New Living Translation

1 What sorrow awaits Nineveh,<br>the city of murder and lies!<br>She is crammed with wealth<br>and is never without victims.<br> 2 Hear the crack of whips,<br>the rumble of wheels!<br>Horses’ hooves pound,<br>and chariots clatter wildly.<br> 3 See the flashing swords and glittering spears<br>as the charioteers charge past!<br>There are countless casualties,<br>heaps of bodies —<br>so many bodies that<br>people stumble over them.<br> 4 All this because Nineveh,<br>the beautiful and faithless city,<br>mistress of deadly charms,<br>enticed the nations with her beauty.<br>She taught them all her magic,<br>enchanting people everywhere.<br> 5 “I am your enemy!”<br>says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.<br>“And now I will lift your skirts<br>and show all the earth your nakedness and shame.<br> 6 I will cover you with filth<br>and show the world how vile you really are.<br> 7 All who see you will shrink back and say,<br>‘Nineveh lies in ruins.<br>Where are the mourners?’<br>Does anyone regret your destruction?”<br> 8 Are you any better than the city of Thebes,<br>situated on the Nile River, surrounded by water?<br>She was protected by the river on all sides,<br>walled in by water.<br> 9 Ethiopia and the land of Egypt<br>gave unlimited assistance.<br>The nations of Put and Libya<br>were among her allies.<br> 10 Yet Thebes fell,<br>and her people were led away as captives.<br>Her babies were dashed to death<br>against the stones of the streets.<br>Soldiers threw dice to get Egyptian officers as servants.<br>All their leaders were bound in chains.<br> 11 And you, Nineveh, will also stagger like a drunkard.<br>You will hide for fear of the attacking enemy.<br> 12 All your fortresses will fall.<br>They will be devoured like the ripe figs<br>that fall into the mouths<br>of those who shake the trees.<br> 13 Your troops will be as weak<br>and helpless as women.<br>The gates of your land will be opened wide to the enemy<br>and set on fire and burned.<br> 14 Get ready for the siege!<br>Store up water!<br>Strengthen the defenses!<br>Go into the pits to trample clay,<br>and pack it into molds,<br>making bricks to repair the walls.<br> 15 But the fire will devour you;<br>the sword will cut you down.<br>The enemy will consume you like locusts,<br>devouring everything they see.<br>There will be no escape,<br>even if you multiply like swarming locusts.<br> 16 Your merchants have multiplied<br>until they outnumber the stars.<br>But like a swarm of locusts,<br>they strip the land and fly away.<br> 17 Your guards and officials are also like swarming locusts<br>that crowd together in the hedges on a cold day.<br>But like locusts that fly away when the sun comes up,<br>all of them will fly away and disappear.<br> 18 Your shepherds are asleep, O Assyrian king;<br>your princes lie dead in the dust.<br>Your people are scattered across the mountains<br>with no one to gather them together.<br> 19 There is no healing for your wound;<br>your injury is fatal.<br>All who hear of your destruction<br>will clap their hands for joy.<br>Where can anyone be found<br>who has not suffered from your continual cruelty?<br>