Isaiah 24
1 See, the Lord is making the earth waste and unpeopled, he is turning it upside down, and sending the people in all directions.
Behold, Jehovah emptieth and draineth the land; Yea, he turneth it upside down, and scattereth its inhabitants.
2 And it will be the same for the people as for the priest; for the servant as for his master; and for the woman-servant as for her owner; the same for the one offering goods for a price as for him who takes them; the same for him who gives money at interest and for him who takes it; the same for him who lets others have the use of his property as for those who make use of it.
As with the people, so is it with the priest; As with the servant, so with the master; As with the maid, so with the mistress; As with the buyer, so with the seller; As with the borrower, so with the lender; As with the usurer, so with the giver of usury.
3 The earth will be completely waste and without men; for this is the word of the Lord.
The land is utterly emptied and utterly plundered; For Jehovah hath spoken this word.
4 The earth is sorrowing and wasting away, the world is full of grief and wasting away, the high ones of the earth come to nothing.
The land mourneth, and withereth; The world languisheth, and withereth; The nobles of the people of the land do languish.
5 The earth has been made unclean by those living in it; because the laws have not been kept by them, the orders have been changed, and the eternal agreement has been broken.
The land was polluted under its inhabitants, Because they transgressed the law, they violated the statutes, They broke the everlasting covenant.
6 For this cause the earth is given up to the curse, and those in it are judged as sinners: for this cause those living on the earth are burned up, and the rest are small in number.
Therefore a curse devoured the land; Its inhabitants suffered for their guilt; Therefore are the inhabitants of the land consumed with heat, And few of the men are left.
7 The new wine is thin, the vine is feeble, and all the glad-hearted make sounds of grief.
The new wine mourneth; The vine languisheth; All that were of a joyful heart do sigh;
8 The pleasing sound of all instruments of music has come to an end, and the voices of those who are glad.
The mirth of tabrets ceaseth; The noise of them that rejoice is at an end; The joy of the harp ceaseth.
9 There is no more drinking of wine with a song; strong drink will be bitter to those who take it.
No more do they drink wine with the song; Strong drink is bitter to them that use it.
10 The town is waste and broken down: every house is shut up, so that no man may come in.
The city of desolation is broken down; Every house is closed, so that none can enter.
11 There is a crying in the streets because of the wine; there is an end of all delight, the joy of the land is gone.
There is a cry for wine in the streets; All gladness is departed; The mirth of the land is gone;
12 In the town all is waste, and in the public place is destruction.
Desolation is left in the city, And the gate is smitten into ruins.
13 For it will be in the heart of the earth among the peoples, like the shaking of an olive-tree, as the last of the grapes after the getting-in is done.
Yea, thus shall it be in the land, in the midst of the people, As when the olive-tree has been shaken; As the gleaning, when the vintage is ended.
14 But those will be making sounds of joy; they will be crying loudly from the sea for the glory of the Lord.
These shall lift up their voice, and sing; Yea, for the majesty of Jehovah they shall shout from the sea.
15 Give praise to the Lord in the east, to the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the sea-lands.
Wherefore praise ye Jehovah in the East, The name of Jehovah, the God of Israel, in the isles of the sea!
16 From the farthest part of the earth comes the sound of songs, glory to the upright. But I said, I am wasting away, wasting away, the curse is on me! The false ones go on in their false way, yes, they go on acting falsely.
From the end of the earth we hear songs: “Glory to the righteous!” But I cry, Alas, my wretchedness, my wretchedness! woe is me! The plunderers plunder; the plunderers seize the spoil.
17 Fear, and death, and the net, are come on you, O people of the earth.
The terror, the pit, and the snare Are upon thee, O inhabitant of the land!
18 And it will be that he who goes in flight from the sound of fear will be overtaken by death; and he who gets free from death will be taken in the net: for the windows on high are open, and the bases of the earth are shaking.
Whoso fleeth from the terror shall fall into the pit, And whoso escapeth from the pit, He shall be taken in the snare; For the floodgates of heaven are opened, And the foundations of the earth tremble.
19 The earth is completely broken, it is parted in two, it is violently moved.
The earth is utterly broken down; The earth is shattered in pieces; The earth is violently moved from her place.
20 The earth will be moving uncertainly, like a man overcome by drink; it will be shaking like a tent; and the weight of its sin will be on it, crushing it down so that it will not get up again.
The earth reeleth like a drunkard, It moveth to and fro like a hammock; For her iniquity lieth heavy upon her, And she shall fall and rise no more.
21 And in that day the Lord will send punishment on the army of the high ones on high, and on the kings of the earth on the earth.
In that day will Jehovah punish the host of the high ones that are on high, And the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22 And they will be got together, like prisoners in the prison-house; and after a long time they will have their punishment.
They shall be thrown together bound into the pit, And shall be shut up in the prison, But after many days shall they be visited.
23 Then the moon will be veiled, and the sun put to shame; for the Lord of armies will be ruling in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his judges he will let his glory be seen.
The moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed, When Jehovah of hosts shall reign in mount Zion and Jerusalem, And his glory shall be before his ancients.
