< Joel 2 >

1 Blow trumpets on Zion [Hill], God’s sacred hill [in Jerusalem]! Tell the people of Judah that they should tremble, because it will soon be the time for Yahweh [to punish us further].
תִּקְע֨וּ שֹׁופָ֜ר בְּצִיֹּ֗ון וְהָרִ֙יעוּ֙ בְּהַ֣ר קָדְשִׁ֔י יִרְגְּז֕וּ כֹּ֖ל יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־בָ֥א יֹום־יְהוָ֖ה כִּ֥י קָרֹֽוב׃
2 [That will be a very] dark and gloomy day; there will be [black] clouds and it will be very dark. A huge [swarm of locusts] has covered the mountains like [SIM] a black [cloud]. Nothing like this has ever happened before, and nothing like this will ever [happen] again.
יֹ֧ום חֹ֣שֶׁךְ וַאֲפֵלָ֗ה יֹ֤ום עָנָן֙ וַעֲרָפֶ֔ל כְּשַׁ֖חַר פָּרֻ֣שׂ עַל־הֶֽהָרִ֑ים עַ֚ם רַ֣ב וְעָצ֔וּם כָּמֹ֗הוּ לֹ֤א נִֽהְיָה֙ מִן־הָ֣עֹולָ֔ם וְאַֽחֲרָיו֙ לֹ֣א יֹוסֵ֔ף עַד־שְׁנֵ֖י דֹּ֥ור וָדֹֽור׃
3 [It is as though the locusts bring] flames of fire from which no one can escape. In front of them, the land was [beautiful] like [SIM] the garden of Eden, but behind them [the land is like] a desert and nothing survives.
לְפָנָיו֙ אָ֣כְלָה אֵ֔שׁ וְאַחֲרָ֖יו תְּלַהֵ֣ט לֶֽהָבָ֑ה כְּגַן־עֵ֨דֶן הָאָ֜רֶץ לְפָנָ֗יו וְאַֽחֲרָיו֙ מִדְבַּ֣ר שְׁמָמָ֔ה וְגַם־פְּלֵיטָ֖ה לֹא־הָ֥יְתָה לֹּֽו׃
4 [The locusts] resemble horses, and they run like [SIM] war horses.
כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה סוּסִ֖ים מַרְאֵ֑הוּ וּכְפָרָשִׁ֖ים כֵּ֥ן יְרוּצֽוּן׃
5 Leaping over the mountaintops, they make a noise like rumbling chariots, like [SIM] a mighty army that is preparing for a battle, or like [SIM] the roar of a fire that burns up stubble [in a field].
כְּקֹ֣ול מַרְכָּבֹ֗ות עַל־רָאשֵׁ֤י הֶֽהָרִים֙ יְרַקֵּד֔וּן כְּקֹול֙ לַ֣הַב אֵ֔שׁ אֹכְלָ֖ה קָ֑שׁ כְּעַ֣ם עָצ֔וּם עֱר֖וּךְ מִלְחָמָֽה׃
6 When people see them coming, they become very pale and frightened.
מִפָּנָ֖יו יָחִ֣ילוּ עַמִּ֑ים כָּל־פָּנִ֖ים קִבְּצ֥וּ פָארֽוּר׃
7 [The locusts] climb over walls like soldiers do; they march along in columns and never turn aside [from their columns].
כְּגִבֹּורִ֣ים יְרֻצ֔וּן כְּאַנְשֵׁ֥י מִלְחָמָ֖ה יַעֲל֣וּ חֹומָ֑ה וְאִ֤ישׁ בִּדְרָכָיו֙ יֵֽלֵכ֔וּן וְלֹ֥א יְעַבְּט֖וּן אֹרְחֹותָֽם׃
8 They rush straight ahead without pushing each other. [Even though people throw] spears and javelins at them, that will not cause them to stop.
וְאִ֤ישׁ אָחִיו֙ לֹ֣א יִדְחָק֔וּן גֶּ֥בֶר בִּמְסִלָּתֹ֖ו יֵֽלֵכ֑וּן וּבְעַ֥ד הַשֶּׁ֛לַח יִפֹּ֖לוּ לֹ֥א יִבְצָֽעוּ׃
9 They swarm over the city walls and enter our houses; they enter through our windows like [SIM] thieves do.
בָּעִ֣יר יָשֹׁ֗קּוּ בַּֽחֹומָה֙ יְרֻצ֔וּן בַּבָּתִּ֖ים יַעֲל֑וּ בְּעַ֧ד הַחַלֹּונִ֛ים יָבֹ֖אוּ כַּגַּנָּֽב׃
10 [It is as though] they cause the earth to shake and the sky to tremble. The sun and the moon become dark and the stars do not shine [because there are so many locusts in the sky].
לְפָנָיו֙ רָ֣גְזָה אֶ֔רֶץ רָעֲשׁ֖וּ שָׁמָ֑יִם שֶׁ֤מֶשׁ וְיָרֵ֙חַ֙ קָדָ֔רוּ וְכֹוכָבִ֖ים אָסְפ֥וּ נָגְהָֽם׃
11 Yahweh leads this army [of countless locusts], and they obey his commands. This time when he is judging and punishing us is very terrible, [with the result that it seems that] no one [RHQ] can survive it.
וַֽיהוָ֗ה נָתַ֤ן קֹולֹו֙ לִפְנֵ֣י חֵילֹ֔ו כִּ֣י רַ֤ב מְאֹד֙ מַחֲנֵ֔הוּ כִּ֥י עָצ֖וּם עֹשֵׂ֣ה דְבָרֹ֑ו כִּֽי־גָדֹ֧ול יֹום־יְהוָ֛ה וְנֹורָ֥א מְאֹ֖ד וּמִ֥י יְכִילֶֽנּוּ׃
12 But Yahweh says, “In spite of [these disasters that you have experienced], you can return to me with all your inner beings. Weep, and mourn, and (fast/abstain from eating food) [to show that you are sorry for having abandoned me].
וְגַם־עַתָּה֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה שֻׁ֥בוּ עָדַ֖י בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶ֑ם וּבְצֹ֥ום וּבְבְכִ֖י וּבְמִסְפֵּֽד׃
13 Do not tear your clothes [to show that you are sorry]; instead, show [MET] that you are sorry.” Yahweh is merciful and kind; he does not quickly become angry; he faithfully loves [people]. He does not quickly become angry; instead, he greatly and faithfully loves [you], and he does not like to punish you.
וְקִרְע֤וּ לְבַבְכֶם֙ וְאַל־בִּגְדֵיכֶ֔ם וְשׁ֖וּבוּ אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־חַנּ֤וּן וְרַחוּם֙ ה֔וּא אֶ֤רֶךְ אַפַּ֙יִם֙ וְרַב־חֶ֔סֶד וְנִחָ֖ם עַל־הָרָעָֽה׃
14 No one knows [RHQ] if he will change his mind [about punishing you] and if instead he will act mercifully [toward you]. If he does that, he will bless you [by giving you plenty of grain and wine] in order that you can offer [some of] those things as sacrifices to him.
מִ֥י יֹודֵ֖עַ יָשׁ֣וּב וְנִחָ֑ם וְהִשְׁאִ֤יר אַֽחֲרָיו֙ בְּרָכָ֔ה מִנְחָ֣ה וָנֶ֔סֶךְ לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ פ
15 Blow the trumpets on Zion [Hill]! Gather the people together! Show by fasting that you are sorry [for the sins that you have committed].
תִּקְע֥וּ שֹׁופָ֖ר בְּצִיֹּ֑ון קַדְּשׁוּ־צֹ֖ום קִרְא֥וּ עֲצָרָֽה׃
16 Perform the rituals to cause yourselves to be acceptable to Yahweh. Gather everyone together— the old people and the children, even the babies, and summon brides and bridegrooms from their rooms.
אִסְפוּ־עָ֞ם קַדְּשׁ֤וּ קָהָל֙ קִבְצ֣וּ זְקֵנִ֔ים אִסְפוּ֙ עֹֽולָלִ֔ים וְיֹנְקֵ֖י שָׁדָ֑יִם יֵצֵ֤א חָתָן֙ מֵֽחֶדְרֹ֔ו וְכַלָּ֖ה מֵחֻפָּתָֽהּ׃
17 Tell the priests who serve Yahweh to cry between the altar and the entrance to the temple and to pray [this]: “Yahweh, rescue/save [us] your people; do not allow people from other nations to despise us; do not allow them to ridicule us and say, ‘Why has [RHQ] their God [abandoned them]?’”
בֵּ֤ין הָאוּלָם֙ וְלַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ יִבְכּוּ֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים מְשָׁרְתֵ֖י יְהוָ֑ה וְֽיֹאמְר֞וּ ח֧וּסָה יְהוָ֣ה עַל־עַמֶּ֗ךָ וְאַל־תִּתֵּ֨ן נַחֲלָתְךָ֤ לְחֶרְפָּה֙ לִמְשָׁל־בָּ֣ם גֹּויִ֔ם לָ֚מָּה יֹאמְר֣וּ בָֽעַמִּ֔ים אַיֵּ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃
18 But Yahweh [showed that he] was concerned about his people and that he would act mercifully toward them.
וַיְקַנֵּ֥א יְהוָ֖ה לְאַרְצֹ֑ו וַיַּחְמֹ֖ל עַל־עַמֹּֽו׃
19 When the people prayed, Yahweh answered and said, “I will give you [plenty of] grain and wine and [olive] oil, and you will be satisfied. And I will no longer allow other nations to insult you.
וַיַּ֨עַן יְהוָ֜ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְעַמֹּ֗ו הִנְנִ֨י שֹׁלֵ֤חַ לָכֶם֙ אֶת־הַדָּגָן֙ וְהַתִּירֹ֣ושׁ וְהַיִּצְהָ֔ר וּשְׂבַעְתֶּ֖ם אֹתֹ֑ו וְלֹא־אֶתֵּ֨ן אֶתְכֶ֥ם עֹ֛וד חֶרְפָּ֖ה בַּגֹּויִֽם׃
20 Another army [of locusts will come] from the north [to attack you], but I will force them to continue [past Jerusalem] into the desert. Some will go into the Dead Sea in the east and some will go into the [Mediterranean] Sea in the west. [There] they will [all die, and their bodies] will stink.” Yahweh does great things!
וְֽאֶת־הַצְּפֹונִ֞י אַרְחִ֣יק מֵעֲלֵיכֶ֗ם וְהִדַּחְתִּיו֮ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ צִיָּ֣ה וּשְׁמָמָה֒ אֶת־פָּנָ֗יו אֶל־הַיָּם֙ הַקַּדְמֹנִ֔י וְסֹפֹ֖ו אֶל־הַיָּ֣ם הָאַֽחֲרֹ֑ון וְעָלָ֣ה בָאְשֹׁ֗ו וְתַ֙עַל֙ צַחֲנָתֹ֔ו כִּ֥י הִגְדִּ֖יל לַעֲשֹֽׂות׃
21 He does wonderful things! So even the ground should rejoice!
אַל־תִּֽירְאִ֖י אֲדָמָ֑ה גִּ֣ילִי וּשְׂמָ֔חִי כִּֽי־הִגְדִּ֥יל יְהוָ֖ה לַעֲשֹֽׂות׃
22 And the wild animals should not be afraid, because the meadows will soon become green again; the fig trees and [other] trees will be full of fruit, and the grapevines will be covered with grapes.
אַל־תִּֽירְאוּ֙ בַּהֲמֹ֣ות שָׂדַ֔י כִּ֥י דָשְׁא֖וּ נְאֹ֣ות מִדְבָּ֑ר כִּֽי־עֵץ֙ נָשָׂ֣א פִרְיֹ֔ו תְּאֵנָ֥ה וָגֶ֖פֶן נָתְנ֥וּ חֵילָֽם׃
23 You people of Jerusalem, rejoice about what Yahweh, your God, [will be doing for you]. He will send abundant rain at the (right time/time when it is needed)— (in the spring/early in the year) and (in the autumn/late in the year) like he did previously.
וּבְנֵ֣י צִיֹּ֗ון גִּ֤ילוּ וְשִׂמְחוּ֙ בַּיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם כִּֽי־נָתַ֥ן לָכֶ֛ם אֶת־הַמֹּורֶ֖ה לִצְדָקָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣ורֶד לָכֶ֗ם גֶּ֛שֶׁם מֹורֶ֥ה וּמַלְקֹ֖ושׁ בָּרִאשֹֽׁון׃
24 The ground where you thresh the grain will be covered with grain, and your vats where you store grape juice and [olive] oil will be full.
וּמָלְא֥וּ הַגֳּרָנֹ֖ות בָּ֑ר וְהֵשִׁ֥יקוּ הַיְקָבִ֖ים תִּירֹ֥ושׁ וְיִצְהָֽר׃
25 [Yahweh said, ] “I will repay you for everything that was destroyed by those great swarms of locusts that I sent to attack you.
וְשִׁלַּמְתִּ֤י לָכֶם֙ אֶת־הַשָּׁנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר֙ אָכַ֣ל הָֽאַרְבֶּ֔ה הַיֶּ֖לֶק וְהֶחָסִ֣יל וְהַגָּזָ֑ם חֵילִי֙ הַגָּדֹ֔ול אֲשֶׁ֥ר שִׁלַּ֖חְתִּי בָּכֶֽם׃
26 You, my people, will eat until your stomachs are full. Then you will praise me [MTY], Yahweh, your God, for the wonderful things that I have done for you. And never again will you be disgraced.
וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֤ם אָכֹול֙ וְשָׂבֹ֔ועַ וְהִלַּלְתֶּ֗ם אֶת־שֵׁ֤ם יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה עִמָּכֶ֖ם לְהַפְלִ֑יא וְלֹא־יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ עַמִּ֖י לְעֹולָֽם׃
27 When that happens, you will know that I am [always] among you, and that I am Yahweh, your God, and that there is no other [God]. Never again will you be disgraced.”
וִידַעְתֶּ֗ם כִּ֣י בְקֶ֤רֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אָ֔נִי וַאֲנִ֛י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם וְאֵ֣ין עֹ֑וד וְלֹא־יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ עַמִּ֖י לְעֹולָֽם׃ ס
28 “Some time later, I will give my Spirit to many [HYP] people. Your sons and daughters will proclaim messages that come directly from me. Your old men will have dreams [that come from me], and your young men will have visions [that come from me].
וְהָיָ֣ה אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן אֶשְׁפֹּ֤וךְ אֶת־רוּחִי֙ עַל־כָּל־בָּשָׂ֔ר וְנִבְּא֖וּ בְּנֵיכֶ֣ם וּבְנֹֽותֵיכֶ֑ם זִקְנֵיכֶם֙ חֲלֹמֹ֣ות יַחֲלֹמ֔וּן בַּח֣וּרֵיכֶ֔ם חֶזְיֹנֹ֖ות יִרְאֽוּ׃
29 At that time, I will give my Spirit even to servants, both men and women.
וְגַ֥ם עַל־הָֽעֲבָדִ֖ים וְעַל־הַשְּׁפָחֹ֑ות בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔מָּה אֶשְׁפֹּ֖וךְ אֶת־רוּחִֽי׃
30 I will do unusual/amazing things on the earth and in the sky. [On the earth] [CHI], there will be much blood [shed] and [there will be very large] fires and smoke that resembles huge clouds.
וְנָֽתַתִּי֙ מֹֽופְתִ֔ים בַּשָּׁמַ֖יִם וּבָאָ֑רֶץ דָּ֣ם וָאֵ֔שׁ וְתִֽימֲרֹ֖ות עָשָֽׁן׃
31 [In the sky, ] the sun will become dark and the moon will become [as red as] [MET] blood. [Those things will happen] before that great and terrible day when [I], Yahweh, appear.
הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ יֵהָפֵ֣ךְ לְחֹ֔שֶׁךְ וְהַיָּרֵ֖חַ לְדָ֑ם לִפְנֵ֗י בֹּ֚וא יֹ֣ום יְהוָ֔ה הַגָּדֹ֖ול וְהַנֹּורָֽא׃
32 But at that time [I] will save everyone who worships me. I promise that some people in Jerusalem [DOU] will escape [those disasters]; those whom I have chosen will survive.”
וְהָיָ֗ה כֹּ֧ל אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרָ֛א בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה יִמָּלֵ֑ט כִּ֠י בְּהַר־צִיֹּ֨ון וּבִירוּשָׁלַ֜͏ִם תִּֽהְיֶ֣ה פְלֵיטָ֗ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה וּבַ֨שְּׂרִידִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה קֹרֵֽא׃

< Joel 2 >