² For ^(C)the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob
    as the majesty of Israel,
for plunderers have plundered them
    and ^(D)ruined their branches.

³ The shield of his mighty men is red;
    ^(E)his soldiers are clothed in scarlet.
The chariots come with flashing metal
    on the day he musters them;
    the cypress spears are brandished.
^4 (F)The chariots race madly through the streets;
    they rush to and fro through the squares;
they gleam like torches;
    they dart like lightning.
⁵ He remembers ^(G)his officers;
    ^(H)they stumble as they go,
they hasten to the wall;
    the siege tower^[b] is set up.
^6 (I)The river gates are opened;
    the palace ^(J)melts away;
⁷ its mistress^[c] is ^(K)stripped;^[d] she is carried off,
    her slave girls ^(L)lamenting,
moaning like doves
    and beating their breasts.
^8 (M)Nineveh is like a pool
    whose waters run away.^[e]
“Halt! Halt!” they cry,
    but ^(N)none turns back.
⁹ Plunder the silver,
    plunder the gold!
There is no end of the treasure
    or of the wealth of all precious things.

^10 (O)Desolate! Desolation and ruin!
    ^(P)Hearts melt and ^(Q)knees tremble;
^(R)anguish is in all loins;
    ^(S)all faces grow pale!
¹¹ Where is the lions' den,
    the feeding place of ^(T)the young lions,
where the lion and lioness went,
    where his cubs were, with ^(U)none to disturb?
^12 (V)The lion tore enough for his cubs
    and ^(W)strangled prey for his lionesses;
he filled his caves with prey
    and his dens with torn flesh.