9Cush^b and Egypt were her boundless strength;

Put and Libya were among her allies.

10Yet she was taken captive

and went into exile.

Her infants were dashed to pieces

at the head of every street.

Lots were cast for her nobles,

and all her great men were put in chains.

11You too will become drunk;

you will go into hiding

and seek refuge from the enemy.

12All your fortresses are like fig trees

with their first ripe fruit;

when they are shaken,

the figs fall into the mouth of the eater.

13Look at your troops—

they are all women!

The gates of your land

are wide open to your enemies;

fire has consumed their bars.

14Draw water for the siege,

strengthen your defenses!

Work the clay,

tread the mortar,

repair the brickwork!

15There the fire will devour you;

the sword will cut you down

and, like grasshoppers, consume you.

Multiply like grasshoppers,

multiply like locusts!

16You have increased the number of your merchants

till they are more than the stars of the sky,

but like locusts they strip the land

and then fly away.

17Your guards are like locusts,

your officials like swarms of locusts

that settle in the walls on a cold day—

but when the sun appears they fly away,

and no one knows where.

18O king of Assyria, your shepherds^c slumber;

your nobles lie down to rest.

Your people are scattered on the mountains

with no one to gather them.

19Nothing can heal your wound;

your injury is fatal.

Everyone who hears the news about you

claps his hands at your fall,

for who has not felt

your endless cruelty?