Joel 2

1 Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all who live in the land tremble for the day of the Lord is coming—it's definitely near!

Blow a horn in Zion, sound an alarm in my holy mountain, let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord comes, for near is

2 It's a gloomy day of darkness, a day of thick clouds and heavy shadows. Like the dawn spreading over the mountains, an army appears, so large and powerful that there has never ever been anything like it before, nor will there ever be anything like it again.

the day of darkness and gloom, the day of cloud and thick darkness! Like the light of dawn scattered over the mountains, a people great and powerful; its like has not been from of old, neither will be any more after it, even to the years of coming ages.

3 Fire blazes in front of them, behind them flames are burning. In front of them the land looks like the Garden of Eden, behind them is a desert of total desolation: not a single survivor remains.

Before them the fire devours, and behind them a flame burns; like the garden of Eden is the land before them, and after them it is a desolate desert, nothing escapes them.

4 They have the appearance of horses; they charge like cavalry.

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

5 Listen to the sound: they are like rumbling chariots leaping over the mountain tops, they are like crackling flames burning stubble, they are like a mighty army marching in formation into battle.

Like the sound of chariots on the tops of the mountains they leap, like the crackle of flames devouring stubble, like a mighty people preparing for battle.

6 Terror seizes all those in their path; all the people's faces grow pale.

Peoples are in anguish before them, all faces grow pale.

7 They attack like mighty warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march as one, never breaking ranks.

Like mighty men they run, like warriors they mount up a wall, they march each by himself, they break not their ranks,

8 They do not jostle one another, they stay on track; and even if some are cut down, they are not stopped.

none jostles the other. They march each in his path. They fall upon the weapons without breaking.

9 They rush to and fro in the city; they run along the walls; they climb into houses, entering through the windows like thieves.

They scour the city, they run on the wall. They climb up into the houses. Like a thief they enter the windows.

10 The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble, the sun and the moon grow dark, the stars stop shining.

Earth trembles before them, the sky quakes, the sun and moon become dark, and the stars withdraw their shining;

11 The Lord shouts his commands at the head of his army. His camp his immense, and those who carry out his orders are powerful. The day of the Lord is totally terrifying—who can stand it?

and the Lord utters his voice before his army, for his host is exceedingly great. Mighty is he who performs his word. For great is the day of the Lord, it is terrible, who can endure it?

12 “Yet even now,” says the Lord, “Come back to me while there is still time. Come to me with all your heart, with fasting and prayer.

But now this is the message of the Lord: Turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting and weeping and mourning,

13 Repent in your minds, and not by tearing your clothes.” Come back to the Lord your God for he is gracious and kind. He is slow to get angry and full of faithful love, and changes his mind about sending punishment.

rend your hearts and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God; for he indeed is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and plenteous in love, and relents of the evil.

14 Who knows? Maybe he will change his mind, leaving behind a blessing so that you will be able to make grain and wine offerings to the Lord your God.

Who knows but he will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a cereal and drink-offering for the Lord your God.

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a fast; call a solemn assembly.

Blow a horn in Zion, sanctify a fast, summon an assembly,

16 Gather the people together: the elders, the children, even the babies. Let the bridegroom leave his room; let the bride leave her room.

gather the people, make holy the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and the infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom come forth from his chamber, and the bride from her bridal tent.

17 Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar of the Temple. Let them say, “Lord, please take pity on your people, and do not let your inheritance be disgraced, ruled over by foreign nations, so that the people of these nations could ask, ‘Where is their God?’”

Between the porch and the altar, let the priests, the ministers of the Lord weep aloud, let them say: Spare, the Lord, your people. Make not your heritage an object of reproach, for the heathen to mock them. Why should it be said among the nations, ‘Where is their God?’

18 Now the Lord is very protective of his land and takes pity on his people.

Then the Lord became deeply concerned for his land, and took pity upon his people,

19 The Lord will reply, saying to his people, “Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, and you will be satisfied. You will no longer be a disgrace among the foreign nations.

and the Lord answered and said to his people: I will send you grain, wine, and oil. You will be satisfied. I will not make you again an object of scorn among the nations,

20 I will remove from you the army from the north; I will drive them into the desolate wilderness—the front into the eastern sea, and the rear into the western sea. The stench of the dead army will rise up—a real stink—for it has done terrible things.”

I will remove far from you the northern foe, and I will drive it into a land barren and desolate, its front into the eastern sea, and its rear to the western sea. And from it a stench will arise. He has done great things!

21 Don't be afraid, people of the land! Be happy and celebrate, for the Lord has done incredible things!

Fear not, land, exult. Rejoice for the Lord has done great things!

22 Don't be afraid, wild animals! For the pastures of the wilderness are turning green. The trees are fruiting again—the fig trees and the grapevines are producing a good crop.

Fear not, animals of the field. For the pastures of the wilderness are putting forth new grass, for the trees bear their fruit, fig tree and vine yield full harvest.

23 People of Jerusalem! Celebrate and be happy in the Lord your God because he has given you rain to show his goodness. As before he sends the autumn and the spring rains.

Be glad, then, children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the early rain in just measure, and poured down upon you the winter rain, and sent the latter rain as before.

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

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

25 “I will give back to you what you lost over the years to the swarming, hopping, destroying, and cutting locusts, this great army that I sent against you.

I will repay you for the years which the swarming locust has eaten. The hopping, the destroying, and the cutting locusts, my great army which I sent among you, and my people will never again be put to shame.

26 You will have plenty to eat, and you will be satisfied, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God who has done miracles for you. My people will never again be ashamed.

You will eat your food and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt so wonderfully by you,

27 You will know that I am in the midst of my people Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other. My people will never again be ashamed.

and you will know that I am in the midst of Israel, that I am the Lord your God and none else, and my people will never again be put to shame.

28 After this I will pour out my spirit on everyone. Your sons and daughters will be my prophets, your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.

Afterwards, I will pour out my spirit on everyone. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions,

29 In those days I will also pour out my spirit on male slaves and female slaves.

and even on your male and female slaves in those days, I will pour out my spirit.

30 I will place wonders in the heavens and on earth: blood, and fire, and columns of smoke.

And I will show signs in the sky and on earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun will turn dark, and the moon will turn red like blood at the coming of the great and fearful day of the Lord.”

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

32 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, rescued from Mount Zion and Jerusalem, as the Lord has said—these are among the survivors the Lord has called.

But whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, even as the Lord has said, and among the fugitives those whom the Lord calls.