Punishment for Nineveh
The Lord said:
1 Doom to the crime capital!
Nineveh, city of murder
and treachery,
2 here is your fate—
cracking whips,
churning wheels;
galloping horses,
roaring chariots;
3 cavalry attacking,
swords and spears flashing;
soldiers stumbling
over piles of dead bodies.
4 You were nothing more
than a prostitute
using your magical charms
and witchcraft
to attract and trap nations.
5 But I, the Lord All-Powerful,
am now your enemy.
I will pull up your skirt
and let nations and kingdoms
stare at your nakedness.
6 I will cover you with garbage,
treat you like trash,
and rub you in the dirt.
7 Everyone who sees you
will turn away and shout,
“Nineveh is done for!
Is anyone willing to mourn
or to give her comfort?”
Nineveh's Fate Is Sealed
8 Nineveh, do you feel safer
than the city of Thebes?
The Nile River
was its wall of defense.
9 Thebes trusted the mighty power
of Ethiopia and Egypt;
the nations of Put and Libya
were her allies.
10 But she was captured and taken
to a foreign country.
Her children were murdered
at every street corner.
The members of her royal family
were auctioned off,
and her high officials
were bound in chains.
11 Nineveh, now it's your turn!
You will get drunk and try to hide
from your enemy.
12 Your fortresses are fig trees
with ripe figs.
Merely shake the trees,
and fruit will fall
into every open mouth.
13 Your army is weak.
Fire has destroyed the crossbars
on your city gates;
now they stand wide open
to your enemy.
14 Your city is under attack.
Haul in extra water!
Strengthen your defenses!
Start making bricks!
Stir the mortar!
15 You will still go up in flames
and be cut down by swords
that will wipe you out like a field
attacked by grasshoppers.
So, go ahead and increase
like a swarm of locusts!
16 More merchants are in your city
than there are stars
in the sky—
but they are like locusts
that eat everything,
then fly away.
17 Your guards and your officials
are swarms of locusts.
On a chilly day
they settle on a fence,
but when the sun comes out,
they take off
to who-knows-where.
18 King of Assyria,
your officials and leaders
are sound asleep,
while your people are scattered
in the mountains.
Yes, your people are sheep
without a shepherd.
19 You're fatally wounded.
There's no hope for you.
But everyone claps
when they hear this news,
because your constant cruelty
has caused them pain.
Ninive apkaunota un izpostīta
1 Vai! asiņu pilsētai –
krāpšanas pilna, visi tik kampj un nerimstas laupīt!
2 Švīkst rīkste, riteņi dimd, auļo zirgi, un rati dārd!
3 Jātnieks jau aulekšo –
plaiksnī zobens un dzirkstī šķēps,
pulka nokauto un kaudzēm līķu!
Miroņu bez gala, un jāklūp pār līķiem!
4 Tas tavas milzu maucības dēļ,
tu, smalkā burvekļu kundze,
tautas tu pārdevi maukodama
un dzimtas ar burvestību.
5 “Bet, redzi, es iešu pret tevi,”
saka Pulku Kungs,
“atsegšu tavu svārku pār galvu,
likšu, lai tautas redz tavu plikumu
un visas valstis tavu kaunu!
6 Preteklībām es tevi apmētāšu,
nievāšu tevi, par biedēkli padarīšu!
7 Visi, kas uz tevi lūkosies,
bēgs no tevis un teiks:
Ninive izpostīta – kas sēros par to?!
Kur lai es meklēju tev mierinātājus?”
8 Vai tu esi labāka par No-Āmonu ,
kas starp upēm mīt, kam ūdeņi visapkārt,
kuras cietoksnis jūra un jūra – tās mūri?!
9 Kūšieši bija tās stiprums,
un ēģiptiešu tur bija bez skaita,
pūtieši un vēl lūbieši tai palīgos bija!
10 Arī tā trimdā un aizvesta gūstā,
un viņas mazuļi sašķaidīti katrā ielgalā,
par viņas godātajiem tie meta lozes,
visi tās varenie iekalti važās!
11 Arī tu piedzersies, apskurbsi gan,
un tu meklēsi pie naidnieka palīgu!
12 Visi tavi nocietinājumi
ir kā vīģes koki, kam pirmie augļi, –
kas pakrata, tam krīt kārā mutē!
13 Redzi, tavi ļaudis, tavas sievas
tagad pieder taviem naidniekiem;
vērtin atvērsies tavas zemes vārti,
tavu vārtu aizšaujamos aprīs uguns!
14 Smel ūdeni aplenkumam,
stiprini savus nocietinājumus,
ņemies pa dubļiem, mīci mālus,
taisi stingrus ķieģeļus!
15 Tur tevi aprīs uguns,
tevi nocirtīs zobens,
kā siseņi tie tevi rīs –
kaut tu kā siseņi vairotos,
kaut vairotos tu kā sienāži!
16 Tev bija vairāk tirgoņu
nekā debesīs zvaigžņu –
kā siseņi tie izkūņojās un aizlaidās!
17 Tavi varenie ir kā sienāži
un tavi stiprie kā mušas,
kas aukstās dienās tup uz mūra –
kā uzspīd saule, tā aizlaižas,
neviens nezina, kur tie paliek.
18 Guļ tavi gani, Asīrijas ķēniņ,
snauž tavi dižciltīgie!
Tava tauta padzīta kalnos,
nav, kas to pulcē!
19 Nedziedējams tavs posts,
visa tu vienās brūcēs,
visi, kas padzird par tevi,
tik plaukšķina –
jo pār ko gan nav nācis tavs ļaunums kopš laiku laikiem?
