< Joel 2 >
1 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 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 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 Their appearance is as the appearance of horses, and like horsemen they charge.
5 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 Peoples are in anguish before them, all faces grow pale.
7 Like mighty men they run, like warriors they mount up a wall, they march each by himself, they break not their ranks,
8 none jostles the other. They march each in his path. They fall upon the weapons without breaking.
9 They scour the city, they run on the wall. They climb up into the houses. Like a thief they enter the windows.
10 Earth trembles before them, the sky quakes, the sun and moon become dark, and the stars withdraw their shining;
11 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 But now this is the message of the Lord: Turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting and weeping and mourning,
13 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 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 a horn in Zion, sanctify a fast, summon an assembly,
16 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 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 the Lord became deeply concerned for his land, and took pity upon his people,
19 and the Lord answered and said to his people: I will send you grain, wine, and oil. You will be satisfied. I will not make you again an object of scorn among the nations,
20 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, land, exult. Rejoice for the Lord has done great things!
22 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, 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 The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
25 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 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 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 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 even on your male and female slaves in those days, I will pour out my spirit.
30 And I will show signs in the sky and on earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
31 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 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.
