Isaiah 24

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

See, the Lord is making the earth waste and unpeopled, he is turning it upside down, and sending the people in all directions.

2 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.

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.

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

The earth will be completely waste and without men; for this is the word of the Lord.

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

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.

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

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.

6 Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are found guilty. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

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.

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

The new wine is thin, the vine is feeble, and all the glad-hearted make sounds of grief.

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

The pleasing sound of all instruments of music has come to an end, and the voices of those who are glad.

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

There is no more drinking of wine with a song; strong drink will be bitter to those who take it.

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

The town is waste and broken down: every house is shut up, so that no man may come in.

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

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.

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

In the town all is waste, and in the public place is destruction.

13 For it will be so in the midst of the earth among the peoples, as the shaking of an olive tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is done.

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.

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

But those will be making sounds of joy; they will be crying loudly from the sea for the glory of the Lord.

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

Give praise to the Lord in the east, to the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the sea-lands.

16 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.

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.

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

Fear, and death, and the net, are come on you, O people of the earth.

18 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 midst of the pit will be taken in the snare; for the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.

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.

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

The earth is completely broken, it is parted in two, it is violently moved.

20 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.

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.

21 It shall 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.

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.

22 And they will be gathered, a gathering in a dungeon, and shall be shut up in the prison; and after many days shall they be visited.

And they will be got together, like prisoners in the prison-house; and after a long time they will have their punishment.

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

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.