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 ye a trumpet in Zion, And shout ye in My holy hill, Tremble do all inhabitants of the earth, For coming is the day of Jehovah, 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 it there hath not been from of old, And after it there is not again — till 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 consumed hath fire, And after it burn doth a flame, As the garden of Eden [is] the land before it, And after it a wilderness — a desolation! And also an escape there hath not been to it,

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, on the tops of the mountains they skip, 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.

From its face pained are peoples, 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.

As mighty ones they run, As men of war they go up a wall, And each in his own ways they do go, And they embarrass not 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 his brother they press not, Each in his way they go on, If by the missile they fall, 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 trembled hath the earth, Shaken have the heavens, 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 Jehovah hath given forth His voice before His force, For very great [is] His camp, For mighty [is] the doer of His word, For great [is] the day of Jehovah — very fearful, And who doth bear 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 — an affirmation of Jehovah, Turn ye back unto 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 rend your heart, and not your garments, And turn back unto Jehovah your God, For gracious and merciful [is] He, Slow to anger, and abundant in kindness, And He hath repented concerning the 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 knoweth — He doth turn back, Yea — He hath repented, And He hath left behind Him a blessing, A present and libation of Jehovah your God?

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

Blow ye a trumpet 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, Go out let a bridegroom 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?

Between the porch and the altar weep let the priests, ministrants of Jehovah, And let them say: 'Have pity, O Jehovah, on Thy people, And give not Thy 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 Jehovah 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 Jehovah answer and say to His people, 'Lo, I am sending to you the corn, And the new wine, and the oil, And ye have been satisfied with it, And I make you no more 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 unto a land dry and desolate, With his face unto the eastern sea, And his rear unto the western sea, And come up hath his stink, And come up doth his stench, For he hath exerted himself to work.

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

Do not fear, O land! joy and rejoice, For Jehovah hath 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 cattle of the field! For sprung forth have pastures of a wilderness, For the tree hath 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 ye sons of Zion, joy and rejoice, In Jehovah your God, For He hath given to you the Teacher for righteousness, And causeth to come down to you a shower, Sprinkling and gathered — in the beginning.

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

And full have been the floors [with] pure corn, And overflown have the presses [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 recompensed to you the years That consume did the locust, the cankerworm, And the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, My great force that I did send 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 ye have eaten, eating and being satisfied, And have praised the name of Jehovah your God, Who hath dealt with you wonderfully, And not ashamed are My people to the age.

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 ye have known that in the midst of Israel [am] I, And I [am] Jehovah your God, and there is none else, And not ashamed are My people to the age.

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 hath come to pass afterwards, I do pour out My Spirit on all flesh, And prophesied have your sons and your daughters, Your old men do dream dreams, Your young men do 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 men-servants, and on the maid-servants, In those days I do 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 Jehovah, 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 hath come to pass, Every one who calleth in the name of Jehovah is delivered, For in mount Zion and in Jerusalem there is an escape, As Jehovah hath said, And among the remnants whom Jehovah is calling!