Isaiah 24

1 Behold, Jehovah makes the earth empty, and makes it waste, and turns it upside down, and scatters abroad the inhabitants of it.

2 And 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 Jehovah has spoken this word.

4 The earth mourns and fades away. The world languishes and fades away. The lofty people of the earth 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 the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it 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 tambourine 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 Desolation is left in the city, and the gate is smitten 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 Jehovah they cry aloud from the sea.

15 Therefore glorify ye Jehovah in the east, even the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel, in the isles of the sea.

16 From the outermost part of the earth we have heard songs. Glory to the righteous. But I said, I pine away, I pine away. Woe is me! The treacherous have dealt treacherously, yea, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously.

17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.

18 And it shall come to pass, 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 to and fro like a hammock. And the transgression of it shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall, and not rise again.

21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Jehovah will punish the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.

22 And they shall be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison. And after many days they shall be visited.

23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, for Jehovah of hosts will reign in mount Zion and in Jerusalem. And glory shall be before his elders.