The Burden of Nineveh

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

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

3The 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.

4He 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.

5The 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.

6Who 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.

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

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

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

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

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

12Thus 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.

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

14And 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.

15Behold 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.