CHAPTER 2

1 Come up is the destroyer before thy face; Watch the fortress, guard the way, (455) Make strong the loins, fortify mightily thy strength:

2 (For taken away hath Jehovah the pride of Jacob, As he had done as to the pride of Israel; As he had done as to the pride of Israel; For emptied them the emptiers, And their branches have they cut down:)

3 The shield of his mighty ones are made red, The men of his strength are clad in scarlet; With the fire of torches is the chariot, In the day of his expedition; And the fir-trees tremulously shake:

4 In the wide places they madden with their chariots, The hurry away through the streets, The appearance of them is that of lamps, As lightnings they run here and there.

5 He will remember his valiant men, They shall stumble in their march, They shall hasten to her wall, And prepared will be the defense.

6 The gates of the rivers are opened, And the palace is dissolved;

7 And she which stood firm is cast into exile, And her maids lead her as with the voice of doves, Beating on their breasts. (463)

8 And yet Nineveh had been As a pool of waters from ancient days; But now they flee — “Stand ye, stand;” And no one regards.

9 Take ye away the silver, take away the gold; For there is no end of her preparations; Her glory is from every desirable vessel. (468)

10 Emptied and emptied is she, and denuded; And the heart is melted; And there is a knocking of the knees, And trembling in all loins, And the faces of all withdraw their brightness. (472)

11 Where is the abode of lions? Where came the lion, the lioness, the cub of the lion; And none terrified them. (474)

12 The lion tare what sufficed his whelps, And strangled for his lionesses, And filled with raving his caves, And his dens with prey.

13 Behold, I am against thee, saith Jehovah of hosts, And I will burn with smoke her chariot, And thy young lions shall the sword devour, And I will cut off from the land thy prey, And the sound of thy teeth shall no more be heard.