Isaiah 24
1 Look, Yahweh is about to empty the earth, to devastate it, mar its surface, and scatter its inhabitants.
Watch out! The Lord is going to destroy the earth, to make it totally devastated. He's going to rip up the surface of the earth and scatter its inhabitants.
2 It will come about that, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with the receiver of interest, so with the giver of interest.
It will happen the same for everybody—whether people or priests, servants or their masters, maids or their mistresses, buyers or sellers, lenders or borrowers, creditors or debtors.
3 The earth will be completely devastated and completely stripped; for Yahweh has spoken this word.
The earth will be completely laid waste and looted. This is what the Lord has said.
4 The earth dries up and withers, the world shrivels up and fades away, the prominent people of the earth waste away.
The earth dries up and withers away; the world shrivels up and withers away, the high and mighty people shrivel up along with the earth.
5 The earth is polluted by its inhabitants because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant.
The earth is polluted by its people; they have flouted God's laws, violated his regulations, and broken the eternal agreement with him.
6 Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants are found guilty. The inhabitants of the earth burn up, and few people are left.
That is why a curse is destroying the earth. The people suffer because of their guilt. The inhabitants of the earth are burned up and only a few survive.
7 The new wine dries up, the vine withers, all the merry-hearted groan.
The new wine dries up, and the vine withers. All the people celebrating groan.
8 The happy sound of the tambourines stops, and the revelry of those who rejoice; the joy of the lyre ceases.
The happy sound of tambourines is over; the noise of the party-goers has stopped; the delightful harp music has finished,
9 They no longer drink wine and sing, and the beer is bitter to those who drink it.
People don't sing any more as they drink wine, and the beer tastes bitter.
10 The city of chaos has been broken down; every house is closed up and empty.
The chaotic city is falling apart; every house is barred shut to keep others out.
11 There is a crying in the streets because of the wine; all joy is darkened, the gladness of the land has disappeared.
Crowds on the street are shouting, demanding to have wine. Joy turns into darkness. There's no happiness left on earth.
12 In the city is left a desolation, and the gate is broken into a ruin.
The city is in a horrible state of ruin; its gates have been broken down.
13 For this is how it will be on the whole earth among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten, as the gleanings when the grape harvest is done.
This is the way it's going to be all throughout the earth among the nations—only a few olives are left after the tree is shaken, only a few grapes are left to be gleaned after the harvest.
14 They will lift up their voices and shout the majesty of Yahweh, and will joyfully shout from the sea.
These survivors shout aloud and sing for joy. From the west they praise the Lord's majesty.
15 Therefore in the east glorify Yahweh, and in the isles of the sea give glory to the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
From the east they glorify the Lord; from the sea shores they praise the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
16 From the farthest part of the earth we have heard songs, “Glory to the righteous one!” But I said, “I have wasted away, I have wasted away, woe is me! The treacherous have dealt treacherously; yes, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously.”
We hear songs coming from the ends of the earth, singing, “Glory to the God who does right.” But I'm miserable, miserable. Pity me! Deceitful people go on betraying, again and again.
17 Terror, the pit, and the snare are upon you, inhabitants of the earth.
Terrors and pit-traps and snares are waiting for you, people of the earth.
18 He who flees from the sound of terror will fall into the pit, and he who comes up out of the middle of the pit will be caught in the snare. The windows of the heavens will be opened, and the foundations of the earth will shake.
Those who run away in terror will fall into a pit-trap, and those who escape from the pit-trap will be caught in a snare. Heaven's windows are opened; earth's foundations shake.
19 The earth will be completely broken, the earth ripped apart; the earth will be violently shaken.
The earth is completely broken up; the earth is ripped apart, the earth is violently shaken.
20 The earth will stagger like a drunken man and it will sway back and forth like a hut. Its sin will be heavy on it and it will fall and never rise again.
The earth staggers to and fro like a drunk, and sways this way and that like a shelter. The guilt of its rebelliousness weighs heavily on it, and it collapses—it won't rise again.
21 On that day Yahweh will punish the host of the heaven in the heavens, and the kings of the earth on the earth.
At that time the Lord will punish all the high heavenly beings and the kings of the earth.
22 They will be gathered together, prisoners in a pit, and will be shut up in a prison; and after many days they will be punished.
They will be brought together, prisoners in a pit. They will be imprisoned, and eventually they will be punished.
23 Then the moon will be ashamed, and the sun disgraced, for Yahweh of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his elders in glory.
The moon will be embarrassed and the sun will be ashamed, for the Lord Almighty will reign in glory on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem in the presence of its leaders.
