Naum 1

1 The burden of Nineve: the book of the vision of Naum the Elkesite.

The declaration about Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum, the Elkoshite.

2 God is jealous, and the Lord avenges; the Lord avenges with wrath; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries, and he cuts off his enemies.

Yahweh is a jealous God and avenges; Yahweh avenges and is full of wrath; Yahweh takes vengeance on his adversaries, and he continues his anger for his enemies.

3 The Lord is long-suffering, and his power is great, and the Lord will not hold any guiltless: his way is in destruction and in the whirlwind, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

Yahweh is slow to anger and great in power; he will not allow the wicked to go unpunished. Yahweh makes his way in the whirlwind and the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

4 He threatens the sea, and dries it up, and exhausts all the rivers: the land of Basan, and Carmel are brought low, and the flourishing [trees] of Libanus have come to nought.

He rebukes the sea and makes it dry; he dries up all the rivers. Bashan is weak, and Carmel also; the flowers of Lebanon are weak.

5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills are shaken, and the earth recoils at his presence, [even] the world, and all that dwell in it.

The mountains shake in his presence, and the hills melt; the earth collapses in his presence, indeed, the world and all people who live in it.

6 Who shall stand before his anger? and who shall withstand in the anger of his wrath? his wrath brings to nought kingdoms, and the rocks are burst asunder by him.

Who can stand before his wrath? Who can resist the fierceness of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken apart by him.

7 The Lord is good to them that wait on him in the day of affliction; and he knows them that reverence him.

Yahweh is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he is faithful to those who take refuge in him.

8 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end: darkness shall pursue those that rise up against [him] and his enemies.

But he will make a full end to his enemies with an overwhelming flood; he will pursue them into darkness.

9 What do ye devise against the Lord? he will make a complete end: he will not take vengeance by affliction twice at the same time.

What are you people plotting against Yahweh? He will make a full end to it; trouble will not rise up a second time.

10 For [the enemy] shall be laid bare even to the foundation, and shall be devoured as twisted yew, and as stubble fully dry.

For they will become tangled up like thornbushes; they will be saturated in their own drink; they will be completely devoured by fire like dry stubble.

11 Out of thee shall proceed a device against the Lord, counselling evil things hostile [to him].

Someone arose among you, Nineveh, who planned evil against Yahweh, someone who promoted wickedness.

12 Thus saith the Lord who rules over many waters, Even thus shall they be sent away, and the report of thee shall not be heard any more.

This is what Yahweh says, “Even if they are at their full strength and full numbers, they will nevertheless be sheared; their people will be no more. But you, Judah: Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.

13 And now will I break his rod from off thee, and will burst [thy] bonds.

Now will I break that people's yoke from off you; I will break your chains.”

14 And the Lord shall give a command concerning thee; there shall no more of thy name be scattered: I will utterly destroy the graven [images] out of the house of thy god, and the molten [images]: I will make thy grave; for [they are] swift.

Yahweh has given a command about you, Nineveh: “There will be no more descendants bearing your name. I will cut off the carved figures and the cast metal figures from the houses of your gods. I will dig your graves, for you are contemptible.”

15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that brings glad tidings, and publishes peace! O Juda, keep thy feasts, pay thy vows: for they shall no more pass through thee to [thy] decay.

Look, on the mountains there are the feet of someone who is bringing good news, who is announcing peace! Celebrate your festivals, Judah, and keep your vows, for the wicked one will invade you no more; he is completely cut off.