² For the Lord will restore the majesty of Jacob,^(C)
yes,^[b] the majesty of Israel,
though ravagers have ravaged them^(D)
and ruined their vine branches.^(E)

³ The shields of his^[c] warriors are dyed red;
the valiant men are dressed in scarlet.^(F)
The fittings of the chariot flash like fire^(G)
on the day of its battle preparations,
and the spears are brandished.
⁴ The chariots dash madly through the streets;
they rush around in the plazas.
They look like torches;
they dart back and forth like lightning.
⁵ He gives orders to his officers;
they stumble as they advance.
They race to its wall;
the protective shield is set in place.
⁶ The river gates are opened,
and the palace erodes away.^(H)

⁷ Beauty^[d] is stripped;^[e]
she is carried away;
her ladies-in-waiting moan
like the sound of doves^(I)
and beat their breasts.^(J)
8 Nineveh has been like a pool of water
from her first days,^[f]
but they are fleeing.
“Stop! Stop!” they cry,
but no one turns back.
⁹ “Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!” ^(K)
There is no end to the treasure,
an abundance of every precious thing.^(L)
10 Desolation, decimation, devastation!
Hearts melt,^(M)
knees tremble,^(N)
insides churn,^(O)
every face grows pale!^(P)

¹¹ Where is the lions’ lair,^(Q)
or the feeding ground of the young lions,
where the lion and lioness prowled,
and the lion’s cub,
with nothing to frighten them away?^(R)
12 The lion mauled whatever its cubs needed
and strangled prey for its lionesses.
It filled up its dens with the kill,
and its lairs with mauled prey.^(S)
13 Beware, I am against you.^(T)
This is the declaration of the Lord of Armies.
I will make your chariots go up in smoke,^[g]
and the sword will devour your young lions.^(U)
I will cut off your prey from the earth,
and the sound of your messengers
will never be heard again.^(V)