Joel 2

1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm on my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of YHWH is coming, for it is near.

Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble in fear, for the day of Yahweh is coming; indeed, it is near.

2 A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. As blackness spreading on the mountains a great and powerful people; there has never been the like, neither will there be any more after them, even after the years of many generations.

It is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness. Like the dawn that spreads on the mountains, a large and mighty army is approaching. There has never been an army like it, and there never will be again, even after many generations.

3 A fire devours before them, and behind them, a flame burns. The land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them, a desolate wilderness. Yes, and no one has escaped them.

A fire is consuming everything in front of it, and behind it a flame is burning. The land is like the garden of Eden in front of it, but behind it there is a ruined wilderness. Indeed, nothing will escape from it.

4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses, and as horsemen, so do they run.

The army's appearance is like horses, and they run like horsemen.

5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains do they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, as a mighty people drawn up for battle.

They jump with a noise like that of chariots on the tops of the mountains, like the noise of fiery flames that devour the stubble, like a mighty army ready for battle.

6 At their presence the peoples are in anguish. All faces have grown pale.

At their presence people are in anguish and all their faces become pale.

7 They run like mighty men. They climb the wall like warriors. They each march in his line, and they do not swerve off course.

They run like mighty warriors; they climb the walls like soldiers; they march, every one in step, and do not break their ranks.

8 Neither does one jostle another; they march everyone in his path, and they burst through the defenses, and do not break ranks.

Neither does one thrust another aside; they march, each in his path; they break through the defenses and do not fall out of line.

9 They rush on the city. They run on the wall. They climb up into the houses. They enter in at the windows like thieves.

They rush on the city, they run on the wall, they climb in the houses, and they go through the windows like thieves.

10 The earth quakes before them. The heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.

The earth shakes in front of them, the heavens tremble, the sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars stop shining.

11 YHWH thunders his voice before his army; for his forces are very great; for he is strong who obeys his command; for the day of YHWH is great and very awesome, and who can endure it?

Yahweh raises his voice in front of his army, for his warriors are very numerous; for they are strong, those who carry out his commands. For the day of Yahweh is great and very terrible. Who can survive it?

12 "Yet even now," says YHWH, "turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning."

“Yet even now,” says Yahweh, “Return to me with all your heart. Fast, weep, and mourn.”

13 Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to YHWH, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.

Tear your heart and not only your garments, and return to Yahweh your God. For he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in covenant faithfulness, and he would like to turn from inflicting punishment.

14 Who knows? He may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal offering and a drink offering to YHWH, your God.

Who knows? Will he perhaps turn and have compassion, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for Yahweh your God?

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion. Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly.

Blow the trumpet in Zion, call for a holy fast, and call a holy assembly.

16 Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who suck the breasts. Let the bridegroom go forth from his room, and the bride out of her chamber.

Gather the people, call for the holy assembly. Assemble the elders, gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegrooms come out of their rooms, and the brides out of their bridal chambers.

17 Let the priests, the ministers of YHWH, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, "Spare your people, YHWH, and do not give your heritage to mockery, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"

Let the priests, the servants of Yahweh, weep between the porch and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, Yahweh, and do not make your inheritance into an object of scorn, that the nations mock them. Why should they say among the nations, 'Where is their God?'”

18 Then YHWH was jealous for his land, And had pity on his people.

Then Yahweh was zealous for his land and had pity on his people.

19 YHWH answered his people, "Look, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will eat and you will be satisfied with them; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.

Yahweh answered his people, “Look, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil. You will be satisfied with them, and I will no longer make you a disgrace among the nations.

20 But I will remove the northern army far away from you, and will drive it into a barren and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its back into the western sea; and its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise." Surely he has done great things.

I will remove the northern attackers far from you, and will drive them into a dry and abandoned land. The front of their army will go into the eastern sea, and the rear into the western sea. Its stench will rise, and its bad smell will rise.” Indeed, he has done great things.

21 Land, do not be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for YHWH has done great things.

Do not fear, land, be glad and rejoice, for Yahweh will do great things.

22 Do not be afraid, you animals of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness spring up, for the tree bears its fruit. The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.

Do not fear, beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness will sprout, the trees will bear their fruit, and the fig trees and the vines will yield their full harvest.

23 "Be glad then, you people of Zion, and rejoice in YHWH, your God; for he gives you the former rain in just measure, and he causes the rain to come down for you, the former rain and the latter rain, as before.

Be glad, people of Zion, and rejoice in Yahweh your God. For he will give you the autumn rain in due course and bring down showers for you, the autumn rain and the spring rain as before.

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

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

25 I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the great locust, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar, my great army, which I sent among you.

“I will restore to you the years of crops that the swarming locust has eaten —the great locust, the devouring locust, and the destroying locust— my mighty army that I sent among you.

26 You will have plenty to eat, and be satisfied, and will praise the name of YHWH, your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and my people will never be put to shame.

You will eat plentifully and be full, and praise the name of Yahweh your God, who has done wonders among you, and I will never again bring shame on my people.

27 You will know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am YHWH, your God, and there is no one else; and my people will never be put to shame.

You will know that I am among Israel, and that I am Yahweh your God, and there is none else, and I will never bring shame on my people.

28 "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.

It will come about afterward that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

29 And also on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

Also on servants and female servants, in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

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

I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood, fire, and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and awesome day of YHWH comes.

The sun will turn into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes.

32 And it will happen that whoever will call on the name of YHWH shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as YHWH has said, and among the remnant, those whom YHWH calls.

It will be that everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as Yahweh has said, and among the survivors, those whom Yahweh calls.