Chapter 3
1 Woe to the bloody city ! It is all full of lies and robbery — no end to the prey .
2 The noise of the whip , the noise of the rattling of wheels, prancing horses , and bounding chariots ,
3 the horseman charging , and the flashing sword , the glittering spear , and a multitude of slain , and a great heap of corpses , and there is no end of the bodies . They stumble on their bodies
4 because of the multitude of the prostitution of the alluring prostitute , the mistress of witchcraft, who sells nations through her prostitution, and families through her witchcraft.
5 " Behold , I am against you ," says Yahweh of Armies , " and I will lift your skirts over your face . I will show the nations your nakedness , and the kingdoms your shame .
6 I will throw abominable filth on you and make you vile , and will make you a spectacle .
7 It will happen that all those who look at you will flee from you , and say, ‘ Nineveh is laid waste ! Who will mourn for her ?’ Where will I seek comforters for you ?"
8 Are you better than No-Amon , who was situated among the rivers , who had the waters around her , whose rampart was the sea , and her wall was of the sea ?
9 Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength . Put and Libya were her helpers .
10 Yet was she carried away . She went into captivity . Her young children also were dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets , and they cast lots for her honorable men , and all her great men were bound in chains .
11 You also will be drunken . You will be hidden . You also will seek a stronghold because of the enemy.
12 All your fortresses will be like fig trees with the first-ripe figs . If they are shaken , they fall into the mouth of the eater.
13 Behold , your troops among you are women. The gates of your land are set wide open to your enemies. The fire has devoured your bars .
14 Draw water for the siege . Strengthen your fortresses . Go into the clay , and tread the mortar . Make the brick kiln strong .
15 There the fire will devour you . The sword will cut you off . It will devour you like the grasshopper. Multiply like grasshoppers . Multiply like the locust .
16 You have increased your merchants more than the stars of the skies. The grasshopper strips and flees away .
17 Your guards are like the locusts , and your officials like the swarms of locusts , which settle on the walls on a cold day , but when the sun appears, they flee away , and their place is not known where they are .
18 Your shepherds slumber , king of Assyria. Your nobles lie down . Your people are scattered on the mountains , and there is no one to gather them .
19 There is no healing your wound , for your injury is fatal. All who hear the report of you clap their hands over you , for who hasn’t felt your endless cruelty ?