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 Yhwh cometh, for it is nigh 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 darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years 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 devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.

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 appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.

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

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

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 their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.

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

7 They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:

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; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon 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 run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.

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 quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars 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 Yhwh shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of Yhwh 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, saith Yhwh, turn ye even to 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 rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto Yhwh your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

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 if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a grain offering and a drink offering unto Yhwh 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, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

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

16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

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 Yhwh, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Yhwh, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over 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 Yhwh be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

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

19 Yea, Yhwh will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you grain, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:

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

20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great 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 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for Yhwh will do great things.

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

22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

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 rejoice in Yhwh your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

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 floors shall be full of wheat, and the pressfats shall overflow with wine and oil.

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

25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army 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 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of Yhwh your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never 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 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am Yhwh your God, and none else: and my people shall never 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 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:

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 upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

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

30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens 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 sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of Yhwh 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 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Yhwh shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as Yhwh hath said, and in the remnant whom Yhwh 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.