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 ye a trumpet in Zion, And shout ye in My holy hill, Tremble do all inhabitants of the earth, For coming is the day of Jehovah, for [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.

A day of darkness and thick darkness, A day of cloud and thick darkness, As darkness spread on the mountains, A people numerous and mighty, Like it there hath not been from of old, And after it there is not again — till the years of generation and generation.

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.

Before it consumed hath fire, And after it burn doth a flame, As the garden of Eden [is] the land before it, And after it a wilderness — a desolation! And also an escape there hath not been to it,

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

As the appearance of horses [is] its appearance, And as horsemen, so they run.

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.

As the noise of chariots, on the tops of the mountains they skip, As the noise of a flame of fire devouring stubble, As a mighty people set in array for battle.

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

From its face pained are peoples, All faces have gathered paleness.

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.

As mighty ones they run, As men of war they go up a wall, And each in his own ways they do go, And they embarrass not their paths.

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

And each his brother they press not, Each in his way they go on, If by the missile they fall, they are not cut off.

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.

In the city they run to and fro, On the wall they run, Into houses they go up by the windows, They go in as a thief.

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

At their face trembled hath the earth, Shaken have the heavens, Sun and moon have been black, And stars have gathered up their 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?

And Jehovah hath given forth His voice before His force, For very great [is] His camp, For mighty [is] the doer of His word, For great [is] the day of Jehovah — very fearful, And who doth bear it?

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

And also now — an affirmation of Jehovah, Turn ye back unto Me with all your heart, And with fasting, and with weeping, And with lamentation.

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.

And rend your heart, and not your garments, And turn back unto Jehovah your God, For gracious and merciful [is] He, Slow to anger, and abundant in kindness, And He hath repented concerning the evil.

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 knoweth — He doth turn back, Yea — He hath repented, And He hath left behind Him a blessing, A present and libation of Jehovah your God?

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

Blow ye a trumpet in Zion, Sanctify a fast — proclaim a restraint.

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, sanctify an assembly, Assemble the aged, Gather infants and sucklings of the breasts, Go out let a bridegroom from his inner chamber, And a bride out of her closet.

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?'"

Between the porch and the altar weep let the priests, ministrants of Jehovah, And let them say: 'Have pity, O Jehovah, on Thy people, And give not Thy inheritance to reproach, To the ruling over them of nations, Why do they say among peoples, Where [is] their God?'

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

And let Jehovah be zealous for His land, And have 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.

Let Jehovah answer and say to His people, 'Lo, I am sending to you the corn, And the new wine, and the oil, And ye have been satisfied with it, And I make you no more a reproach among 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.

And the northern I put far off from you, And have driven him unto a land dry and desolate, With his face unto the eastern sea, And his rear unto the western sea, And come up hath his stink, And come up doth his stench, For he hath exerted himself to work.

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

Do not fear, O land! joy and rejoice, For Jehovah hath exerted Himself to work.

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, O cattle of the field! For sprung forth have pastures of a wilderness, For the tree hath borne its fruit, Fig-tree and vine have given their strength!

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.

And ye sons of Zion, joy and rejoice, In Jehovah your God, For He hath given to you the Teacher for righteousness, And causeth to come down to you a shower, Sprinkling and gathered — in the beginning.

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

And full have been the floors [with] pure corn, And overflown have the presses [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.

And I have recompensed to you the years That consume did the locust, the cankerworm, And the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, My great force that I did send against 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.

And ye have eaten, eating and being satisfied, And have praised the name of Jehovah your God, Who hath dealt with you wonderfully, And not ashamed are My people to the age.

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.

And ye have known that in the midst of Israel [am] I, And I [am] Jehovah your God, and there is none else, And not ashamed are My people to the age.

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.

And it hath come to pass afterwards, I do pour out My Spirit on all flesh, And prophesied have your sons and your daughters, Your old men do dream dreams, Your young men do see visions.

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

And also on the men-servants, and on the maid-servants, In those days I do pour out My Spirit.

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

And I have given wonders in the heavens, and in the earth, Blood and fire, and columns 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 is turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, Before the coming of the day of Jehovah, The great and the fearful.

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.

And it hath come to pass, Every one who calleth in the name of Jehovah is delivered, For in mount Zion and in Jerusalem there is an escape, As Jehovah hath said, And among the remnants whom Jehovah is calling!