The Fall of Nineveh
1 Nineveh, you are under attack!
The power that will shatter you has come.
Prepare the defenses!
Guard the road!
Prepare for battle!
( 2 The Lord is about to restore the glory of Israel, as it was before her enemies plundered her.)
3 The enemy soldiers carry red shields
and wear uniforms of red.
They are preparing to attack!
Their chariots flash like fire!
Their horses prance!
4 Chariots dash wildly through the streets,
rushing back and forth in the city squares.
They flash like torches
and dart about like lightning.
5 The officers are summoned;
they stumble as they press forward.
The attackers rush to the wall
and set up the shield for the battering ram.
6 The gates by the river burst open;
the palace is filled with terror.
7 The queen is taken captive;
her servants moan like doves
and beat their breasts in sorrow.
8 Like water from a broken dam
the people rush from Nineveh!
“Stop! Stop!” the cry rings out—
but no one turns back.
9 Plunder the silver!
Plunder the gold!
The city is full of treasure!
10 Nineveh is destroyed, deserted, desolate!
Hearts melt with fear;
knees tremble, strength is gone;
faces grow pale.
11 Where now is the city
that was like a den of lions,
the place where young lions were fed,
where the lion and the lioness would go
and their cubs would be safe?
12 The lion killed his prey
and tore it to pieces for his mate and her cubs;
he filled his den with torn flesh.
13 “I am your enemy!” says the Lord Almighty. “I will burn up your chariots. Your soldiers will be killed in war, and I will take away everything that you took from others. The demands of your envoys will no longer be heard.”
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,
sakopo spēkus!
3 Jo Kungs atjaunos Jēkaba diženumu
kā Israēla diženumu,
jo laupītāji tos izlaupījuši un to vīnogulājus izpostījuši!
4 Viņa stipro vairogs ir sarkans,
purpurā tērpti viņa spēkavīri,
mirdz ratu bruņas kā dienā, kad taisītas,
un šķēpi zib vien!
5 Ielās rati triecas, pa laukumiem trauc –
kā lāpas, kā zibeņi skrien!
6 Viņš atceras par saviem dižvīriem,
tie klupdami krizdami
steidz uz mūriem,
bet tur jau mūrsitis uzsliets!
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 liela ūdenskrātuve
kopš savas pirmās dienas,
un nu viņi bēg! –
Stāt! Stāviet! –
Taču neviens negriežas 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 –
vietā, kur lauva un lauvene reiz ar lauvēniem staigāja
un neviens tos 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!”
