Joel 2
1 Blow ye a horn in Zion, sound an alarm in my holy mountain, let all the inhabitants of the land, tremble, —for coming is the day of Yahweh, for it is near!—
Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of Yahweh comes, for it is close at hand:
2 A day of obscurity and deep gloom, a day of cloud, and thick darkness, as dusk, spread over the mountains, —a people, many and bold, like whom, hath not been from age-past times, and, after whom, shall not be again unto the years of generation after generation.
A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn spreading on the mountains, a great and strong people; there has never been the like, neither will there be any more after them, even to the years of many generations.
3 Before him, hath a fire, devoured, and, after him, shall a flame, consume, —As the garden of Eden, is the land before him, but, after him, a desert most desolate, Moreover also, escape, giveth he none.
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.
4 As the appearance of horses, is his appearance, and, as war-horses, so, shall they run:
Their appearance is as the appearance of horses, and they run as horsemen.
5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains, shall they rattle along, like the noise of a flame of fire, devouring dry straw, —like a people bold, arrayed for battle.
Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains, they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people set in battle array.
6 Because of him, shall peoples’, be in anguish, —all faces, have withdrawn their colour.
At their presence the peoples are in anguish. All faces have grown pale.
7 Like heroes, shall they run, like men of war, shall they mount a wall, —and, every one—along his own road, shall they march along, and shall not change their paths;
They run like mighty men. They climb the wall like warriors. They each march in his line, and they don’t swerve off course.
8 Nor, against each other, shall they strike, Each—on his own highway, shall they march, —though, in among the weapons, they fall, they shall not stop.
One doesn’t jostle another. They each march in their own path. They burst through the defenses and don’t break ranks.
9 Upon the city, shall they leap, on the wall, shall they run, up the houses, shall they climb, —through the windows, shall they enter, like a thief,
They rush on the city. They run on the wall. They climb up into the houses. They enter in at the windows like thieves.
10 Before him, hath quaked the earth, have trembled the heavens, —the sun and the moon, have become dark, and, the stars, have withdrawn their shining;
The earth quakes before them. The heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.
11 And, Yahweh, hath uttered his voice, before his host, for great indeed is his camp, for bold is he who executeth his word, —for great is the day of Yahweh, and awful exceedingly, Who then shall endure it?
Yahweh thunders his voice before his army, for his forces are very great; for he is strong who obeys his command; for the day of Yahweh is great and very awesome, and who can endure it?
12 Even now, therefore, urgeth Yahweh, Turn ye unto me, with all your heart, —and with fasting and with weeping, and with lamentation;
“Yet even now,” says Yahweh, “turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”
13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, turn therefore, unto Yahweh your God, —for, gracious and full of compassion, is he, slow to anger, and abundant in loving- kindness, and will grieve over calamity.
Tear your heart and not your garments, and turn to Yahweh, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.
14 Who knoweth, he may turn and grieve, —and leave behind him, a blessing, a meal-offering and a drink-offering, to Yahweh your God?
Who knows? He may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal offering and a drink offering to Yahweh, your God.
15 Blow ye a horn, in Zion, —hallow a fast, call a solemn assembly:
Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly.
16 Gather the people, hallow a convocation, collect the elders, gather the children, and the sucklings of the breasts, —let the bridegroom, come forth, from his chamber, and the bride from her bower:
Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts. Let the bridegroom go out of his room, and the bride out of her chamber.
17 Between the porch and the altar, let the priests, weep, the attendants of Yahweh, —and let them say—Look with pity, O Yahweh, upon thy people, and do not deliver thine inheritance to reproach, that the nations, should mock them, Why should they say among the peoples, Where is their God?
Let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, “Spare your people, Yahweh, and don’t give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”
18 And Yahweh became jealous for his land, —and took pity on his people;
Then Yahweh was jealous for his land, and had pity on his people.
19 Then answered Yahweh, and said to his people: —Behold me! sending you the corn, and the new wine and the oil, so shall ye be satisfied therewith; and I will not make you, any more, a reproach among the nations.
Yahweh answered his people, “Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied with them; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.
20 And, the Northerner, will I remove far from you, and drive him into a land parched and desolate, with, his face, toward the eastern sea, and, his rear, toward the hinder sea, —then shall come up his ill odour, yea his stench, shall ascend, because he hath shown himself great in doing.
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.
21 Be not thou afraid, O soil, —exult and rejoice, because Yahweh, hath shown himself great, in doing.
Land, don’t be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for Yahweh has done great things.
22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field, for sprouted have the pastures of the wilderness, —for, the tree, hath borne its fruit, the fig-tree and the vine, have yielded their wealth.
Don’t 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.
23 Ye sons of Zion, then, exult and be glad in Yahweh your God, for he hath given you the seed-rain, in right manner, —Yea he hath caused to descend for you a down-pour, of seed-rain and of the harvest-rain in the first month;
“Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in Yahweh, your God; for he gives you the early rain in just measure, and he causes the rain to come down for you, the early rain and the latter rain, as before.
24 So shall the threshing-floors, be filled, with corn, —and the vats, 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 Then will I make good to you the years which were eaten by the swarming locust, the grass locust, and the corn locust and the creeping locust, —even my great army, which I sent among you.
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.
26 And ye shall eat and eat, and be satisfied, and shall praise the name of Yahweh your God, who hath dealt with you wondrously, —so shall my people, not be abashed, unto times age-abiding.
You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied, and will praise the name of Yahweh, your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and my people will never again be disappointed.
27 So shall ye know that, in the midst of Israel, I am, and that, I, Yahweh, am your God, and none else, —and my people, shall not be abashed, unto times age-abiding.
You will know that I am among Israel, and that I am Yahweh, your God, and there is no one else; and my people will never again be disappointed.
28 And it shall come to pass, afterwards, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters, shall prophesy, —your old men, shall dream, dreams, your young men, shall see, visions;
“It will happen 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 Moreover also, upon the servants and upon the handmaids—in those days, will I pour out my spirit;
And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit.
30 And I will set forth wonders in the heavens, and in the earth, —blood, and fire, and columns of smoke:
I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun, shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, —before the coming of the great and awful day of Yahweh.
The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes.
32 And it shall come to pass, whosoever, shall call on the name of Yahweh, shall be delivered, —For in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, shall be a delivered remnant, just as Yahweh hath said, and among the survivors, whom Yahweh doth call.
It will happen that whoever will call on Yahweh’s name shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as Yahweh has said, and among the remnant, those whom Yahweh calls.
