Chapter 3
Judgment on Nineveh
1
Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without prey.
𐤄𐤅𐤉 𐤏𐤉𐤓 𐤃𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤊𐤋𐤄 𐤊𐤇𐤔 𐤌𐤋𐤀𐤄 𐤐𐤓𐤒 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤔 𐤈𐤓𐤐
ה֖וֹי עִ֣יר דָּמִ֑ים כֻּלָּ֗הּ כַּ֤חַשׁ מְלֵאָ֔ה פֶּ֙רֶק֙ לֹ֥א יָמִ֖ישׁ טָֽרֶף׃ hō·w ‘îr dā·mîm kul·lāh ka·ḥaš mə·lê·’āh pe·req lō yā·mîš ṭā·rep̄ — WLC · 1
2
The crack of the whip, the rumble… of the wheel, galloping horse and bounding chariot!
𐤒𐤅𐤋 𐤔𐤅𐤈 𐤅𐤒𐤅𐤋 𐤓𐤏𐤔 𐤀𐤅𐤐𐤍 𐤃𐤄𐤓 𐤅𐤎𐤅𐤎 𐤌𐤓𐤒𐤃𐤄 𐤅𐤌𐤓𐤊𐤁𐤄
ק֣וֹל שׁ֔וֹט וְק֖וֹל רַ֣עַשׁ אוֹפָ֑ן דֹּהֵ֔ר וְס֣וּס מְרַקֵּדָֽה׃ וּמֶרְכָּבָ֖ה qō·wl šō·wṭ wə·qō·wl ra·‘aš ’ō·w·p̄ān dō·hêr wə·sūs mə·raq·qê·ḏāh ū·mer·kā·ḇāh — WLC · 2
3
Charging horseman, flashing sword, shining spear; heaps of slain, mounds of corpses, dead bodies without end— they stumble over their dead—
𐤌𐤏𐤋𐤄 𐤐𐤓𐤔 𐤅𐤋𐤄𐤁 𐤇𐤓𐤁 𐤅𐤁𐤓𐤒 𐤇𐤍𐤉𐤕 𐤅𐤓𐤁 𐤇𐤋𐤋 𐤅𐤊𐤁𐤃 𐤐𐤂𐤓 𐤋𐤂𐤅𐤉𐤄 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤒𐤑𐤄 𐤉𐤊𐤔𐤋𐤅 𐤁𐤂𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤌
מַעֲלֶ֗ה פָּרָ֣שׁ וְלַ֤הַב חֶ֙רֶב֙ וּבְרַ֣ק חֲנִ֔ית וְרֹ֥ב חָלָ֖ל וְכֹ֣בֶד פָּ֑גֶר לַגְּוִיָּ֔ה וְאֵ֥ין קֵ֙צֶה֙ יִכְשְׁלוּ בִּגְוִיָּתָֽם׃ ma·‘ă·leh pā·rāš wə·la·haḇ ḥe·reḇ ū·ḇə·raq ḥă·nîṯ wə·rōḇ ḥā·lāl wə·ḵō·ḇeḏ pā·ḡer lag·gə·wî·yāh wə·’ên qê·ṣeh yiḵ·šə·lū biḡ·wî·yā·ṯām — WLC · 3
4
because of the many harlotries of the harlot, vvv the seductive mistress of sorcery, who betrays nations by her prostitution and clans by her witchcraft.
𐤌𐤓𐤁 𐤆𐤍𐤅𐤍𐤉 𐤆𐤅𐤍𐤄 𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤕 𐤇𐤍 𐤁𐤏𐤋𐤕 𐤊𐤔𐤐𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤌𐤊𐤓𐤕 𐤂𐤅𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤆𐤍𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤄 𐤅𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤇𐤅𐤕 𐤁𐤊𐤔𐤐𐤉𐤄
מֵרֹב֙ זְנוּנֵ֣י זוֹנָ֔ה ט֥וֹבַת חֵ֖ן בַּעֲלַ֣ת כְּשָׁפִ֑ים הַמֹּכֶ֤רֶת גּוֹיִם֙ בִּזְנוּנֶ֔יהָ וּמִשְׁפָּח֖וֹת בִּכְשָׁפֶֽיהָ׃ mê·rōḇ zə·nū·nê zō·w·nāh ṭō·w·ḇaṯ ḥên ba·‘ă·laṯ kə·šā·p̄îm ham·mō·ḵe·reṯ gō·w·yim biz·nū·ne·hā ū·miš·pā·ḥō·wṯ biḵ·šā·p̄e·hā — WLC · 4
5
“Behold, I [am] against you,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show your nakedness to the nations and your shame to the kingdoms.
𐤄𐤍𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤍𐤀𐤌 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤑𐤁𐤀𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤂𐤋𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤔𐤅𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤏𐤋 𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤊 𐤅𐤄𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤌𐤏𐤓𐤊 𐤂𐤅𐤉𐤌 𐤒𐤋𐤅𐤍𐤊 𐤅𐤌𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤅𐤕
הִנְנִ֣י אֵלַ֗יִךְ נְאֻם֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וְגִלֵּיתִ֥י שׁוּלַ֖יִךְ עַל־ פָּנָ֑יִךְ וְהַרְאֵיתִ֤י מַעְרֵ֔ךְ גוֹיִם֙ קְלוֹנֵֽךְ׃ וּמַמְלָכ֖וֹת hin·nî ’ê·la·yiḵ nə·’um Yah·weh ṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯ wə·ḡil·lê·ṯî šū·la·yiḵ ‘al- pā·nā·yiḵ wə·har·’ê·ṯî ma‘·rêḵ ḡō·w·yim qə·lō·w·nêḵ ū·mam·lā·ḵō·wṯ — WLC · 5
6
I will pelt you with filth and treat you with contempt; I will make a spectacle of you.
𐤅𐤄𐤔𐤋𐤊𐤕𐤉 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤔𐤒𐤑𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤍𐤁𐤋𐤕𐤉𐤊 𐤅𐤔𐤌𐤕𐤉𐤊 𐤊𐤓𐤀𐤉
וְהִשְׁלַכְתִּ֥י עָלַ֛יִךְ שִׁקֻּצִ֖ים וְנִבַּלְתִּ֑יךְ וְשַׂמְתִּ֖יךְ כְּרֹֽאִי׃ wə·hiš·laḵ·tî ‘ā·la·yiḵ šiq·qu·ṣîm wə·nib·bal·tîḵ wə·śam·tîḵ kə·rō·’î — WLC · 6
7
Then all who see you will recoil from you and say, ‘Nineveh is devastated; who will grieve for her?’ Where can I find comforters for you?”
𐤅𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤊𐤋 𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤊 𐤉𐤃𐤅𐤃 𐤌𐤌𐤊 𐤅𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤍𐤉𐤍𐤅𐤄 𐤔𐤃𐤃𐤄 𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤍𐤅𐤃 𐤋𐤄 𐤌𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤀𐤁𐤒𐤔 𐤌𐤍𐤇𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤊
וְהָיָ֤ה כָל־ רֹאַ֙יִךְ֙ יִדּ֣וֹד מִמֵּ֔ךְ וְאָמַר֙ נִֽינְוֵ֔ה שָׁדְּדָ֣ה מִ֖י יָנ֣וּד לָ֑הּ מֵאַ֛יִן אֲבַקֵּ֥שׁ מְנַחֲמִ֖ים לָֽךְ׃ wə·hā·yāh ḵāl rō·’a·yiḵ yid·dō·wḏ mim·mêḵ wə·’ā·mar nî·nə·wêh šād·də·ḏāh mî yā·nūḏ lāh mê·’a·yin ’ă·ḇaq·qêš mə·na·ḥă·mîm lāḵ — WLC · 7
8
Are you better than Thebes…, stationed by the Nile with water around her, whose rampart was the sea, whose wall was the water?
𐤄𐤕𐤉𐤈𐤁𐤉 𐤌𐤍𐤀 𐤀𐤌𐤅𐤍 𐤄𐤉𐤔𐤁𐤄 𐤁𐤉𐤀𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤎𐤁𐤉𐤁 𐤋𐤄 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤇𐤉𐤋 𐤉𐤌 𐤇𐤅𐤌𐤕𐤄 𐤌𐤉𐤌
הֲתֵֽיטְבִי֙ מִנֹּ֣א אָמ֔וֹן הַיֹּֽשְׁבָה֙ בַּיְאֹרִ֔ים מַ֖יִם סָבִ֣יב לָ֑הּ אֲשֶׁר־ חֵ֣יל יָ֔ם חוֹמָתָֽהּ׃ מִיָּ֖ם hă·ṯê·ṭə·ḇî min·nō ’ā·mō·wn hay·yō·šə·ḇāh bay·’ō·rîm ma·yim sā·ḇîḇ lāh ’ă·šer- ḥêl yām ḥō·w·mā·ṯāh mî·yām — WLC · 8
9
Cush and Egypt were her boundless… strength; Put and Libya were her allies.
𐤊𐤅𐤔 𐤅𐤌𐤑𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤒𐤑𐤄 𐤏𐤑𐤌𐤄 𐤐𐤅𐤈 𐤅𐤋𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤉𐤅 𐤁𐤏𐤆𐤓𐤕𐤊
כּ֥וּשׁ וּמִצְרַ֖יִם וְאֵ֣ין קֵ֑צֶה עָצְמָ֛ה פּ֣וּט וְלוּבִ֔ים הָי֖וּ בְּעֶזְרָתֵֽךְ׃ kūš ū·miṣ·ra·yim wə·’ên qê·ṣeh ‘ā·ṣə·māh pūṭ wə·lū·ḇîm hā·yū bə·‘ez·rā·ṯêḵ — WLC · 9
10
Yet she became an exile; she went into captivity. Her infants… were dashed to pieces at the head of every street. They cast lots for her dignitaries, and all her nobles were bound in chains.
𐤂𐤌 𐤄𐤉𐤀 𐤋𐤂𐤋𐤄 𐤄𐤋𐤊𐤄 𐤁𐤔𐤁𐤉 𐤏𐤋𐤋𐤉𐤄 𐤂𐤌 𐤉𐤓𐤈𐤔𐤅 𐤁𐤓𐤀𐤔 𐤊𐤋 𐤇𐤅𐤑𐤅𐤕 𐤉𐤃𐤅 𐤂𐤅𐤓𐤋 𐤅𐤏𐤋 𐤍𐤊𐤁𐤃𐤉𐤄 𐤅𐤊𐤋 𐤂𐤃𐤅𐤋𐤉𐤄 𐤓𐤕𐤒𐤅 𐤁𐤆𐤒𐤉𐤌
גַּם־ הִ֗יא לַגֹּלָה֙ הָלְכָ֣ה בַשֶּׁ֔בִי עֹלָלֶ֛יהָ גַּ֧ם יְרֻטְּשׁ֖וּ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ כָּל־ חוּצ֑וֹת יַדּ֣וּ גוֹרָ֔ל וְעַל־ נִכְבַּדֶּ֙יהָ֙ וְכָל־ גְּדוֹלֶ֖יהָ רֻתְּק֥וּ בַזִּקִּֽים׃ gam- hî lag·gō·lāh hā·lə·ḵāh ḇaš·še·ḇî ‘ō·lā·le·hā gam yə·ruṭ·ṭə·šū bə·rōš kāl- ḥū·ṣō·wṯ yad·dū ḡō·w·rāl wə·‘al- niḵ·bad·de·hā wə·ḵāl gə·ḏō·w·le·hā rut·tə·qū ḇaz·ziq·qîm — WLC · 10
11
You too will become drunk; you will go into hiding and seek refuge from the enemy.
𐤀𐤕 𐤂𐤌 𐤕𐤔𐤊𐤓𐤉 𐤕𐤄𐤉 𐤍𐤏𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤕 𐤂𐤌 𐤕𐤁𐤒𐤔𐤉 𐤌𐤏𐤅𐤆 𐤌𐤀𐤅𐤉𐤁
אַ֣תְּ גַּם־ תִּשְׁכְּרִ֔י תְּהִ֖י נַֽעֲלָמָ֑ה אַ֛תְּ גַּם־ תְּבַקְשִׁ֥י מָע֖וֹז מֵאוֹיֵֽב׃ ’at gam- tiš·kə·rî tə·hî na·‘ă·lā·māh ’at gam- tə·ḇaq·šî mā·‘ō·wz mê·’ō·w·yêḇ — WLC · 11
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All your fortresses are fig trees with the first ripe figs; when shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater!
𐤊𐤋 𐤌𐤁𐤑𐤓𐤉𐤊 𐤕𐤀𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤌 𐤁𐤊𐤅𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤌 𐤉𐤍𐤅𐤏𐤅 𐤅𐤍𐤐𐤋𐤅 𐤏𐤋 𐤐𐤉 𐤀𐤅𐤊𐤋
כָּ֨ל־ מִבְצָרַ֔יִךְ תְּאֵנִ֖ים עִם־ בִּכּוּרִ֑ים אִם־ יִנּ֕וֹעוּ וְנָפְל֖וּ עַל־ פִּ֥י אוֹכֵֽל׃ kāl- miḇ·ṣā·ra·yiḵ tə·’ê·nîm ‘im- bik·kū·rîm ’im- yin·nō·w·‘ū wə·nā·p̄ə·lū ‘al- pî ’ō·w·ḵêl — WLC · 12
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Look at your troops— they are like your women…! The gates of your land are wide open… to your enemies; fire consumes their bars.
𐤄𐤍𐤄 𐤏𐤌𐤊 𐤍𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤒𐤓𐤁𐤊 𐤔𐤏𐤓𐤉 𐤀𐤓𐤑𐤊 𐤐𐤕𐤅𐤇 𐤍𐤐𐤕𐤇𐤅 𐤋𐤀𐤉𐤁𐤉𐤊 𐤀𐤔 𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤄 𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤇𐤉𐤊
הִנֵּ֨ה עַמֵּ֤ךְ נָשִׁים֙ בְּקִרְבֵּ֔ךְ שַׁעֲרֵ֣י אַרְצֵ֑ךְ פָּת֥וֹחַ נִפְתְּח֖וּ לְאֹ֣יְבַ֔יִךְ אֵ֖שׁ אָכְלָ֥ה בְּרִיחָֽיִך׃ hin·nêh ‘am·mêḵ nā·šîm bə·qir·bêḵ ša·‘ă·rê ’ar·ṣêḵ pā·ṯō·w·aḥ nip̄·tə·ḥū lə·’ō·yə·ḇa·yiḵ ’êš ’ā·ḵə·lāh bə·rī·ḥå̄·yiḵ — WLC · 13
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Draw your water for the siege; strengthen your fortresses. Work the clay and tread the mortar; repair the brick [kiln]!
𐤔𐤀𐤁𐤉 𐤋𐤊 𐤌𐤉 𐤌𐤑𐤅𐤓 𐤇𐤆𐤒𐤉 𐤌𐤁𐤑𐤓𐤉𐤊 𐤁𐤀𐤉 𐤁𐤈𐤉𐤈 𐤅𐤓𐤌𐤎𐤉 𐤁𐤇𐤌𐤓 𐤄𐤇𐤆𐤉𐤒𐤉 𐤌𐤋𐤁𐤍
שַֽׁאֲבִי־ לָ֔ךְ מֵ֤י מָצוֹר֙ חַזְּקִ֖י מִבְצָרָ֑יִךְ בֹּ֧אִי בַטִּ֛יט וְרִמְסִ֥י בַחֹ֖מֶר הַחֲזִ֥יקִי מַלְבֵּֽן׃ ša·’ă·ḇî- lāḵ mê mā·ṣō·wr ḥaz·zə·qî miḇ·ṣā·rā·yiḵ bō·’î ḇaṭ·ṭîṭ wə·rim·sî ḇa·ḥō·mer ha·ḥă·zî·qî mal·bên — WLC · 14
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There the fire will devour you; the sword will cut you down and consume you like a young locust. Make yourself many like the young locust; make yourself many like the swarming locust!
𐤔𐤌 𐤀𐤔 𐤕𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤊 𐤇𐤓𐤁 𐤕𐤊𐤓𐤉𐤕𐤊 𐤕𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤊 𐤊𐤉𐤋𐤒 𐤄𐤕𐤊𐤁𐤃 𐤊𐤉𐤋𐤒 𐤄𐤕𐤊𐤁𐤃𐤉 𐤊𐤀𐤓𐤁𐤄
שָׁ֚ם אֵ֔שׁ תֹּאכְלֵ֣ךְ חֶ֔רֶב תַּכְרִיתֵ֣ךְ תֹּאכְלֵ֖ךְ כַּיָּ֑לֶק הִתְכַּבֵּ֣ד כַּיֶּ֔לֶק הִֽתְכַּבְּדִ֖י כָּאַרְבֶּֽה׃ šām ’êš tō·ḵə·lêḵ ḥe·reḇ taḵ·rî·ṯêḵ tō·ḵə·lêḵ kay·yā·leq hiṯ·kab·bêḏ kay·ye·leq hiṯ·kab·bə·ḏî kā·’ar·beh — WLC · 15
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You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of the sky. The young locust strips the land and flies away.
𐤄𐤓𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤓𐤊𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤌𐤊𐤅𐤊𐤁𐤉 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤋𐤒 𐤐𐤔𐤈 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤐
הִרְבֵּית֙ רֹֽכְלַ֔יִךְ מִכּוֹכְבֵ֖י הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם יֶ֥לֶק פָּשַׁ֖ט וַיָּעֹֽף׃ hir·bêṯ rō·ḵə·la·yiḵ mik·kō·wḵ·ḇê haš·šā·mā·yim ye·leq pā·šaṭ way·yā·‘ōp̄ — WLC · 16
17
Your guards are like the swarming locust, and your scribes like clouds of locusts… that settle on the walls on a cold day. When the sun rises, they fly away, and no one knows… where.
𐤌𐤍𐤆𐤓𐤉𐤊 𐤊𐤀𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤈𐤐𐤎𐤓𐤉𐤊 𐤊𐤂𐤅𐤁 𐤂𐤁𐤉 𐤄𐤇𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤂𐤃𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤒𐤓𐤄 𐤁𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤔𐤌𐤔 𐤆𐤓𐤇𐤄 𐤅𐤍𐤅𐤃𐤃 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤍𐤅𐤃𐤏 𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌𐤅 𐤀𐤉𐤌
מִנְּזָרַ֙יִךְ֙ כָּֽאַרְבֶּ֔ה וְטַפְסְרַ֖יִךְ כְּג֣וֹב גֹּבָ֑י הַֽחוֹנִ֤ים בַּגְּדֵרוֹת֙ קָרָ֔ה בְּי֣וֹם שֶׁ֤מֶשׁ זָֽרְחָה֙ וְנוֹדַ֔ד וְלֹֽא־ נוֹדַ֥ע מְקוֹמ֖וֹ אַיָּֽם׃ min·nə·zā·ra·yiḵ kā·’ar·beh wə·ṭap̄·sə·ra·yiḵ kə·ḡō·wḇ gō·ḇāy ha·ḥō·w·nîm bag·gə·ḏê·rō·wṯ qā·rāh bə·yō·wm še·meš zā·rə·ḥāh wə·nō·w·ḏaḏ wə·lō- nō·w·ḏa‘ mə·qō·w·mōw ’ay·yām — WLC · 17
18
O king of Assyria, your shepherds slumber; your officers sleep. Your people are scattered on the mountains with no one to gather them.
𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤀𐤔𐤅𐤓 𐤓𐤏𐤉𐤊 𐤍𐤌𐤅 𐤀𐤃𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤊 𐤉𐤔𐤊𐤍𐤅 𐤏𐤌𐤊 𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤅 𐤏𐤋 𐤄𐤄𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤌𐤒𐤁𐤑
מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר רֹעֶ֙יךָ֙ נָמ֤וּ אַדִּירֶ֑יךָ יִשְׁכְּנ֖וּ עַמְּךָ֛ נָפֹ֧שׁוּ עַל־ הֶהָרִ֖ים וְאֵ֥ין מְקַבֵּֽץ׃ me·leḵ ’aš·šūr rō·‘e·ḵā nā·mū ’ad·dî·re·ḵā yiš·kə·nū ‘am·mə·ḵā nā·p̄ō·šū ‘al- he·hā·rîm wə·’ên mə·qab·bêṣ — WLC · 18
19
There is no healing for your injury; your wound is severe. All who hear the news of you applaud… your [downfall], for… who has not experienced your constant cruelty?
𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤊𐤄𐤄 𐤋𐤔𐤁𐤓𐤊 𐤌𐤊𐤕𐤊 𐤍𐤇𐤋𐤄 𐤊𐤋 𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤉 𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤊 𐤕𐤒𐤏𐤅 𐤊𐤐 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤊𐤉 𐤏𐤋 𐤌𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤏𐤁𐤓𐤄 𐤕𐤌𐤉𐤃 𐤓𐤏𐤕𐤊
אֵין־ כֵּהָ֣ה לְשִׁבְרֶ֔ךָ מַכָּתֶ֑ךָ נַחְלָ֖ה כֹּ֣ל׀ שֹׁמְעֵ֣י שִׁמְעֲךָ֗ תָּ֤קְעוּ כַף֙ עָלֶ֔יךָ כִּ֗י עַל־ מִ֛י לֹֽא־ עָבְרָ֥ה תָּמִֽיד׃ רָעָתְךָ֖ ’ên- kê·hāh lə·šiḇ·re·ḵā mak·kā·ṯe·ḵā naḥ·lāh kōl šō·mə·‘ê šim·‘ă·ḵā tā·qə·‘ū ḵap̄ ‘ā·le·ḵā kî ‘al- mî lō- ‘ā·ḇə·rāh tā·mîḏ rā·‘ā·ṯə·ḵā — WLC · 19