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Lunedi, 29 aprile 2024 - Santa Caterina da Siena ( Letture di oggi)

Nahum 2


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KING JAMES BIBLENEW JERUSALEM
1 He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.1 To Judah See on the mountains the feet of the herald! 'Peace!' he proclaims. Judah, celebrate yourfeasts, carry out your vows, for Belial wil never pass through you again; he has been utterly destroyed.
2 For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches.2 The destroyer has advanced on you, guarding the siege-works, watching the road, bracing himself,mustering great strength!
3 The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.3 (For Yahweh has restored the vine of Jacob, yes, the vine of Israel, although the plunderers hadplundered them, although they had snapped off their vine-shoots!)
4 The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.4 The shields of his fighting men show red, his warriors are dressed in scarlet; the metal of the chariotssparkles as he prepares for battle; the horsemen are impatient for action;
5 He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make hast to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared.5 the chariots storm through the streets, jostling one another in the squares; they look like blazing flames,like lightning they dash to and fro.
6 The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.6 His captains are cal ed out; stumbling as they go, they speed towards the wall, and the mantelet is putin position.
7 And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts.7 The sluices of the River are opened, and the palace melts in terror.
8 But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.8 Beauty is taken captive, carried away, her slave-girls moaning like doves
9 Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture.9 and beating their breasts. Nineveh is like a lake, whose waters are draining away. 'Stop! Stop!' But noone turns back.
10 She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.10 'Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!' There is no end to the treasure, a mass of everything you coulddesire!
11 Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion's whelp, and none made them afraid?11 Ravaged, wrecked, ruined! Heart fails and knees give way, anguish is in the loins of al , and everyface grows pale!
12 The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.12 Where is the lions' den now, the cave of the lion's whelps, where the lion and lioness walked with theircubs and no one molested them,
13 Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.13 where the lion would tear up food for his whelps and strangle the kil for his mates, where he fil ed hiscaverns with prey and his lairs with spoil?
14 Look, I am against you!- declares Yahweh Sabaoth- I shal send your chariots up in smoke, and thesword will devour your whelps; I shal cut short your depredations on earth, and the voices of your envoys wil beheard no more.