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?
1 Doomed is the lying, murderous city,
full of wealth to be looted and plundered!
2 Listen! The crack of the whip,
the rattle of wheels,
the gallop of horses,
the jolting of chariots!
3 Cavalry troops charge,
swords flash, spears gleam!
Corpses are piled high,
dead bodies without number—
men stumble over them!
4 Nineveh the whore is being punished.
Attractive and full of deadly charms,
she enchanted nations and enslaved them.
5 The Lord Almighty says,
“I will punish you, Nineveh!
I will strip you naked
and let the nations see you,
see you in all your shame.
6 I will treat you with contempt
and cover you with filth.
People will stare at you in horror.
7 All who see you will shrink back.
They will say, ‘Nineveh lies in ruins!
Who has any sympathy for her?
Who will want to comfort her?’”
8 Nineveh, are you any better than Thebes, the capital of Egypt? She too had a river to protect her like a wall—the Nile was her defense. 9 She ruled Ethiopia and Egypt, there was no limit to her power; Libya was her ally. 10 Yet the people of Thebes were carried off into exile. At every street corner their children were beaten to death. Their leading men were carried off in chains and divided among their captors.
11 Nineveh, you too will fall into a drunken stupor! You too will try to escape from your enemies. 12 All your fortresses will be like fig trees with ripe figs: shake the trees, and the fruit falls right into your mouth! 13 Your soldiers are helpless, and your country stands defenseless before your enemies. Fire will destroy the bars across your gates. 14 Draw water to prepare for a siege, and strengthen your fortresses! Trample the clay to make bricks, and get the brick molds ready! 15 No matter what you do, you will still be burned to death or killed in battle. You will be wiped out like crops eaten up by locusts.
You multiplied like locusts! 16 You produced more merchants than there are stars in the sky! But now they are gone, like locusts that spread their wings and fly away. 17 Your officials are like a swarm of locusts that stay in the walls on a cold day. But when the sun comes out, they fly away, and no one knows where they have gone!
18 Emperor of Assyria, your governors are dead, and your noblemen are asleep forever! Your people are scattered on the mountains, and there is no one to bring them home again. 19 There is no remedy for your injuries, and your wounds cannot be healed. All those who hear the news of your destruction clap their hands for joy. Did anyone escape your endless cruelty?
