< Nahum 2 >

1 Aka taek aka yak ham te na mikhmuh ah cet coeng. Kasam te kueinah lamtah longpuei te dawn laeh. Cinghen te moem lamtah thadueng te boeih huel laeh.
The one who scatters has come to attack you! Guard the fortresses! Watch the roads! Get yourselves ready! Call every soldier out!
2 Amih aka culh rhoek tah culh uh tih a thingluei te mit cakhaw, BOEIPA loh Jakob kah mingthennah te Israel kah mingthennah bangla a mael sak ngawn ni.
(For the Lord will restore the splendor of the people of Jacob as he will restore the splendor of Israel, for invaders have plundered them, and destroyed their land.)
3 A hlangrhalh rhoek kah photling tah thimyum tih tatthai hlang rhoek khaw thiling hmai leng neh nukyum uh. A khohnin ah sikim coeng tih hmaical a hlaek uh.
The shields of his chief soldiers are red; the warriors wear scarlet. His chariots flash like fire in the sunlight as he prepares for battle. Spears with their wooden shafts are held up and shaken.
4 Leng rhoek te vongvoel longah yan uh tih toltung ah cu uh. A mueimae mah hmaithoi bangla om tih rhaek bangla yong.
Chariots race madly through the streets, rushing back and forth across the town squares. Bright as torches, they dash like lightning flashes.
5 A khuet rhoek a thoelh tih a lambong, a lambong ah hlinghlawk uh. A vongtung ah tokthuet uh tih vongthung te a cikngae sak.
He shouts orders to his officers. They stumble as they rush to attack the wall. The battering ram is set up.
6 Tuiva vongka te ong uh tih lumim loh paci coeng.
The river gates are opened; the palace washes away.
7 A suem bangla a poelyoe tih a khuen coeng. A salnu loh a thinko ah aka tum tum vahui ol bangla a hmaithawn coeng.
“Queen” Nineveh is stripped, and led away into exile, with her servant girls mourning like doves, and beating their breasts.
8 Nineveh khaw amah hnin lamloh tuibuem tui bangla om. Tedae amih te coe tih, 'Pai dae, pai dae,’ a ti akhaw mael uh pawh.
Nineveh is a leaky pool—its population is like water running away. “Stop! Stop” people shout, but nobody turns back.
9 Cak te poelyoe uh, sui khaw poelyoe uh laeh. Sahnaih hnopai cungkuem he thangpomnah hmuenmol kah a bawtnah moenih.
Loot the silver! Loot the gold! There's an endless supply—an abundance of everything you could ever want.
10 Hoengpawk neh daprhok la pong saeh. Lungbuei te yut saeh. Khuklu te khuep uh saeh lamtah a cinghen tom ah thueknah saeh. Maelhmai boeih te muhut la phuem saeh.
Deserted, destroyed, devastated! Hearts faint, knees tremble, stomachs ache. Everyone's faces turn pale.
11 Sathueng khuirhung neh sathuengca kah a luemnah te melae? Sathueng neh sathuengnu te mela hnap a pongpa? Sathueng ca khaw lakueng a om moenih.
Where now is the lion's den? Where is the place where the young lions used to feed? Where is the lion, and the lioness, and the lion cub that were afraid of no one?
12 Sathueng loh a casen rhoek te a rhoeh la a baeh tih amah sathuengnu hamla a kuiok sak. Te dongah a put te maeh neh, a khuisaek te saha neh a hu.
The lion tears apart meat for his cubs, and strangles prey for his lionesses. He fills his den with prey, his lair with carcasses.
13 Nang taengah ka pai coeng he. He tah caempuei BOEIPA kah olphong ni. Anih kah leng te hmaikhu la ka toih ni. Te dongah na sathueng te cunghang loh a yoop ni. Te phoeiah na maeh te diklai lamloh ka hnawt vetih na puencawn ol ya voel mahpawh.
Watch out! For I am against you, declares the Lord Almighty. I will set fire to your chariots and they will go up in smoke. Your strong young men will be killed by the sword. I will stop you plundering other peoples. The demands of your ambassadors will no longer be heard.

< Nahum 2 >