"Book of Nahum", (chapter 1) (in English)

Chapter 1

1 Oracle about Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh.

2 Aleph - A jealous and avenging God is Yahweh,

an avenger is the Yahweh, and angry;

Yahweh brings vengeance on his adversaries,

and lays up wrath for his enemies;

3 Yahweh is slow to anger, yet great in power,

and Yahweh never leaves the guilty unpunished.

    Beth - In hurricane and tempest is his path, and clouds are the dust at his feet;

4 Ghimel - He rebukes the sea and leaves it dry,

and all the rivers he dries up.

   Daleth - Withered are Bashan and Carmel,

and the bloom of Lebanon fades;

5 He - The mountains quake before him,

and the hills dissolve;

   Waw - The earth is laid waste before him,

the world and all who dwell in it.

6 Zain - Before his wrath, who can stand firm,

and who can face his blazing anger?

   Heth - His fury is poured out like fire,

and the rocks are rent asunder before him.

7 Teth - Yahweh is good, a refuge

on the day of distress;

   Yod - He takes care of those who have recourse to him,

8 when the flood rages;

   Kaph - He makes an end of his opponents,

and his enemies he pursues with darkness.

9 to Judah - What are you imputing to Yahweh?

It is he who will make an end!

The enemy shall not rise a second time;

10 As when a tangle of thornbushes is set aflame,

like dry stubble, they shall be utterly consumed.

11 to Assyria – From you has sprung

            One who plots evil against Yahweh,

            A man with the mind of Belial.

12 to Judah - For, says Yahweh,

be they ever so many and so vigorous,

still they shall be mown down and disappear.

Though I have humbled you,

I will humble you no more.

13 Now will I break his yoke from off you,

and burst asunder your bonds.

14 to the King of Nineveh - Yahweh has commanded regarding you:

no descendant shall come to bear your name;

From your temple I will abolish the carved and the molten image;

I will make your grave a mockery.