3:1 Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims!
3:2 The crack of whips, the clatter of wheels, galloping horses and jolting chariots!
3:3 Charging cavalry, flashing swords and glittering spears! Many casualties, piles of dead, bodies without number, people stumbling over the corpses–
3:4 all because of the wanton lust of a harlot, alluring, the mistress of sorceries, who enslaved nations by her prostitution and peoples by her witchcraft.
3:5 “I am against you,” declares the LORD Almighty. “I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show the nations your nakedness and the kingdoms your shame.
3:6 I will pelt you with filth, I will treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle.
3:7 All who see you will flee from you and say, ‘Nineveh is in ruins–who will mourn for her?’ Where can I find anyone to comfort you?”
3:8 Are you better than Thebes, situated on the Nile, with water around her? The river was her defense, the waters her wall.
3:9 Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength; Put and Libya were among her allies.
3:10 Yet she was taken captive and went into exile. Her infants were dashed to pieces at the head of every street. Lots were cast for her nobles, and all her great men were put in chains.
3:11 You too will become drunk; you will go into hiding and seek refuge from the enemy.
3:12 All your fortresses are like fig trees with their first ripe fruit; when they are shaken, the figs fall into the mouth of the eater.
3:13 Look at your troops–they are all women! The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; fire has consumed their bars.
3:14 Draw water for the siege, strengthen your defenses! Work the clay, tread the mortar, repair the brickwork!
3:15 There the fire will devour you; the sword will cut you down and, like grasshoppers, consume you. Multiply like grasshoppers, multiply like locusts!
3:16 You have increased the number of your merchants till they are more than the stars of the sky, but like locusts they strip the land and then fly away.
3:17 Your guards are like locusts, your officials like swarms of locusts that settle in the walls on a cold day–but when the sun appears they fly away, and no one knows where.
3:18 O king of Assyria, your shepherds slumber; your nobles lie down to rest. Your people are scattered on the mountains with no one to gather them.
3:19 Nothing can heal your wound; your injury is fatal. Everyone who hears the news about you claps his hands at your fall, for who has not felt your endless cruelty?
3:1 Woe to the bloody city! / She is all full of lies and pillage; / The prey does not depart.
3:2 The sound of the whip, / And the sound of the rattling wheel; / And the horse galloping, / And the chariot jolting by,
3:3 The horseman making the horse to rear up, / And the sword flashing, / And the spear glittering; / And a multitude of the slain, / And a mass of corpses, / And no end to the bodies ? / They stumble among their bodies.
3:4 This because of the multitude of harlotries / Of the well-favored harlot, / The mistress of sorceries, / Who sells nations by her harlotries / And families by her sorceries.
3:5 Indeed I am against you, declares Jehovah of hosts; / And I will throw open your skirts upon your face, / And I will show the nations your nakedness, / And the kingdoms your shame.
3:6 And I will cast abominable filth upon you / And make you appear foolish and make you like a spectacle.
3:7 And everyone who sees you / Will flee from you and say, / Nineveh is laid waste. / Who will lament for her? / Where will I seek / Some to comfort you?
3:8 Are you better than No-amon, / Who sat beside the canals / With waters all around her, / Whose bulwark was the sea / And water was her wall?
3:9 Cush was her strength, / As well as Egypt, and it was without end; / Put and the Libyans / Were among her helpers.
3:10 She too was carried away; / She went into captivity; / Her little ones too were dashed to pieces / At the head of every street, / And for her nobles / They cast lots, / And all her great men / Were bound in chains.
3:11 You too will be drunken; / You will be hidden. / You too will seek / A stronghold from the enemy.
3:12 All your fortresses will be like fig trees / With first ripe figs: / If they are shaken, they will fall / Into the mouth of the eater.
3:13 Indeed your people are like women / In the midst of you; / Unto your enemies the gates of your land / Are wide open; / Fire devours your bars.
3:14 Draw for yourself water for the siege! / Strengthen your fortresses! / Go into the clay, / And tread in the mortar! / Make the brick kiln ready!
3:15 There will the fire devour you; / The sword will cut you off; / It will devour you like the locust. / Enlarge yourself like the locust; / Enlarge yourself like the locust swarm.
3:16 You have multiplied your merchants / Like the stars of heaven; / The locust strips everything and flies away.
3:17 Your princes are like the locust swarm, / And your officials are like hordes of locusts, / Which camp in the hedges / On a cold day, / But when the sun arises, they flee away, / And the place where they are is unknown.
3:18 Your shepherds slumber, / O king of Assyria; / Your nobles sleep. / Your people are scattered upon the mountains, / And there is no one to gather them.
3:19 There is no alleviating of your injury; / Your wound is grievous. / All who hear the report of you / Clap their hands over you; / For upon whom has your wickedness / Not passed continually?