1 He that dasheth in pieces is come up against thy face: keep the fortress, watch the way, make {thy} loins strong, fortify {thy} power mightily.2 For Jehovah hath brought again the glory of Jacob, as the glory of Israel; for the wasters have wasted them, and marred their vine-branches.3 The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots {glitter} with the sheen of steel, in the day of his preparation, and the spears are brandished.4 The chariots rush madly in the streets, they justle one against another in the broad ways: the appearance of them is like torches, they run like lightnings.5 He bethinketh him of his nobles: they stumble in their march; they make haste to the wall thereof, and the shelter is prepared.6 The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace melteth away.7 And it is decreed: she shall be uncovered, she shall be led away, and her maids shall moan as with the voice of doves, drumming upon their breasts.8 Nineveh hath been like a pool of water, since the day she existed, yet they flee away. ...Stand! Stand! But none looketh back.9 Plunder the silver, plunder the gold; for there is no end of the splendid store of all precious vessels.10 She is empty, and void, and waste; and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and writhing pain is in all loins, and all their faces grow pale.11 Where is {now} the den of the lions, and the feeding-place of the young lions, where the lion, the lioness, {and} the lion's whelp walked, and none made them afraid?12 The lion tore in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.13 Behold, I am against thee, saith Jehovah of hosts: and I will burn her chariots into 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.

1 'n Verwoester trek teen jou op; bewaak die vesting, kyk uit langs die weg, versterk die lendene, versterk jou met alle mag!2 Want die HERE herstel die heerlikheid van Jakob net soos die heerlikheid van Israel; want plunderaars het hulle geplunder en hulle wingerdlote verniel.3 Die skild van sy helde is rooi geverf, die dapper manne in skarlaken gekleed, die strydwaens skitter met die glans van staal op die dag as hy hom gereedmaak, en die spiese word geswaai.4 Langs die paaie raas die strydwaens, hulle jaag rond oor die vlaktes; hulle voorkoms is soos fakkels, soos bliksemstrale skiet hulle heen en weer.5 Hy dink aan sy vername manne; hulle struikel in hul vaart, hulle hardloop na die muur waar die stormdak opgerig staan.6 Die poorte van die riviere word oopgemaak, en die paleis smelt weg.7 En dit is beslis: die stad word ontbloot, sy word weggevoer, en haar slavinne klae soos die stem van duiwe en slaan op hulle bors.8 En Ninev, is soos 'n vywer van waters, al die dae van haar bestaan. Maar hulle loop weg! Staan tog, staan! Maar daar is niemand wat omdraai nie.9 Roof silwer, roof goud! En onuitputlik is die voorraad, 'n rykdom van allerhande kosbare dinge!10 Leegheid, ontlediging, vernieling! En die hart versmelt, en knieë wankel, en in al die lendene is krampe, en die aangesig van hulle almal word bleek.11 Waar is die lêplek van die leeus, wat die voedingsplek was van die jong leeus? Waar die leeu, die leeuin, die klein leeutjie rondgeloop het sonder dat iemand hulle skrikmaak?12 Die leeu wat vir sy kleintjies geroof en vir sy leeuinne gewurg het, wat sy gate met roof gevul het en sy lêplekke met buit.13 Kyk, Ek het dit teen jou, spreek die HERE van die leërskare, en Ek laat jou strydwaens in rook opgaan; en die swaard sal jou jong leeus verslind, en Ek sal jou roof van die aarde verdelg; en die stem van jou gesante sal nie meer gehoor word nie.