Joel 2

1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble. For the day of Jehovah comes, for it is near at hand,

Blow a horn in Zion, And shout in My holy hill, All inhabitants of the earth tremble, For the Day of YHWH is coming, for [it is] near!

2 a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, as the dawn spreads upon the mountains, a great people and a strong, there has not ever been the like, nor shall be any more after them, even to the years of many generations.

A day of darkness and thick darkness, A day of cloud and thick darkness, As darkness spread on the mountains, A people numerous and mighty, Like there has not been from of old, And after it there is not again—Until the years of generation and generation.

3 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. Yea, and none has escaped them.

Before it fire has consumed, And after it a flame burns, As the Garden of Eden [is] the land before it, And after it a wilderness—a desolation! And also there has not been to it an escape,

4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses, and as horsemen, so do they run.

As the appearance of horses [is] its appearance, And as horsemen, so they run.

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

As the noise of chariots, they skip on the tops of the mountains, As the noise of a flame of fire devouring stubble, As a mighty people set in array for battle.

6 At their presence the peoples are in anguish; all faces have grown pale.

Pained are peoples from its face, All faces have gathered paleness.

7 They run like mighty men. They climb the wall like men of war, and they march each one on his ways. And they do not break their ranks.

They run as mighty ones, As men of war they go up a wall, And they each go in his own ways, And they do not change their paths.

8 Neither does one push another. They march each one in his path, and they burst through the weapons, and do not break off.

And each does not press his brother, They each go on in his way, If they fall by the missile, they are not cut off.

9 They leap upon the city. They run upon the wall. They climb up into the houses. They enter in at the windows like a thief.

In the city they run to and fro, On the wall they run, Into houses they go up by the windows, They go in as a thief.

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

At their face the earth has trembled, The heavens have shaken, Sun and moon have been black, And stars have gathered up their shining.

11 And Jehovah utters his voice before his army, for his camp is very great. For he is strong who executes his word. For the day of Jehovah is great and very fearful, and who can abide it?

And YHWH has given forth His voice before His force, For His camp [is] very great, For mighty [is] the doer of His word, For great [is] the Day of YHWH—very fearful, And who bears it?

12 Yet even now, says Jehovah, turn ye to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.

“And also now,” a declaration of YHWH, “Turn back to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, and with weeping, And with lamentation.”

13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn to Jehovah your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents of the evil.

And tear your heart, and not your garments, And turn back to your God YHWH, For He [is] gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and abundant in kindness, And relenting from evil.

14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal offering and a drink offering to Jehovah your God?

Who knows—He turns back, Indeed—He has relented, And He has left behind Him a blessing, A present and drink-offering of your God YHWH?

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

Blow a horn in Zion, Sanctify a fast—proclaim a restraint.

16 Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the old men. Gather the sons, and those who suck the breasts. Let the bridegroom go forth from his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

Gather the people, sanctify an assembly, Assemble the aged, Gather infants and sucklings of the breasts, Let a bridegroom go out from his inner chamber, And a bride out of her closet.

17 Let the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Jehovah, and do not give thy heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, Where is their God?

Let the priests weep between the porch and the altar, servants of YHWH, And let them say: “Have pity, O YHWH, on Your people, And do not give Your inheritance to reproach, To the ruling over them of nations, Why do they say among peoples, Where [is] their God?”

18 Then Jehovah was jealous for his land, and had pity on his people.

And let YHWH be zealous for His land, And have pity on His people.

19 And Jehovah answered and said to his people, Behold, I will send you grain, and new wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith. And I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.

Let YHWH answer and say to His people, “Behold, I am sending to you the grain, And the new wine, and the oil, And you have been satisfied with it, And I make you no longer a reproach among nations,

20 But I will remove the northern army far off from you, and will drive it into a land barren and desolate, its forepart into the eastern sea, and its rear part into the western sea. And its stench shall come up, and its foul odor shall come up, because it has done great things.

And the northern I put far off from you, And have driven him to a land dry and desolate, With his face toward the Eastern Sea, And his rear to the Western Sea, And his stink has come up, And his stench comes up, For he has exerted himself to work.”

21 Fear not, O land. Be glad and rejoice, for Jehovah has done great things.

Do not fear, O land! Be glad and rejoice, For YHWH has exerted Himself to work.

22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness spring, for the tree bears its fruit, the fig tree and the vine yield their strength.

Do not fear, O livestock of the field! For pastures of a wilderness have sprung up, For the tree has borne its fruit, Fig tree and vine have given their strength!

23 Be glad then, ye sons of Zion, and rejoice in Jehovah your God, for he gives you the former rain in just measure, and he causes the rain to come down for you, the former rain and the latter rain, in the first month.

And you sons of Zion, Be glad and rejoice in your God YHWH, For He has given to you the Teacher for righteousness, And causes a shower to come down to you, Early rain and spring rain [as] in the beginning.

24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.

And the floors have been full [with] pure grain, And the presses have overflown [with] new wine and oil.

25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust, the canker-worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm has eaten-my great army which I sent among you.

“And I have repaid to you the years that the locust consumed, The cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, My great force that I sent against you.

26 And ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied. And shall praise the name of Jehovah your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never be put to shame.

And you have eaten, eating and being satisfied, And have praised the Name of your God YHWH, Who has dealt with you wonderfully, And My people are not ashamed for all time.

27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am Jehovah your God, and there is none else. And my people shall never be put to shame.

And you have known that I [am] in the midst of Israel, And I [am] your God YHWH, and there is none else, And My people are not ashamed for all time.

28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Your old men shall dream dreams. Your young men shall see visions.

And it has come to pass afterward, I pour out My Spirit on all flesh, And your sons and your daughters have prophesied, Your old men dream dreams, Your young men see visions.

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

And also on the menservants and on the maidservants, In those days I pour out My Spirit.

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

And I have given wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood, and fire, and columns of smoke.

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and wonderful day of Jehovah comes.

The sun is turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, Before the coming of the Day of YHWH, The great and the fearful.

32 And it shall come to pass, that whoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be saved. For in mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as Jehovah has said, and among the remnant those whom Jehovah calls.

And it has come to pass, Everyone who calls on the Name of YHWH is delivered, For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there is an escape, As YHWH has said, And among the remnants whom YHWH is calling!”