Nineveh Will Fall
1Nineveh, someone is coming
to attack and scatter you.
Guard your fortresses!
Watch the road! Be brave!
Prepare for battle!
2Judah and Israel are like trees
with branches broken
by their enemies.
But the Lord is going to restore
their power and glory.
* 3Nineveh, on this day of attack,
your enemies' shields are red;
their uniforms are crimson.
4Their horses prance,
and their armored chariots
dart around like lightning
or flaming torches.
5An officer gives a command.
But his soldiers stumble,
as they hasten to build
a shelter to protect themselves
against rocks thrown down
from the city wall.
6The river gates fly open,
and panic floods the palace.
7Nineveh is disgraced.
The queen is dragged off.
Her servant women mourn;
they moan like doves,
and they beat their breasts
in sorrow.
8Nineveh is like a pond
with leaking water.
Shouts of “Stop! Don't go!”
can be heard everywhere.
But everyone is leaving.
9Enemy soldiers shout,
“The city is full of treasure
and all kinds of wealth.
Steal her silver! Grab her gold!”
10Nineveh is doomed! Destroyed!
Her people tremble with fear;
their faces turn pale.
11What happened to this city?
They were safer there
than powerful lions in a den,
with no one to disturb them.
12These are the same lions
that ferociously attacked
their victims,
then dragged away the flesh
to feed their young.
13The Lord All-Powerful
is against you, Nineveh.
God will burn your chariots
and send an army to kill
those young lions of yours.
You will never again
make victims of others
or send messengers to threaten
everyone on this earth.