Joel 2

1 Blowe the trumpet in Zion, and shoute in mine holy mountaine: let all the inhabitants of the lande tremble: for the day of the Lord is come: for it is at hand.

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 A day of darkenesse, and of blacknesse, a day of cloudes, and obscuritie, as the morning spred vpon the mountaines, so is there a great people, and a mighty: there was none like it from the beginning, neither shalbe any more after it, vnto the yeeres of many generations.

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 A fire deuoureth before him, and behinde him a flame burneth vp: the land is as the garden of Eden before him, and behinde him a desolate wildernesse, so that nothing shall escape him.

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 The beholding of him is like the sight of horses, and like the horsemen, so shall they runne.

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

5 Like the noyse of charrets in the toppes of the mountaines shall they leape, like the noyse of a flame of fire that deuoureth the stubble, and as a mightie people prepared to the battel.

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 Before his face shall the people tremble: all faces shall gather blackenesse.

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

7 They shall runne like strong men, and goe vp to the wall like men of warre, and euery man shall goe forward in his wayes, and they shall not stay in their paths.

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

8 Neither shall one thrust another, but euery one shall walke in his path: and when they fall vpon the sword, they shall not be wounded.

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

9 They shall runne to and from in the citie: they shall runne vpon the wall: they shall clime vp vpon the houses, and enter in at ye windowes like ye thiefe.

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 shall tremble before him, ye heauens shall shake, the sunne and the moone shalbe darke, and the starres shall withdraw their shining,

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

11 And the Lord shall vtter his voyce before his hoste: for his hoste is very great: for he is strog that doeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible, and who can abide 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 Therefore also now the Lord sayth, Turne you vnto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning,

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

13 And rent your heart, and not your clothes: and turne vnto the Lord your God, for he is gratious, and mercifull, slowe to anger, and of great kindnes, and repenteth him of the euill.

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 knoweth, is he wil returne and repent and leaue a blessing behinde him, euen a meate offring, and a drinke offring vnto ye 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 Blowe the trumpet in Zion, sanctifie a fast, call a solemne assembly.

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

16 Gather the people: sanctifie the congregation, gather the elders: assemble the children, and those that sucke the breastes: let the bridegrome go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her bride chamber.

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 Priestes, the ministers of the Lord weepe betweene the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and giue not thine heritage into reproche that the heathen should rule ouer them. Wherefore should they say among the people, 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 Then will the Lord be ielous ouer his land, and spare his people.

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

19 Yea, the Lord wil answere and say vnto his people, Beholde, I will send you corne, and wine, and oyle, and you shalbe satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproche among the heathen,

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 But I will remooue farre off from you the Northren armie, and I will driue him into a land, barren and desolate with his face toward the East sea, and his end to the vtmost sea, and his stinke shall come vp, and his corruption shall ascend, because he hath exalted himselfe to do this.

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 Feare not, O land, but be glad, and reioyce: for the Lord wil do great things.

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

22 Be not afrayde, ye beastes of the fielde: for the pastures of the wildernesse are greene: for the tree beareth her fruite: the figge tree and the vine do giue their force.

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 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and reioyce in the Lord your God: for he hath giuen you the rayne of righteousnes, he wil cause to come downe for you the rayne, euen the first raine, and the latter raine in the first moneth.

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 And the barnes shalbe full of wheate, and the presses shall abound with wine and oyle.

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

25 And I will render you the yeeres that the grashopper hath eaten, the canker worme and the caterpiller and the palmer worme, my great hoste which I sent among 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 So you shall eate and be satisfied and praise the Name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt marueilously with you: and my people shall neuer 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 Ye shall also know, that I am in the middes of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God and none other, and my people shall neuer 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 And afterward will I powre out my Spirit vpon all flesh: and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie: your olde men shall dreame dreames, and your yong men shall 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 And also vpon the seruants, and vpon the maydes in those dayes wil I powre my Spirit.

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

30 And I will shewe wonders in the heauens and in the earth: blood and fire, and pillars of smoke.

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

31 The sunne shalbe turned into darkenesse, and the moone into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.

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 But whosoeuer shall call on the Name of the Lord, shalbe saued: for in mount Zion, and in Ierusale shalbe deliuerance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant, whom the Lord shall call.

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.