1 This is a message about Nineveh, the account of a vision seen by Nahum, who was from Elkosh.
The Lord's Anger against Nineveh
2 The Lord God tolerates no rivals;
he punishes those who oppose him.
In his anger he pays them back.
3 The Lord does not easily become angry,
but he is powerful
and never lets the guilty go unpunished.
Where the Lord walks, storms arise;
the clouds are the dust raised by his feet!
4 He commands the sea, and it dries up!
He makes the rivers go dry.
The fields of Bashan wither,
Mount Carmel turns brown,
and the flowers of Lebanon fade.
5 Mountains quake in the presence of the Lord;
hills melt before him.
The earth shakes when the Lord appears;
the world and all its people tremble.
6 When he is angry, who can survive?
Who can survive his terrible fury?
He pours out his flaming anger;
rocks crumble to dust before him.
7 The Lord is good;
he protects his people in times of trouble;
he takes care of those who turn to him.
8 Like a great rushing flood he completely destroys his enemies;
he sends to their death those who oppose him.
9 What are you plotting against the Lord?
He will destroy you.
No one opposes him more than once.
10 Like tangled thorns and dry straw
you drunkards will be burned up!
11 From you, Nineveh, there came someone full of wicked schemes, who plotted against the Lord. 12 This is what the Lord says to his people Israel: “Even though the Assyrians are strong and numerous, they will be destroyed and disappear. My people, I made you suffer, but I will not do it again. 13 I will now end Assyria's power over you and break the chains that bind you.”
14 This is what the Lord has decreed about the Assyrians: “They will have no descendants to carry on their name. I will destroy the idols that are in the temples of their gods. I am preparing a grave for the Assyrians—they don't deserve to live!”
15 Look, a messenger is coming over the mountains with good news! He is on his way to announce the victory! People of Judah, celebrate your festivals and give God what you solemnly promised him. The wicked will never invade your land again. They have been totally destroyed!
1 Dama ngekwe Ninive. Lukwalo gwe mbono ya Nahumi we ku Elikoshi.
Kugwadzila moyo Ninive kwa Yahwe
2 Yahwe Ndzimu una fupa kakale unobgwilizila,
Yahwe banobgwilizila, bazhele bushongola,
Yahwe banobgwilizila zwita zwabo,
mu kugwadza moyo kwabo banobhayana ne zwita zwabo.
3 Yahwe abatotjimbidza gwadzamoyo
kakale bana masimba makulu,
abangaletje una nlandu asalobgwa shamu.
Zila yabo imuna tjampupudze ne mu dutu,
makole i hwuluba ye makumbo abo.
4 Banotjemela gungwa bakathama kuti lipkhwe,
banopkhwisa njizi dzose.
Ku Bhashani neku Karimeli kobuna,
ne maluba e Lebanoni anowoma.
5 Mbeli kwabo matombo anotengenyeka,
matuthu kanyawuka,
shango inomilidzika pabalipo ne
lubumbo na bose banogala mu guli.
6 Ndiani ungamidzana nge bushongola gwabo kene?
Ndiani ungadzikitadzila kugwadzamoyo kwabo kunotjisa kene?
Bushongola gwabo gotebuka se moto,
shongwe banodzipkhwanya dzikabe zwikwetjekwetje.
7 Yahwe bakalulwama,
ndibo dizhilo mu misi ye zwinodziyidza.
Banobakilila ibabo banogalabgwe mubali,
8 koga nge nkubila unokuba
banowozhisa ku bhelelo zwita zwabo,
banowolonda zwita zwabo mu zhalima.
9 Tjimwe kene ilini tjamungalanganila Yahwe,
banowotjilobesa,
akuna tjita tjinowomuka kakale.
10 Banonga matenjana e mihwa akapombana,
bakanga zwilaladzi zwang'wa,
banowopisiwa se malala e bushwa akawoma.
11 Mukuli iwe Ninive kwabhuda mmwe,
unolukila Yahwe gwanga
ekumbuludza nge bubi.
12 Tjinolebgwa ndi Yahwe etji,
“Nakuto bakasima kakale bali banji,
banowolobesiwa bakasibepo.
Juda, nenguba ndakakuhwisa zogwadza,
anditjowokuhwisa zogwadza kakale.
13 Ngwenu wali ndowovuna jokwi limu mitshibha yenyu
ndibe ndithubula mitjili yakamusunga.”
14 Yahwe bakadusa nlayo nge kuko Ninive beti,
“Zina lilo alitjowobepo nge kusingapele.
Ndowokolomodza midzimu yakabezhiwa ne yakabumbiwa
imu ng'umba ye midzimu iyo.
Ndowolulwamisa ikumbu tjitjo
ngoti auteli we tjimwe.”
15 Bonani, pezhugwi kwe matombo makumbo e thumwa
inozhisa ndebo mbuya,
unoleba ngekwe mbakiso!
Zana mizano iyo iwe Juda,
ushinge tjawakatuna kutjishinga.
Babiibi abatjowofa bakunginilila kakale,
banowolobesiwa.