Nahum 1

1 Burden of Nineveh. The Scroll of the Vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

A message about Nineveh, a vision which came to Nahum from Elkosh.

2 A God zealous and avenging [is] YHWH, An avenger [is] YHWH, and possessing fury. An avenger [is] YHWH on His adversaries, And He is watching for His enemies.

The Lord tolerates no rivals. The Lord is vengeful and fierce in wrath. The Lord does not fail to punish his foes; the Lord is vengeful against his enemies.

3 YHWH [is] slow to anger, and great in power, And YHWH does not entirely acquit, In a windstorm and in a storm [is] His way, And a cloud [is] the dust of His feet.

The Lord is slow to anger, great in power. The guilty will not escape his punishment. Storm tempest is his path and cloud is the dust of his feet.

4 He is pushing against a sea, and dries it up, Indeed, He has made all the floods dry, Bashan and Carmel [are] languishing, Indeed, the flower of Lebanon [is] languishing.

He rebukes the sea and dries it up and makes all the streams run dry. Bashan and Carmel are languishing and the bloom of Lebanon is withered.

5 Mountains have shaken because of Him, And the hills have been melted; And the earth [is] lifted up at His presence, And the world and all dwelling in it.

The mountains tremble before him and the hills dissolve. The earth heaves before him, the world and all who live in it.

6 Who stands before His indignation? And who rises up in the heat of His anger? His fury has been poured out like fire, And the rocks have been broken by Him.

Who can stand before his wrath? Who can withstand the heat of his anger? His fierce fury pours forth like fire, he shatters rocks.

7 Good [is] YHWH for a strong place in a day of distress. And He knows those trusting in Him.

The Lord is good to those who hope in him, a place of refuge in the day of trouble.

8 And with a flood passing over, An end He makes of its place, And darkness pursues His enemies.

With rushing flood an end he makes of those who rise against him, he drives his enemies into darkness.

9 What do we devise against YHWH? He is making an end, distress does not arise twice.

Why do you plot against the Lord? He will end you. He only takes vengeance once.

10 For while princes [are] perplexed, And with their drink are drunken, They have been consumed as stubble fully dried.

Thorns, tangled and drenched, they are consumed like dry stubble.

11 From you has come forth a deviser of evil Against YHWH—a worthless counselor.

Nineveh! From you has arisen one who plots evil against the Lord, a counsellor of wickedness.

12 Thus said YHWH: “Though complete, and thus many, Yet thus they have been cut off, And he has passed away. Though I afflicted you, I afflict you no longer.

The Lord says: ‘Though they are many and strong, they will pass away and be gone. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more,

13 And now I break his rod from off you, And your bands I draw away.”

and now I will break his yoke from your necks and snap your chains.’

14 And YHWH has commanded concerning you, “No more of your name spreads abroad, I cut off carved and molten image from the house of your gods, I appoint your grave, for you have been vile.”

The Lord has given this command concerning you, Nineveh: ‘Your name will no longer be remembered. I will destroy every idol and image in the house of your God. I will destroy even your tomb, for you are worthless.’

15 Behold, on the mountains the feet of one proclaiming tidings, sounding peace! Celebrate, O Judah, your festivals, complete your vows, For the worthless no longer pass over into you, He has been completely cut off!

Look! On the mountains a messenger bringing good news, announcing peace! ‘Celebrate the feasts, Judah, fulfil your vows. Never again will these enemies invade your land, they are destroyed!’