Nahum 3:14-19

English Standard Version

^14 (A)Draw water for the siege;
    ^(B)strengthen your forts;
go into the clay;
    tread the mortar;
    take hold of the brick mold!
¹⁵ There will the fire devour you;
    the sword will cut you off.
    It will ^(C)devour you ^(D)like the locust.
Multiply yourselves ^(E)like the locust;
    multiply ^(F)like the grasshopper!
¹⁶ You increased ^(G)your merchants
    more than the stars of the heavens.
    ^(H)The locust spreads its wings and flies away.

¹⁷ Your ^(I)princes are ^(J)like grasshoppers,
    ^(K)your scribes^[a] like clouds of locusts
settling on the fences
    in a day of cold—
when the sun rises, they fly away;
    no one knows where they are.

¹⁸ Your shepherds ^(L)are asleep,
    O king of Assyria;
    ^(M)your nobles slumber.
Your people ^(N)are scattered on the mountains
    with none to gather them.
¹⁹ There is no easing your hurt;
    ^(O)your wound is grievous.
All who hear the news about you
    ^(P)clap their hands over you.
For ^(Q)upon whom has not come
    your unceasing evil?