[1] Behold, Yahweh makes the earth empty, and makes it waste, and turns it
upside down, and scatters abroad the inhabitants of it. [2] It shall be, as
with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his
master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with
the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with the taker of
interest, so with the giver of interest to him. [3] The earth shall be
utterly emptied, and utterly laid waste; for Yahweh has spoken this word.
[4] The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away,
the lofty people of the earth do languish. [5] The earth also is polluted
under the inhabitants of it; because they have transgressed the laws,
violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. [6] Therefore has
the curse devoured the earth, and those who dwell therein are found guilty:
therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. [7]
The new wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted do sigh.
[8] The mirth of tambourines ceases, the noise of those who rejoice ends,
the joy of the harp ceases. [9] They shall not drink wine with a song;
strong drink shall be bitter to those who drink it. [10] The waste city is
broken down; every house is shut up, that no man may come in. [11] There is
a crying in the streets because of the wine; all joy is darkened, the mirth
of the land is gone. [12] In the city is left desolation, and the gate is
struck with destruction. [13] For thus shall it be in the midst of the
earth among the peoples, as the shaking of an olive-tree, as the gleanings
when the vintage is done. [14] These shall lift up their voice, they shall
shout; for the majesty of Yahweh they cry aloud from the sea. [15] Why
glorify you Yahweh in the east, even the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel,
in the isles of the sea. [16] From the uttermost part of the earth have we
heard songs: Glory to the righteous. But I said, I pine away, I pine away,
woe is me! the treacherous have dealt treacherously; yes, the treacherous
have dealt very treacherously. [17] Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are
on you, O inhabitant of the earth. [18] It shall happen, that he who flees
from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he who comes up out
of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows on
high are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. [19] The earth
is utterly broken, the earth is torn apart, the earth is shaken violently.
[20] The earth shall stagger like a drunken man, and shall sway back and
forth like a hammock; and the disobedience of it shall be heavy on it, and
it shall fall, and not rise again. [21] It shall happen in that day, that
Yahweh will punish the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the
earth on the earth. [22] They shall be gathered together, as prisoners are
gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison; and after many
days shall they be visited. [23] Then the moon shall be confounded, and the
sun ashamed; for Yahweh of Hosts will reign on Mount Zion, and in
Jerusalem; and before his elders shall be glory.
