As mentioned above, some versions take verses 9 and 10 as addressed to the people of Judah (Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Jerusalem Bible translates the opening words of verse 9 as “How do you imagine Yahweh?” and some such meaning as this would make sense if addressed to Judah. However, the majority of versions and commentators think that these opening words have a different meaning: What do you plot against the LORD? (Revised Standard Version; compare Good News Translation, New English Bible, New International Version, Moffatt, Bible en français courant). This was the meaning understood by the ancient Greek and Latin translations, and the one which occurs again in a similar phrase in verse 11 (compare Dan 11.24; Hos 7.15), and it is therefore to be preferred here. If this meaning is accepted, the verse will continue the theme of punishment in verse 8, and the pronoun you will refer implicitly to the people of Nineveh. This fits the context better.
The word plot in English carries bad overtones; it implies “making evil plans” or “planning to do evil things,” as does the Hebrew word it translates. Translators should try to find some expression with similar overtones in their own language if possible.
He will make a full end: He refers to the LORD, and the implied object is the you of the first line; thus, “… make a full end of you.” Good News Translation makes this explicit and translates in simple language as “He will destroy you.” Some translators may say “He will cause you all to be destroyed” or “He will cause you all to die.”
He will not take vengeance twice on his foes: the final line describes the result of the LORD’s action in the second line. It says literally “oppression will not arise a second time” (compare Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project). The meaning is that when the LORD destroys something, his destruction is complete, and no further trouble can ever come from the same source (compare 1 Sam 26.8; 2 Sam 20.10). Several translations understand the Hebrew word meaning “oppression” to be a figure of speech called a metonym and to stand for the people who cause the oppression. Thus Good News Translation translates “No one opposes him more than once” (compare New American Bible, New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). Revised Standard Version obtains much the same result but does so by changing the Hebrew text to say his foes instead of “oppression.” Revised Standard Version also changes the Hebrew word for “arise” to say take vengeance, but this is unnecessary, since the Hebrew makes good sense as it stands. Translators are recommended to follow Good News Translation here.
An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• What evil things are you people of Nineveh planning to do against the LORD? He will cause you all to die. In fact no one is able to oppose him more than once.
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A . A Handbook on the Book of Nahum. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .