Isaiah 24

1 Behold, the Lord maketh empty the land, and layeth it waste, marreth its surface, and scattereth abroad its inhabitants.

Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty, makes it waste, turns it upside down, and scatters its inhabitants.

2 And it shall be with the people as with the priest; with the servant as with his master; with the bondwoman as with her mistress; with the buyer as with the seller; with the lender as with the borrower; with the debtor as with his creditor.

It will be as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest.

3 Empty, emptied out shall be the land, and spoiled, utterly spoiled; for the Lord hath spoken this word.

The earth will be utterly emptied and utterly laid waste; for the LORD has spoken this word.

4 The land mourneth, withereth away, the world languishes, withereth away, the high ones of the people of the land do languish.

The earth mourns and fades away. The world languishes and fades away. The lofty people of the earth languish.

5 For the land was defiled under its inhabitants; because they had transgressed the laws, neglected the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.

The earth also is polluted under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant.

6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the land, and they that dwell therein suffer for their guilt; therefore are the inhabitants of the land dried up, and but few men are left.

Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell therein are found guilty. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burnt, and few men are left.

7 The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merry-hearted sigh.

The new wine mourns. The vine languishes. All the merry-hearted sigh.

8 At rest is the mirth of the tambourines; ceased hath the tumult of the joyful; at rest is the mirth of the harp.

The mirth of tambourines ceases. The sound of those who rejoice ends. The joy of the harp ceases.

9 Amidst singing shall they no [more] drink wine; bitter shall be the strong drink to those that drink it.

They will not drink wine with a song. Strong drink will be bitter to those who drink it.

10 Broken down is the city of desolation; shut up is every house that none can enter.

The confused city is broken down. Every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

11 A [painful] cry for wine is in the streets; darkened is all joy; banished is the mirth of the land.

There is a crying in the streets because of the wine. All joy is darkened. The mirth of the land is gone.

12 Destruction is left in the city, in ruins is beaten the gate.

The city is left in desolation, and the gate is struck with destruction.

13 For thus shall it be in the midst of the land among the nations, as [at] the shaking of an olive-tree, as [at] the gleaning of grains when the vintage is done.

For it will be so within the earth amongst the peoples, as the shaking of an olive tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is done.

14 These shall lift up their voice, they shall sing; because of the majesty of the Lord, they shout aloud from the sea.

These shall lift up their voice. They will shout for the majesty of the LORD. They cry aloud from the sea.

15 Therefore in the valleys honor ye the Lord; in the isles of the sea, the name of the Lord the God of Israel.

Therefore glorify the LORD in the east, even the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea!

16 From the edge of the earth have we heard songs, “Glory to the righteous.” But I said, “Evil is mine, evil is mine, woe is me! the treacherous have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously.”

From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs. Glory to the righteous! But I said, “I pine away! I pine away! woe is me!” The treacherous have dealt treacherously. Yes, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously.

17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare are upon thee, O inhabitant of the land.

Fear, the pit, and the snare are on you who inhabit the earth.

18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the call of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be caught in the snare; for the windows from on high are opened, and there quaked the foundations of the earth.

It will happen that he who flees from the noise of the fear will fall into the pit; and he who comes up out of the middle of the pit will be taken in the snare; for the windows on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.

19 Crushed entirely is the earth, split in pieces is the earth, shaken to its centre is the earth.

The earth is utterly broken. The earth is torn apart. The earth is shaken violently.

20 The earth reeleth to and fro like a drunkard, and vibrateth like a watch-hut; and heavily lieth upon it its transgression; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

The earth will stagger like a drunken man, and will sway back and forth like a hammock. Its disobedience will be heavy on it, and it will fall and not rise again.

21 And it shall come to pass on that day, that the Lord will visit punishment on the host of heaven in heaven, and on the kings of the earth upon the earth.

It will happen in that day that the LORD will punish the army of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth on the earth.

22 And they shall be gathered in heaps, as prisoners, in the prison, and shall be shut up in the dungeon, and thus after many days shall they be punished.

They will be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and will be shut up in the prison; and after many days they will be visited.

23 And the moon shall be put to the blush, and the sun be made ashamed; for the Lord of hosts will reign on mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients in glory.

Then the moon will be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for the LORD of Armies will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem; and glory will be before his elders.