1 The one scattering is coming up against your face. Guard the rampart; watch the way; make the loins strong, firm up your power exceedingly.2 For Jehovah has restored the excellence of Jacob as the excellence of Israel. For the emptiers have emptied them and have destroyed their vine branches.3 The shield of his mighty ones has become red, the mighty men are clothed in scarlet, the chariots will come like iron torches in the day of his preparation, and the cypresses are made to shake terribly.4 The chariots run madly in the streets; they rush to and fro in the broad ways. Their appearance is like torches; they run swiftly like lightning.5 He shall remember its nobles; they shall stumble in their walking; they shall hurry to its wall, and the defense shall be prepared.6 The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be melted.7 And she who stood firm shall be uncovered and carried away; and her maidservants shall lead on, moaning like the sound of doves, beating on their breasts.8 And Nineveh of old is like a pool of water; yet they are fleeing. They cry, Halt! Halt! But no one turns back.9 Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold! For there is no end to the treasures, and riches from all precious objects.10 She is empty, desolate, and waste. And the heart is melted, and the knees knocking; and trembling is in all the loins; and all of their faces are flushed.11 Where is the den of the lions and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion, the lioness, the lion’s cub walked, and no one made them afraid?12 The lion tore in pieces, enough for his cubs, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, even his lairs with torn prey.13 Behold, I am against you, declares Jehovah of Hosts; and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. And I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall not be heard any more.

1 He stiede up, that schal scatere bifore thee, that schal kepe bisechyng; biholde thou the weie, coumforte leendis, strengthe thou vertu greetli.2 For as the Lord yeldide the pride of Jacob, so the pride of Israel; for distrieris scateriden hem, and distrieden the generaciouns of hem.3 The scheld of stronge men of hym ben firi, men of the oost ben in rede clothis; raynes of fire of chare, in the dai of his makyng redi; and the leederis therof ben asleep.4 In weies thei ben troblid togidere, cartis of foure horsis ben hurtlid togidere in stretis; the siyte of hem as laumpis, as leitis rennynge aboute.5 He schal bithenke of his stronge men, thei schulen falle in her weies; and swiftli thei schulen stie on the wallis therof, and schadewyng place schal be maad redi.6 Yatis of floodis ben openyd, and the temple is brokun doun to erthe.7 And a knyyt is led awei caitif, and the handmaidis therof schulen be dryuun sorewynge as culueris, grutchynge in her hertis.8 And Nynyue, as a cisterne of watris the watris therof; forsothe thei fledden; stonde ye, stonde ye, and there is not that schal turne ayen.9 Rauysche ye siluer, rauysche ye gold; and there is noon ende of richessis, of alle desirable vessels.10 It is distried, and kit, and to-rent, and herte failynge, and vnknyttinge of smale knees, and failynge in alle reynes; and the face of alle ben as blacnesse of a pot.11 Where is the dwellyng of liouns, and lesewis of whelpis of liouns? To whiche citee the lioun yede, that the whelp of the lioun schulde entre thidur, and there is not that schal make aferd.12 The lioun took ynow to hise whelpis, and slowy to his lionessis; and fillide her dennes with prei, and his couche with raueyn.13 Lo! Y to thee, seith the Lord God of oostis; and Y schal brenne thi cartis of foure horsis til to the hiyeste, and swerd schal ete thi smale liouns; and Y schal distrie thi prei fro the lond, and the vois of thi messangeris schulen no more be herd.