Naum 2
Hærgeren drager imod dig, hold Vagt med Omhu, hold Udkig, omgjord din Lænd, saml al din Kraft!
Thi HERREN genrejser Jakobs og Israels Højhed; dem har jo Hærværksmænd hærget og ødt deres Ranker.
Hans Heltes Skjolde er røde, hans Stridsmænd skarlagenklædt, hans Vogne funkler af Stål, den Dag han ruster og Spydene svinges.
Igennem Gaderne raser Vognene frem, hen over Torvene farer de i susende Fart; de ser ud som Fakler, farer frem og tilbage som Lyn.
Hans Helte kaldes frem, de snubler i Farten, de styrter frem imod Muren. Skjoldtaget er rejst.
Flodportene bliver åbnet, Kongsgården vakler.
Herskerinden føres bort i Landflygtigbed med sine Terner; de sukker som kurrende Duer, slår sig for Brystet.
Ran Sølv, ran Guld! Der er Liggendefæ uden Ende, alskens kostbare Ting i store Måder.
Tomt og tømt og udtømt, ængstede Hjerter, rystende Knæ og Skælven i alle Lænder! Og alle Ansigter blegner.
Hvor er nu Løvernes Bo, Ungløvernes Hule, hvor Løven frak sig tilbage, hvor Ungløven ej kunde skræmmes?
Den røved til Ungernes Tarv og myrded til Løvinderne, fyldte sine Hier med Bytte. sit Bo med Rov.
Se, jeg kommer over dig, lyder det fra Hærskarers HERRE, dit Lejrsted lader jeg gå op i Røg. Dine Ungløver skal Sværdet fortære; jeg rydder din Røverfærd bort fra Jorden. Dine Sendebuds Røst skal aldrig høres mer.
He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make {thy} loins strong, fortify {thy} power mightily. {He...: or, The disperser, or, hammer}
For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches. {the excellency of Jacob...: or, the pride of Jacob as the pride, etc}
The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men {are} in scarlet: the chariots {shall be} with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken. {in scarlet: or, dyed scarlet} {flaming: or, fiery}
The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings. {they: Heb. their show}
He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared. {worthies: or, gallants} {defence: Heb. covering, or, coverer}
The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved. {dissolved: or, molten}
And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead {her} as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts. {Huzzab: or, that which was established, or, there was a stand made} {led...: or, discovered}
But Nineveh {is} of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, {shall they cry}; but none shall look back. {of old: or, from the days that she hath been} {look back: or, cause them to turn}
Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for {there is} none end of the store {and} glory out of all the pleasant furniture. {for...: or, and their infinite store, etc} {pleasant...: Heb. vessels of desire}
She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain {is} in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.
Where {is} the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, {even} the old lion, walked, {and} the lion's whelp, and none made {them} afraid?
The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.
Behold, I {am} against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.