10 She is destroyed, and rent, and torn: the heart melteth, and the knees fail, and all the loins lose their strength: and the faces of them all are as the blackness of a kettle.
11 Where is the habitation of lions, and the pasture of lions' whelps, to which the lion went, to go in thither, the lion's whelp, and is there none to make them afraid?
11 Where is now the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, to which the lion went, to enter in thither, the young lion, and there was none to make them afraid?
12 The lion hath caught sufficiently for his whelps, and hath killed for his lionesses: and he hath filled his dens with prey, and his couch with ravening.
12 The lion caught enough for his whelps, and killed for his lionesses: and he filled his holes with prey, and his den with rapine.
13 Behold I to thee, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will burn thy chariots even to smoke, and the sword shall eat thy little lions: and I will destroy thy prey out of the land, and the voice of thy messengers shall be heard no more.
13 Behold I come against thee, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will burn thy chariots even to smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey out of the land, and the voice of thy messengers shall be heard no more.¹