Nahum 2

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 See, upon the mountains there advances the bearer of good news, announcing peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah, fulfill your vows! For nevermore shall you be invaded by the scoundrel; he is completely destroyed.	1 The shatterer has come up against you. Man the ramparts; watch the road; gird your loins; collect all your strength.
2 The hammer comes up against you; guard the rampart, Keep watch on the road, gird your loins, marshall all your strength!	2 (For the LORD is restoring the majesty of Jacob as the majesty of Israel, for plunderers have stripped them and ruined their branches.)
3 The LORD will restore the vine of Jacob, the pride of Israel, Though ravagers have ravaged them and ruined the tendrils.	3 The shield of his mighty men is red, his soldiers are clothed in scarlet. The chariots flash like flame when mustered in array; the chargers prance.
4 The shields of his warriors are crimsoned, the soldiers colored in scarlet; Fiery steel are the chariots on the day of his mustering. The horses are frenzied;	4 The chariots rage in the streets, they rush to and fro through the squares; they gleam like torches, they dart like lightning.
5 the chariots dash madly through the streets And wheel in the squares, looking like firebrands, flashing like lightning bolts.	5 The officers are summoned, they stumble as they go, they hasten to the wall, the mantelet is set up.
6 His picked troops are called, ranks break at their charge; To the wall they rush, the mantelet is set up.	6 The river gates are opened, the palace is in dismay;
7 The river gates are opened, the palace shudders,	7 its mistress is stripped, she is carried off, her maidens lamenting, moaning like doves, and beating their breasts.
8 Its mistress is led forth captive, and her handmaids, under guard, Moaning like doves, beating their breasts.	8 Nineveh is like a pool whose waters run away. "Halt! Halt!" they cry; but none turns back.
9 Nineveh is like a pool whose waters escape; "Stop! Stop!" but none turns back.	9 Plunder the silver, plunder the gold! There is no end of treasure, or wealth of every precious thing.
10 "Plunder the silver, plunder the gold!" There is no end to the treasure, to their wealth in precious things of every kind!	10 Desolate! Desolation and ruin! Hearts faint and knees tremble, anguish is on all loins, all faces grow pale!
11 Emptiness, desolation, waste; melting hearts and trembling knees, Writhing in every frame, every face blanched!	11 Where is the lions' den, the cave of the young lions, where the lion brought his prey, where his cubs were, with none to disturb?
12 Where is the lions' cave, the young lions' den, Where the lion went in and out, and the cub, with no one to disturb them?	12 The lion tore enough for his whelps and strangled prey for his lionesses; he filled his caves with prey and his dens with torn flesh.
13 The lion snatched enough for his cubs, and strangled for his lionesses; He filled his dens with prey, and his caves with plunder.	13 Behold, I am against you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no more be heard.
14 I come against you, says the LORD of hosts; I will consume in smoke your chariots, and the sword shall devour your young lions; Your preying on the land I will bring to an end, the cry of your lionesses shall be heard no more.