| English Standard Version | English Standard Version |
| 1Woe to the bloody city, all full of lies and plunder— no end to the prey! | 1Woe to the bloody city, all full of lies and plunder— no end to the prey! |
| 2The crack of the whip, and rumble of the wheel, galloping horse and bounding chariot! | 2The crack of the whip, and rumble of the wheel, galloping horse and bounding chariot! |
| 3Horsemen charging, flashing sword and glittering spear, hosts of slain, heaps of corpses, dead bodies without end— they stumble over the bodies! | 3Horsemen charging, flashing sword and glittering spear, hosts of slain, heaps of corpses, dead bodies without end— they stumble over the bodies! |
| 4And all for the countless whorings of the prostitute, graceful and of deadly charms, who betrays nations with her whorings, and peoples with her charms. | 4And all for the countless whorings of the prostitute, graceful and of deadly charms, who betrays nations with her whorings, and peoples with her charms. |
| 5Behold, I am against you, declares the LORD of hosts, and will lift up your skirts over your face; and I will make nations look at your nakedness and kingdoms at your shame. | 5Behold, I am against you, declares the LORD of hosts, and will lift up your skirts over your face; and I will make nations look at your nakedness and kingdoms at your shame. |
| 6I will throw filth at you and treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle. | 6I will throw filth at you and treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle. |
| 7And all who look at you will shrink from you and say, “Wasted is Nineveh; who will grieve for her?” Where shall I seek comforters for you? | 7And all who look at you will shrink from you and say, “Wasted is Nineveh; who will grieve for her?” Where shall I seek comforters for you? |
| 8Are you better than Thebes that sat by the Nile, with water around her, her rampart a sea, and water her wall? | 8Are you better than Thebes that sat by the Nile, with water around her, her rampart a sea, and water her wall? |
| 9Cush was her strength; Egypt too, and that without limit; Put and the Libyans were her helpers. | 9Cush was her strength; Egypt too, and that without limit; Put and the Libyans were her helpers. |
| 10Yet she became an exile; she went into captivity; her infants were dashed in pieces at the head of every street; for her honored men lots were cast, and all her great men were bound in chains. | 10Yet she became an exile; she went into captivity; her infants were dashed in pieces at the head of every street; for her honored men lots were cast, and all her great men were bound in chains. |
| 11You also will be drunken; you will go into hiding; you will seek a refuge from the enemy. | 11You also will be drunken; you will go into hiding; you will seek a refuge from the enemy. |
| 12All your fortresses are like fig trees with first-ripe figs— if shaken they fall into the mouth of the eater. | 12All your fortresses are like fig trees with first-ripe figs— if shaken they fall into the mouth of the eater. |
| 13Behold, your troops are women in your midst. The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; fire has devoured your bars. | 13Behold, your troops are women in your midst. The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; fire has devoured your bars. |
| 14Draw water for the siege; strengthen your forts; go into the clay; tread the mortar; take hold of the brick mold! | 14Draw water for the siege; strengthen your forts; go into the clay; tread the mortar; take hold of the brick mold! |
| 15There will the fire devour you; the sword will cut you off. It will devour you like the locust. Multiply yourselves like the locust; multiply like the grasshopper! | 15There will the fire devour you; the sword will cut you off. It will devour you like the locust. Multiply yourselves like the locust; multiply like the grasshopper! |
| 16You increased your merchants more than the stars of the heavens. The locust spreads its wings and flies away. | 16You increased your merchants more than the stars of the heavens. The locust spreads its wings and flies away. |
| 17Your princes are like grasshoppers, your scribes like clouds of locusts settling on the fences in a day of cold— when the sun rises, they fly away; no one knows where they are. | 17Your princes are like grasshoppers, your scribes like clouds of locusts settling on the fences in a day of cold— when the sun rises, they fly away; no one knows where they are. |
| 18Your shepherds are asleep, O king of Assyria; your nobles slumber. Your people are scattered on the mountains with none to gather them. | 18Your shepherds are asleep, O king of Assyria; your nobles slumber. Your people are scattered on the mountains with none to gather them. |
| 19There is no easing your hurt; your wound is grievous. All who hear the news about you clap their hands over you. For upon whom has not come your unceasing evil? | 19There is no easing your hurt; your wound is grievous. All who hear the news about you clap their hands over you. For upon whom has not come your unceasing evil? |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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