en_tn/nam/03/08.md

Nahum speaks to the people of Nineveh as though they were the city itself. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-apostrophe)

are you better than Thebes...?

AT: "you are not better than Thebes...." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion)

Thebes

the former capital of Egypt, which the Assyrians had conquered

whose defense was the ocean, whose wall was the sea itself

The Nile River surrounded Thebes and made attacking it difficult. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

defense...wall

Ancient cities had a main "wall" to keep attackers out, and an outer line of "defense" to keep attackers from the wall.

ocean...sea

If these words are the same in your language, use a general term for a large body of water for "sea."