Read the Bible

² For the Lord will restore the majesty of Jacob,^(C1)
yes,^(F1) the majesty of Israel,
though ravagers have ravaged them^(C2)
and ruined their vine branches.^(C3)

³ The shields of his^(F1) warriors are dyed red;
the valiant men are dressed in scarlet.^(C1)
The fittings of the chariot flash like fire^(C2)
on the day of its battle preparations,
and the spears are brandished.⁴ The chariots dash madly through the streets;
they rush around in the plazas.
They look like torches;
they dart back and forth like lightning.⁵ He gives orders to his officers;
they stumble as they advance.
They race to its wall;
the protective shield is set in place.⁶ The river gates are opened,
and the palace erodes away.^(C1)

⁷ Beauty^(F1) is stripped;^(F2)
she is carried away;
her ladies-in-waiting moan
like the sound of doves^(C1)
and beat their breasts.^(C2)8 Nineveh has been like a pool of water
from her first days,^(F1)
but they are fleeing.
“Stop! Stop!” they cry,
but no one turns back.⁹ “Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!” ^(C1)
There is no end to the treasure,
an abundance of every precious thing.^(C2)10 Desolation, decimation, devastation!
Hearts melt,^(C1)
knees tremble,^(C2)
insides churn,^(C3)
every face grows pale!^(C4)

¹¹ Where is the lions’ lair,^(C1)
or the feeding ground of the young lions,
where the lion and lioness prowled,
and the lion’s cub,
with nothing to frighten them away?^(C2)12 The lion mauled whatever its cubs needed
and strangled prey for its lionesses.
It filled up its dens with the kill,
and its lairs with mauled prey.^(C1)13 Beware, I am against you.^(C1)