² (For the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob,
    as well as the majesty of Israel,
though ravagers have ravaged them
    and ruined their branches.)^(B)

³ The shields of his warriors are red;
    his soldiers are clothed in crimson.
The metal on the chariots flashes
    on the day when he musters them;
    the chargers^[a] prance.^(C)
4 The chariots race madly through the streets;
    they rush to and fro through the squares;
their appearance is like torches;
    they dart like lightning.^(D)
5 He calls his officers;
    they stumble as they come forward;
they hasten to the wall,
    and the screen^[b] is set up.
⁶ The river gates are opened;
    the palace trembles.
⁷ It is decreed^[c] that the city^[d] be exiled,
    its slave women led away,
moaning like doves
    and beating their breasts.^(E)
8 Nineveh is like a pool
    whose waters^[e] run away.
“Halt! Halt!”—
    but no one turns back.^(F)
9 “Plunder the silver;
    plunder the gold!
There is no end of treasure!
    An abundance of every precious thing!”

¹⁰ Devastation, desolation, and destruction!
    Hearts faint and knees tremble;
all loins quake;
    all faces grow pale!^(G)
11 What became of the lions’ den,
    the cave of the young lions,
where the lion goes,
    and the lion’s cubs, with no one to disturb them?^(H)
12 The lion has torn enough for his whelps
    and strangled prey for his lionesses;
he has filled his caves with prey
    and his dens with torn flesh.^(I)