³ The shields of the soldiers are red.
    The army is dressed in red.
The metal on the chariots flashes
    when they are ready to attack.
    Their horses are excited.
⁴ The chariots race through the streets.
    They rush back and forth through the city squares.
They look like torches.
    They run like lightning.

⁵ He^[b] calls his officers.
    But they fall down on the way.
They hurry to the city wall.
    The shield is put into place.
⁶ The river gates are thrown open.
    And the palace is destroyed.
⁷ It has been announced that the people of Nineveh
    will be captured and carried away.
The slave girls moan like doves.
    They beat their breasts because they are sad.
⁸ Nineveh is like a pool.
    And its water is draining away.
“Stop! Stop!” the people yell.
    But no one turns back.
⁹ Take the silver!
    Take the gold!
There is no end to the treasure.
    There is wealth of every kind.
¹⁰ Nineveh is robbed, ruined and destroyed.
    The people lose their courage. Their knees knock with fear.
    Stomachs ache. And everyone’s face grows pale from fright.

¹¹ Where is the lions’^[c] den?
    Where do they feed their young?
Where did the lion, lioness and cubs go?
    Where were they not afraid?
¹² The lion killed enough for his cubs.
    He killed it for his mate.
He filled his cave with the animals he caught.
    He filled his den with what he had killed.

¹³ “I am against you, Nineveh,”
    says the Lord of heaven’s armies.
“I will burn up your chariots in smoke.
    And I will kill your young lions with a sword.
    I will stop you from hunting down others on the earth.
Your messengers’ voices
    will no longer be heard.”