Nahum 3

¹ Woe to the city of blood, all of it built on lies, filled with plunder! The prey never leaves it.

² The crack of a whip, the rumble of wheels; galloping horses and leaping war chariots!

³ Charging horsemen, flashing swords, gleaming spears; heaps of dead, piles of corpses, bodies without end—and they stumble over the bodies.

⁴ Because of the many acts of prostitution of the beautiful, charming prostitute, mistress of sorceries, who sold nations through her prostitution and families through her sorceries.

⁵ I am against you, says the LORD of Hosts. I will lift your skirt over your face; I will show the nations your nakedness and the kingdoms your shame.

⁶ I will throw filth on you, disgrace you, and make you a spectacle.

⁷ All who see you will flee from you and say, “Nineveh is destroyed! Who will mourn for her?” Where can I find anyone to comfort you?

⁸ Are you better than Thebes, situated among the canals, with waters all around her, whose rampart was the sea and whose wall came from the sea?

⁹ Cush was her strength, and Egypt too, without limit; Put and the Libyans were there to help you.

¹⁰ Yet she went into exile, carried away captive. Her children, too, were dashed to pieces at the corners of every street. Lots were cast for her nobles, and all her great men were bound in chains.

¹¹ You too will become drunk and hide yourself; you too will seek refuge from the enemy.

¹² All your fortresses are like fig trees with first-ripe figs: when shaken, they fall into the mouth of whoever would eat them.

¹³ Look at your people: women are among you. The gates of your land stand wide open to your enemies; fire has devoured your bars.

¹⁴ Draw water for the siege; strengthen your fortresses. Get into the mud, tread the mortar, take hold of the brick mold.

¹⁵ There the fire will devour you, the sword will cut you down; it will devour you like a young locust. Multiply like a young locust, multiply like a swarm of locusts.

¹⁶ You have multiplied your merchants beyond the stars of the sky; the young locust spreads its wings and flies away.

¹⁷ Your guards are like locusts, and your officials like swarms of locusts that settle on the walls on a cold day. When the sun rises, they flee, and no one knows where they are.

¹⁸ Your shepherds are asleep, king of Assyria; your nobles lie down. Your people are scattered on the mountains, and no one gathers them.

¹⁹ There is no healing for your wound; your injury is grave. All who hear the news about you clap their hands over you, for who has not suffered your unending cruelty?

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