Nawoun 2
1 Nou menm moun lavil Niniv, men yon gwo lame ap moute vin atake nou. Mete gad nan fò nou. Mete moun veye gran chemen an! Mare ren nou! Mete tout kouraj nou sou nou!
Nineveh! The destroyer has come up against you; mount guard upon the rampart; watch the road; brace yourselves; strengthen your might to the utmost.
2 Paske, Seyè a pral bay pèp Izrayèl la pouvwa li te gen anvan an, pouvwa fanmi Jakòb la te gen anvan piyajè yo te ravaje l' la, anvan yo te koupe tout branch rezen li yo.
For the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob and of Israel, though the devastators have plundered them and destroyed their vines.
3 Vanyan sòlda l' yo gen plak pwotèj pentire tou wouj sou bra yo. Yo abiye ak rad wouj violèt. Cha lagè yo klere kou dife! Y'ap vin pou atake nou! Y'ap souke zam yo nan men yo.
The shields of his warriors are dyed red, his soldiers are clothed in scarlet, his chariots gleam like fire on the day he prepares for battle spears are shaken.
4 Cha lagè yo ap vini ak gwo vitès nan plenn yo. Yo kouri ale sou plas piblik yo. Yo klere tankou bwa chandèl tou limen. Y'ap pase kouri tankou zèklè.
Chariots rush across the fields, storm through the squares; they flame like torches, they dart like lightening.
5 Yo chonje rele chèf lame yo. Nan prese vini yo, yonn ap frape ak lòt. Yo kouri ale bò miray ranpa yo. Yo pare plak pwotèj pou y' al defonse pòtay yo.
A leader rallies his nobles, they hurl themselves forward. They speed on toward the wall; the storming-shield is set up.
6 Pòtay ki bay sou larivyè a louvri granbatan. Tout moun nan palè a gen kè kase.
The water-gates are thrown open, and the palace dissolves in ruins.
7 Yo fè larenn lan prizonye. Yo pati avè l'. Sèvant li yo ap plenn, y'ap kriye. Y'ap bat lestonmak yo sitèlman yo nan lapenn.
The queen is stripped, she is carried off. Her maids moan like doves, beating upon their breasts.
8 Tankou yon gwo basen plen dlo ki pete, moun yo ap kouri soti lavil Niniv. Y'ap di yo: Rete non! Rete non! Men, yonn pa vire tounen.
Like a pool of water is Nineveh, her waters fast ebbing away. ‘Stand firm! Stand firm!’ someone cries, but no one turns back.
9 Piye tout lajan an. Piye tout lò yo. Yo gen yon richès ki poko prèt pou fini, yon pakèt bèl bagay ki koute chè.
‘Loot the silver, loot the gold, for there is no end to the treasure, the wealth and precious things.’
10 Yo piye lavil la. Yo touye tout moun ladan l'. Yo devaste l' nèt. Moun pèdi kouraj yo. Jenou yo ap tranble. Yo pa gen fòs pou rete kanpe. Figi yo dekonpoze.
Nineveh is empty, desolate, devastated, with faint heart and knocking knee. There is weakness in every limb, and faces grow pale.
11 Koulye a, kote twou kachèt lyon yo ye a, twou nich kote ti lyon yo manje a, twou kote lyon yo ansanm ak ti lyon yo te konn ale pou pesonn pa ka fè yo anyen an?
Where now is the den of lions? Where now the lair of their young? Where the lion used to withdraw, with his cubs, with none to disturb them?
12 Lyon an te konn dechire vyann bèt yo pou pitit li yo, li te konn trangle bèt pou fenmèl lyon yo. Lè konsa yo plen twou yo ak bèt yo pran, yo plen nich yo ak moso vyann dechikete.
The lion tore enough for his cubs, and strangled prey for his lionesses. He filled his caves with the kill, he filled his lairs with fresh meat.
13 Koulye a, se mwen menm k'ap regle ak nou! Se Seyè ki gen tout pouvwa a menm ki di sa. Moun pral boule tout cha lagè nou yo nan dife. Nan lagè a, m'ap fè yo touye tout jenn ti lyon nou yo. M'ap rache nan men nou tou sa nou te pran lakay lòt yo. Yo p'ap janm tande vwa delege nou yo ankò nan okenn peyi sou latè.
‘But see, I am against you,’ the Lord of hosts declares, ‘I will burn your chariots in smoke and fire. The sword will devour your young lions. You will never again prey on the land. No more will your messengers be heard.’
