Chapter 2
The Overthrow of Nineveh
1
One who scatters advances against you, [O Nineveh]. Guard the fortress! Watch the road! Brace yourselves…! Summon all your strength!
𐤌𐤐𐤉𐤑 𐤏𐤋𐤄 𐤏𐤋 𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤊 𐤍𐤑𐤅𐤓 𐤌𐤑𐤓𐤄 𐤑𐤐𐤄 𐤃𐤓𐤊 𐤇𐤆𐤒 𐤌𐤕𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤌𐤑 𐤌𐤀𐤃 𐤊𐤇
מֵפִ֛יץ עָלָ֥ה עַל־ פָּנַ֖יִךְ נָצ֣וֹר מְצֻרָ֑ה צַפֵּה־ דֶ֙רֶךְ֙ חַזֵּ֣ק מָתְנַ֔יִם אַמֵּ֥ץ מְאֹֽד׃ כֹּ֖חַ mê·p̄îṣ ‘ā·lāh ‘al- pā·na·yiḵ nā·ṣō·wr mə·ṣu·rāh ṣap·pêh- ḏe·reḵ ḥaz·zêq mā·ṯə·na·yim ’am·mêṣ mə·’ōḏ kō·aḥ — WLC · 1
2
For the LORD will restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of Israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and ruined the branches of their vine.
𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤀𐤕 𐤔𐤁 𐤂𐤀𐤅𐤍 𐤉𐤏𐤒𐤁 𐤊𐤂𐤀𐤅𐤍 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 𐤊𐤉 𐤁𐤒𐤒𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤒𐤒𐤅𐤌 𐤔𐤇𐤕𐤅 𐤅𐤆𐤌𐤓𐤉𐤄𐤌
כִּ֣י יְהוָה֙ אֶת־ שָׁ֤ב גְּא֣וֹן יַעֲקֹ֔ב כִּגְא֖וֹן יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֤י בֹּֽקְקִ֔ים בְקָקוּם֙ שִׁחֵֽתוּ׃ וּזְמֹרֵיהֶ֖ם kî Yah·weh ’eṯ- šāḇ gə·’ō·wn ya·‘ă·qōḇ kiḡ·’ō·wn yiś·rā·’êl kî bō·qə·qîm ḇə·qā·qūm ši·ḥê·ṯū ū·zə·mō·rê·hem — WLC · 2
3
The shields of his mighty men are red; the valiant warriors… are dressed in scarlet. The fittings of the chariots flash like fire on the day they are prepared, and the spears of cypress have been brandished.
𐤌𐤂𐤍 𐤂𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤄𐤅 𐤌𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤀𐤍𐤔𐤉 𐤇𐤉𐤋 𐤌𐤕𐤋𐤏𐤉𐤌 𐤐𐤋𐤃𐤅𐤕 𐤄𐤓𐤊𐤁 𐤁𐤀𐤔 𐤁𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤄𐤊𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤅𐤄𐤁𐤓𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤓𐤏𐤋𐤅
מָגֵ֨ן גִּבֹּרֵ֜יהוּ מְאָדָּ֗ם אַנְשֵׁי־ חַ֙יִל֙ מְתֻלָּעִ֔ים פְּלָד֥וֹת הָרֶ֖כֶב בְּאֵשׁ־ בְּי֣וֹם הֲכִינ֑וֹ וְהַבְּרֹשִׁ֖ים הָרְעָֽלוּ׃ mā·ḡên gib·bō·rê·hū mə·’ād·dām ’an·šê- ḥa·yil mə·ṯul·lā·‘îm pə·lā·ḏō·wṯ hā·re·ḵeḇ bə·’êš- bə·yō·wm hă·ḵî·nōw wə·hab·bə·rō·šîm hā·rə·‘ā·lū — WLC · 3
4
The chariots dash through the streets; they rush around the plazas, appearing like torches, darting about like lightning.
𐤄𐤓𐤊𐤁 𐤉𐤕𐤄𐤅𐤋𐤋𐤅 𐤁𐤇𐤅𐤑𐤅𐤕 𐤉𐤔𐤕𐤒𐤔𐤒𐤅𐤍 𐤁𐤓𐤇𐤁𐤅𐤕 𐤌𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤄𐤍 𐤊𐤋𐤐𐤉𐤃𐤌 𐤉𐤓𐤅𐤑𐤑𐤅 𐤊𐤁𐤓𐤒𐤉𐤌
הָרֶ֔כֶב יִתְהוֹלְל֣וּ בַּֽחוּצוֹת֙ יִֽשְׁתַּקְשְׁק֖וּן בָּרְחֹב֑וֹת מַרְאֵיהֶן֙ כַּלַּפִּידִ֔ם יְרוֹצֵֽצוּ׃ כַּבְּרָקִ֖ים hā·re·ḵeḇ yiṯ·hō·wl·lū ba·ḥū·ṣō·wṯ yiš·taq·šə·qūn bā·rə·ḥō·ḇō·wṯ mar·’ê·hen kal·lap·pî·ḏim yə·rō·w·ṣê·ṣū kab·bə·rā·qîm — WLC · 4
5
He summons his nobles; they stumble as they advance. They race to its wall; the protective shield is set in place.
𐤉𐤆𐤊𐤓 𐤀𐤃𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤅 𐤉𐤊𐤔𐤋𐤅 𐤁𐤄𐤋𐤊𐤅𐤕𐤌 𐤉𐤌𐤄𐤓𐤅 𐤇𐤅𐤌𐤕𐤄 𐤄𐤎𐤊𐤊 𐤅𐤄𐤊𐤍
יִזְכֹּר֙ אַדִּירָ֔יו יִכָּשְׁל֖וּ בַהֲלִכוֹתָם יְמַֽהֲרוּ֙ חֽוֹמָתָ֔הּ הַסֹּכֵֽךְ׃ וְהֻכַ֖ן yiz·kōr ’ad·dî·rāw yik·kā·šə·lū ḇa·hă·li·ḵō·ṯå̄m yə·ma·hă·rū ḥō·w·mā·ṯāh has·sō·ḵêḵ wə·hu·ḵan — WLC · 5
6
The river gates are thrown open and the palace collapses.
𐤄𐤍𐤄𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤔𐤏𐤓𐤉 𐤍𐤐𐤕𐤇𐤅 𐤅𐤄𐤄𐤉𐤊𐤋 𐤍𐤌𐤅𐤂
הַנְּהָר֖וֹת שַׁעֲרֵ֥י נִפְתָּ֑חוּ וְהַֽהֵיכָ֖ל נָמֽוֹג׃ han·nə·hā·rō·wṯ ša·‘ă·rê nip̄·tā·ḥū wə·ha·hê·ḵāl nā·mō·wḡ — WLC · 6
7
It is decreed that [the city] be exiled and carried away; her maidservants moan like doves, and beat upon their breasts.
𐤅𐤄𐤑𐤁 𐤂𐤋𐤕𐤄 𐤄𐤏𐤋𐤕𐤄 𐤅𐤀𐤌𐤄𐤕𐤉𐤄 𐤌𐤍𐤄𐤂𐤅𐤕 𐤊𐤒𐤅𐤋 𐤉𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤕𐤐𐤐𐤕 𐤏𐤋 𐤋𐤁𐤁𐤄𐤍
וְהֻצַּ֖ב גֻּלְּתָ֣ה הֹֽעֲלָ֑תָה וְאַמְהֹתֶ֗יהָ מְנַֽהֲגוֹת֙ כְּק֣וֹל יוֹנִ֔ים מְתֹפְפֹ֖ת עַל־ לִבְבֵהֶֽן׃ wə·huṣ·ṣaḇ gul·lə·ṯāh hō·‘ă·lā·ṯāh wə·’am·hō·ṯe·hā mə·na·hă·ḡō·wṯ kə·qō·wl yō·w·nîm mə·ṯō·p̄ə·p̄ōṯ ‘al- liḇ·ḇê·hen — WLC · 7
8
Nineveh has been like a pool of water throughout her days, but now it is draining away. “Stop! Stop!” they cry, but no one turns back.
𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤍𐤅𐤄 𐤊𐤁𐤓𐤊𐤕 𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤉𐤀 𐤌𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤅𐤄𐤌𐤄 𐤍𐤎𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤌𐤃𐤅 𐤏𐤌𐤃𐤅 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤌𐤐𐤍𐤄
וְנִינְוֵ֥ה כִבְרֵֽכַת־ מַ֖יִם הִ֑יא מִ֣ימֵי וְהֵ֣מָּה נָסִ֔ים עִמְד֥וּ עֲמֹ֖דוּ וְאֵ֥ין מַפְנֶֽה׃ wə·nî·nə·wêh ḵiḇ·rê·ḵaṯ- ma·yim hî mî·mê wə·hêm·māh nā·sîm ‘im·ḏū ‘ă·mō·ḏū wə·’ên map̄·neh — WLC · 8
9
“Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!” There is no end to the treasure, an abundance of every precious thing.
𐤁𐤆𐤅 𐤊𐤎𐤐 𐤁𐤆𐤅 𐤆𐤄𐤁 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤒𐤑𐤄 𐤋𐤕𐤊𐤅𐤍𐤄 𐤊𐤁𐤃 𐤌𐤊𐤋 𐤇𐤌𐤃𐤄 𐤊𐤋𐤉
בֹּ֥זּוּ כֶ֖סֶף בֹּ֣זּוּ זָהָ֑ב וְאֵ֥ין קֵ֙צֶה֙ לַתְּכוּנָ֔ה כָּבֹ֕ד מִכֹּ֖ל חֶמְדָּֽה׃ כְּלִ֥י bōz·zū ḵe·sep̄ bōz·zū zā·hāḇ wə·’ên qê·ṣeh lat·tə·ḵū·nāh kā·ḇōḏ mik·kōl ḥem·dāh kə·lî — WLC · 9
10
She is emptied! Yes, she is desolate and laid waste! Hearts melt, knees knock, bodies tremble, and every face… grows pale…!
𐤁𐤅𐤒𐤄 𐤅𐤌𐤁𐤅𐤒𐤄 𐤅𐤌𐤁𐤋𐤒𐤄 𐤅𐤋𐤁 𐤍𐤌𐤎 𐤁𐤓𐤊𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤐𐤒 𐤌𐤕𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤇𐤋𐤇𐤋𐤄 𐤁𐤊𐤋 𐤅𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤊𐤋𐤌 𐤒𐤁𐤑𐤅 𐤐𐤀𐤓𐤅𐤓
בּוּקָ֥ה וּמְבוּקָ֖ה וּמְבֻלָּקָ֑ה וְלֵ֨ב נָמֵ֜ס בִּרְכַּ֗יִם וּפִ֣ק מָתְנַ֔יִם וְחַלְחָלָה֙ בְּכָל־ וּפְנֵ֥י כֻלָּ֖ם קִבְּצ֥וּ פָארֽוּר׃ bū·qāh ū·mə·ḇū·qāh ū·mə·ḇul·lā·qāh wə·lêḇ nā·mês bir·ka·yim ū·p̄iq mā·ṯə·na·yim wə·ḥal·ḥā·lāh bə·ḵāl ū·p̄ə·nê ḵul·lām qib·bə·ṣū p̄ā·rūr — WLC · 10
11
Where is the lions’ lair or the feeding ground… of the young lions, where the lion and lioness… prowled with [their] cubs, with nothing to frighten them away?
𐤀𐤉𐤄 𐤀𐤓𐤉𐤅𐤕 𐤌𐤏𐤅𐤍 𐤅𐤌𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤋𐤊𐤐𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤀𐤓𐤉𐤄 𐤋𐤁𐤉𐤀 𐤔𐤌 𐤄𐤋𐤊 𐤀𐤓𐤉𐤄 𐤂𐤅𐤓 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤌𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤃
אַיֵּה֙ אֲרָי֔וֹת מְע֣וֹן וּמִרְעֶ֥ה ה֖וּא לַכְּפִרִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַרְיֵ֨ה לָבִ֥יא שָׁ֛ם הָלַךְ֩ אַרְיֵ֖ה גּ֥וּר וְאֵ֥ין מַחֲרִֽיד׃ ’ay·yêh ’ă·rā·yō·wṯ mə·‘ō·wn ū·mir·‘eh hū lak·kə·p̄i·rîm ’ă·šer ’ar·yêh lā·ḇî šām hā·laḵ ’ar·yêh gūr wə·’ên ma·ḥă·rîḏ — WLC · 11
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The lion mauled enough for its cubs and strangled prey for the lioness. It filled its dens with the kill, and its lairs with mauled prey.
𐤀𐤓𐤉𐤄 𐤈𐤓𐤐 𐤁𐤃𐤉 𐤂𐤓𐤅𐤕𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤌𐤇𐤍𐤒 𐤋𐤋𐤁𐤀𐤕𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤌𐤋𐤀 𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤅 𐤈𐤓𐤐 𐤅𐤌𐤏𐤍𐤕𐤉𐤅 𐤈𐤓𐤐𐤄
אַרְיֵ֤ה טֹרֵף֙ בְּדֵ֣י גֹֽרוֹתָ֔יו וּמְחַנֵּ֖ק לְלִבְאֹתָ֑יו וַיְמַלֵּא־ חֹרָ֔יו טֶ֣רֶף וּמְעֹֽנֹתָ֖יו טְרֵפָֽה׃ ’ar·yêh ṭō·rêp̄ bə·ḏê ḡō·rō·w·ṯāw ū·mə·ḥan·nêq lə·liḇ·’ō·ṯāw way·mal·lê- ḥō·rāw ṭe·rep̄ ū·mə·‘ō·nō·ṯāw ṭə·rê·p̄āh — WLC · 12
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“Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will reduce your chariots to cinders, and the sword will devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voices of your messengers will no longer be heard -.”
𐤄𐤍𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤍𐤀𐤌 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤑𐤁𐤀𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤄𐤁𐤏𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤓𐤊𐤁𐤄 𐤁𐤏𐤔𐤍 𐤇𐤓𐤁 𐤕𐤀𐤊𐤋 𐤅𐤊𐤐𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤊 𐤅𐤄𐤊𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤈𐤓𐤐𐤊 𐤌𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤒𐤅𐤋 𐤌𐤋𐤀𐤊𐤊𐤄𐤎 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤔𐤌𐤏 𐤏𐤅𐤃
הִנְנִ֣י אֵלַ֗יִךְ נְאֻם֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וְהִבְעַרְתִּ֤י רִכְבָּ֔הּ בֶֽעָשָׁן֙ חָ֑רֶב תֹּ֣אכַל וּכְפִירַ֖יִךְ וְהִכְרַתִּ֤י טַרְפֵּ֔ךְ מֵאֶ֙רֶץ֙ ק֥וֹל מַלְאָכֵֽכֵה׃ס וְלֹֽא־ יִשָּׁמַ֥ע ע֖וֹד hin·nî ’ê·la·yiḵ nə·’um Yah·weh ṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯ wə·hiḇ·‘ar·tî riḵ·bāh ḇe·‘ā·šān ḥā·reḇ tō·ḵal ū·ḵə·p̄î·ra·yiḵ wə·hiḵ·rat·tî ṭar·pêḵ mê·’e·reṣ qō·wl mal·’ā·ḵê·ḵêh wə·lō- yiš·šā·ma‘ ‘ō·wḏ — WLC · 13