Joel 2

1 Stød i Horn paa Zion, blæs Alarm paa mit hellige Bjerg! Alle i Landet skal bæve, thi HERRENS Dag, den kommer;

Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD comes, for it is close at hand:

2 ja, nær er Mulms og Mørkes Dag, Skyers og Taages Dag. Et stort, et vældigt Folk er bredt som Gry over Bjerge. Dets Lige har aldrig været, skal aldrig komme herefter til fjerneste Slægters Aar.

A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn spreading on the mountains, a great and strong people; there has never been the like, neither will there be any more after them, even to the years of many generations.

3 Foran det æder Ild, og bag det flammer Lue; foran det er Landet som Eden og bag det en øde Ørk; fra det slipper ingen bort.

A fire devours before them, and behind them, a flame burns. The land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them, a desolate wilderness. Yes, and no one has escaped them.

4 At se til er de som Heste, som Hingste farer de frem;

Their appearance is as the appearance of horses, and they run as horsemen.

5 det lyder som raslende Vogne, naar de hopper paa Bjergenes Tinder, som knitrende Lue, der æder Straa, som en vældig Hær, der er rustet til Strid.

Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains, they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people set in battle array.

6 Folkeslag skælver for dem, alle Ansigter blusser.

At their presence the peoples are in anguish. All faces have grown pale.

7 Som Helte haster de frem, som Stridsmænd stormer de Mure; enhver gaar lige ud, de bøjer ej af fra Vejen.

They run like mighty men. They climb the wall like warriors. They each march in his line, and they don’t swerve off course.

8 De trænger ikke hverandre, hver følger sin egen Sti. Trods Vaabenmagt styrter de frem uden at lade sig standse, de kaster sig over Byen,

One doesn’t jostle another. They each march in their own path. They burst through the defenses and don’t break ranks.

9 stormer Muren i Løb; i Husene trænger de ind, gennem Vinduer kommer de som Tyve.

They rush on the city. They run on the wall. They climb up into the houses. They enter in at the windows like thieves.

10 Foran dem skælver Jorden, Himlen bæver; Sol og Maane sortner, Stjernerne mister deres Glans.

The earth quakes before them. The heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.

11 Foran sin Stridsmagt løfter HERREN sin Røst, thi saare stor er hans Hær, ja, hans Ords Fuldbyrder er vældig; thi stor er HERRENS Dag og saare frygtelig; hvem holder den ud?

The LORD thunders his voice before his army, for his forces are very great; for he is strong who obeys his command; for the day of the LORD is great and very awesome, and who can endure it?

12 Selv nu, saa lyder det fra HERREN, vend om til mig af ganske Hjerte, med Faste og Graad og Klage!

“Yet even now,” says the LORD, “turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”

13 Sønderriv Hjerterne, ej eders Klæder, vend om til HERREN eders Gud! Thi naadig og barmhjertig er han, langmodig og rig paa Miskundhed, han angrer det onde.

Tear your heart and not your garments, and turn to the LORD, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.

14 Maaske slaar han om og angrer og levner Velsignelse efter sig, Afgrødeoffer og Drikoffer til HERREN eders Gud.

Who knows? He may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal offering and a drink offering to the LORD, your God.

15 Stød i Horn paa Zion, helliger Faste, udraab festlig Samling,

Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly.

16 kald Folket sammen, helliger et Stævne, lad de gamle samles, kald Børnene sammen, ogsaa dem, som dier Bryst; lad Brudgom gaa ud af sit Kammer, Brud af sit Telt!

Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts. Let the bridegroom go out of his room, and the bride out of her chamber.

17 Imellem Forhal og Alter skal Præsterne, HERRENS Tjenere, græde og sige: »HERRE, spar dog dit Folk! Overgiv ej din Arv til Skændsel, til Hedningers Spot! Hvi skal man sige blandt Folkene: Hvor er deres Gud?«

Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, “Spare your people, LORD, and don’t give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

18 Og HERREN blev nidkær for sit Land og fik Medynk med sit Folk.

Then the LORD was jealous for his land, and had pity on his people.

19 Og HERREN svarede sit Folk: Se, jeg sender eder Korn, Most og Olie, saa I kan mættes deraf; og jeg vil ikke længer gøre eder til Skændsel iblandt Hedningerne.

The LORD answered his people, “Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied with them; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.

20 Fjenden fra Nord driver jeg langt bort fra eder og støder ham ud i et tørt og øde Land, hans Fortrop ud i Havet i Øst og hans Bagtrop i Havet i Vest, og han skal udsprede Stank og ilde Lugt; thi han udførte store Ting.

But I will remove the northern army far away from you, and will drive it into a barren and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its back into the western sea; and its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise.” Surely he has done great things.

21 Frygt ikke, Jord, fryd dig, vær glad! Thi HERREN har udført store Ting.

Land, don’t be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things.

22 Frygt ikke, I Markens Dyr! Thi Ørkenens Græsmarker grønnes, og Træerne bærer Frugt; Figentræ og Vinstok giver alt, hvad de kan.

Don’t be afraid, you animals of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness spring up, for the tree bears its fruit. The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.

23 Og I, Zions Sønner, fryd eder, vær glade i HERREN eders Gud! Thi han giver eder Føde til Frelse, idet han sender eder Regn, Tidligregn og Sildigregn, som før.

“Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD, your God; for he gives you the early rain in just measure, and he causes the rain to come down for you, the early rain and the latter rain, as before.

24 Tærskepladserne skal fyldes med Korn, Persekummerne løbe over med Most og Olie.

The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.

25 Og jeg godtgør eder de Aar, da Græshoppen, Springeren, Æderen og Gnaveren hærgede, min store Hær, som jeg sendte imod eder.

I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the great locust, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar, my great army, which I sent among you.

26 I skal spise og mættes og love HERREN eders Guds Navn, fordi han handler underfuldt med eder; og mit Folk skal i Evighed ikke blive til Skamme.

You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied, and will praise the name of the LORD, your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and my people will never again be disappointed.

27 Og I skal kende, at jeg er i Israels Midte, og at jeg, og ingen anden, er HERREN eders Gud; og mit Folk skal i Evighed ikke blive til Skamme.

You will know that I am among Israel, and that I am the LORD, your God, and there is no one else; and my people will never again be disappointed.

28 Og det skal ske derefter, at jeg vil udgyde min Aand over alt Kød, eders Sønner og eders Døtre skal profetere, eders gamle skal drømme Drømme og eders unge skue Syner;

“It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions.

29 ogsaa over Trælle og Trælkvinder vil jeg udgyde min Aand i de Dage.

And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit.

30 Og jeg lader ske Tegn paa Himmelen og paa Jorden, Blod, Ild og Røgstøtter.

I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke.

31 Solen skal vendes til Mørke og Maanen til Blod, før HERRENS store og frygtelige Dag kommer.

The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes.

32 Men enhver, som paakalder HERRENS Navn, skal frelses; thi paa Zions Bjerg og i Jerusalem skal der være Frelse, som HERREN har sagt; og til de undslupne skal hver den høre, som HERREN kalder.

It will happen that whoever will call on the LORD’s name shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the remnant, those whom the LORD calls.