Nineveh Will Fall
1 Nineveh, someone is coming
to attack and scatter you.
Guard your fortresses!
Watch the road! Be brave!
Prepare for battle!
2 Judah and Israel are like trees
with branches broken
by their enemies.
But the Lord is going to restore
their power and glory.
* 3 Nineveh, on this day of attack,
your enemies' shields are red;
their uniforms are crimson.
4 Their horses prance,
and their armored chariots
dart around like lightning
or flaming torches.
5 An officer gives a command.
But his soldiers stumble,
as they hasten to build
a shelter to protect themselves
against rocks thrown down
from the city wall.
6 The river gates fly open,
and panic floods the palace.
7 Nineveh is disgraced.
The queen is dragged off.
Her servant women mourn;
they moan like doves,
and they beat their breasts
in sorrow.
8 Nineveh is like a pond
with leaking water.
Shouts of “Stop! Don't go!”
can be heard everywhere.
But everyone is leaving.
9 Enemy soldiers shout,
“The city is full of treasure
and all kinds of wealth.
Steal her silver! Grab her gold!”
10 Nineveh is doomed! Destroyed!
Her people tremble with fear;
their faces turn pale.
11 What happened to this city?
They were safer there
than powerful lions in a den,
with no one to disturb them.
12 These are the same lions
that ferociously attacked
their victims,
then dragged away the flesh
to feed their young.
13 The Lord All-Powerful
is against you, Nineveh.
God will burn your chariots
and send an army to kill
those young lions of yours.
You will never again
make victims of others
or send messengers to threaten
everyone on this earth.
Ninives krišana
1 Redzi, pāri kalniem jau vēstnesis nāk
un vēstī mieru –
svini savus svētkus, Jūda, ar dāsniem solījumu upuriem,
tad nelietis vairs nekad neies tev cauri –
tas iznīdēts pavisam!
2 Pret tevi nāk dzenātājs,
liec sardzi, uzmani ceļu, joz gurnus,
vareni saņemies spēka!
3 Jo Kungs atgriezīsies pie Jēkaba lepnuma,
pie Israēla lepnuma –
kaut laupītāji laupījuši, pazares aplauzuši!
4 Viņa stipro vairogs ir sarkans,
purpurā tērpti viņa spēkavīri,
uguņo ratu bruņas kā dienā, kad taisītas,
un šķēpi zib vien!
5 Ielās rati triecas, pa laukumiem trauc –
kā lāpas, kā zibeņi skrien!
6 Karavadoņus sauc,
bet tie iedami klūp,
tie steidz uz mūriem,
bet tur jau mūrsitis nolikts!
7 Upju vārti ir vaļā,
pils izļodzījusies!
8 Tā nolemts – izģērbta un aizvesta!
Tās meitas gaužas dūju mēlēm
un sit sev pie sirds!
9 Ninive bija kā ūdens klajumi
kopš savas pirmās dienas,
nu iztek tukša!
Stāviet, stāviet! –
Taču neviens nenāk atpakaļ!
10 Laupiet sudrabu, laupiet zeltu! –
bez gala te sataisīts visādas godības
un dārgu mantu!
11 Ietukšīts, pustukšīts, iztukšīts,
sirds ļimst un ceļi ļogās,
visiem pakaļas trīc,
un katram bāls vaigs!
12 Kur tagad lauvu miga,
kur tagad lauvēni klaiņā –
tur lauva ar lauvēniem staigāja
un lauvēnus neviens neaiztika?!
13 Lauva plosīja, mazuļiem bija gana,
priekš lauvenēm pieplēsts pulka,
pilna miga plosītas gaļas
un midzenis – laupījuma!
14 “Redzi, es esmu pret tevi,”
saka Pulku Kungs,
“es dedzināšu ratus, ka kūpēs vien,
zobens aprīs tavus lauvas,
uz zemes es iznīdēšu tavu medījumu,
vairs nedzirdēs tavu vēstnešu balsis!”
