CHAPTER 2

                 ¹Look, upon the mountains

                     are the feet of the herald

                         announcing good tidings.

                 Celebrate, Judah, your pilgrim feasts,

                     fulfill your pledges.

                 For no more shall the base man pass through you—

                     he is cut off altogether.

                 ²The battering ram has come up against you.

                     Put up a watch. Look out to the road.

                         Brace yourself, flex all your strength.

                 ³For the LORD has brought back the pride of Jacob

                     like the pride of Israel.

                 For marauders have blighted them

                     and have ruined their branches.

                 ⁴His warriors’ shields are reddened,

                     the soldiers are stained crimson.

                 Like torch-fire are the chariots

                     on the day they are made ready,

                         and the cypress shafts are poisoned.

                 ⁵Through the streets the chariots run wild,

                     they rumble through the squares.

                 Their look is like torches,

                     like lightning they race.

                 ⁶He calls out his staunch men—

                     they stumble as they go.

                 They rush to the wall,

                     and mantlets are set up.

                 ⁷The gates of the rivers are opened

                     and the palace is swept away.

                 ⁸And the mistress is brought out, exiled,

                     and her slavegirls moan like doves,

                         beating on their chests.

                 ⁹And Nineveh in time past was like a pool of water,

                     but now they flee.

                         “Stop! Stop!” but none turns round.

                 ¹⁰Loot the silver, loot the gold!

                     and there is no end to the horde,

                         treasure of every precious vessel.

                 ¹¹Stripped and distraught and despoiled,

                     fainting heart and buckling knees

                 and shuddering in all loins,

                     and all faces lose their luster.

                 ¹²Where now is the den of the lions,

                     the cave of the king of beasts?

                 There the lion walked, the maned beast there,

                     the lion’s cub, with none to make them tremble.

                 ¹³The lion tearing prey for its cubs

                     and breaking necks for his lioness,

                 he filled his lair with prey

                     and his den with torn-apart flesh.

                 ¹⁴Here am I against you,

                     said the LORD of Armies.

                 I will burn up your chariots in smoke,

                     and your maned beasts the sword shall devour,

                 and I will cut off from the earth your prey,

                     nor shall the sound of your envoys be heard again.