Naum 1

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

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

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.

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 The Lord is longsuffering, 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.

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 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 nothing.

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 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 tremble before him and the hills dissolve. The earth heaves before him, the world and all 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 nothing kingdoms, and the rocks are burst asunder 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 The Lord is good to them that wait on him in the day of affliction; and he knows them that reverence him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 will I break his rod from off you, and will burst [your] bonds.

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

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

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

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!’