Joel 2
1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble in fear, for the day of Yahweh is coming; indeed, it is near.
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!—
2 It is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness. Like the dawn that spreads on the mountains, a large and mighty army is approaching. There has never been an army like it, and there never will be again, even after many generations.
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.
3 A fire is consuming everything in front of it, and behind it a flame is burning. The land is like the garden of Eden in front of it, but behind it there is a ruined wilderness. Indeed, nothing will escape from it.
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.
4 The army's appearance is like horses, and they run like horsemen.
As the appearance of horses, is his appearance, and, as war-horses, so, shall they run:
5 They jump with a noise like that of chariots on the tops of the mountains, like the noise of fiery flames that devour the stubble, like a mighty army ready for battle.
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.
6 At their presence people are in anguish and all their faces become pale.
Because of him, shall peoples’, be in anguish, —all faces, have withdrawn their colour.
7 They run like mighty warriors; they climb the walls like soldiers; they march, every one in step, and do not break their ranks.
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;
8 Neither does one thrust another aside; they march, each in his path; they break through the defenses and do not fall out of line.
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.
9 They rush on the city, they run on the wall, they climb in the houses, and they go through the windows like thieves.
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,
10 The earth shakes in front of them, the heavens tremble, the sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars stop shining.
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;
11 Yahweh raises his voice in front of his army, for his warriors are very numerous; for they are strong, those who carry out his commands. For the day of Yahweh is great and very terrible. Who can survive it?
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?
12 “Yet even now,” says Yahweh, “Return to me with all your heart. Fast, weep, and mourn.”
Even now, therefore, urgeth Yahweh, Turn ye unto me, with all your heart, —and with fasting and with weeping, and with lamentation;
13 Tear your heart and not only your garments, and return to Yahweh your God. For he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in covenant faithfulness, and he would like to turn from inflicting punishment.
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.
14 Who knows? Will he perhaps turn and have compassion, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for Yahweh your God?
Who knoweth, he may turn and grieve, —and leave behind him, a blessing, a meal-offering and a drink-offering, to Yahweh your God?
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, call for a holy fast, and call a holy assembly.
Blow ye a horn, in Zion, —hallow a fast, call a solemn assembly:
16 Gather the people, call for the holy assembly. Assemble the elders, gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegrooms come out of their rooms, and the brides out of their bridal chambers.
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:
17 Let the priests, the servants of Yahweh, weep between the porch and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, Yahweh, and do not make your inheritance into an object of scorn, that the nations mock them. Why should they say among the nations, 'Where is their God?'”
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?
18 Then Yahweh was zealous for his land and had pity on his people.
And Yahweh became jealous for his land, —and took pity on his people;
19 Yahweh answered his people, “Look, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil. You will be satisfied with them, and I will no longer make you a disgrace among the nations.
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.
20 I will remove the northern attackers far from you, and will drive them into a dry and abandoned land. The front of their army will go into the eastern sea, and the rear into the western sea. Its stench will rise, and its bad smell will rise.” Indeed, he has done great things.
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.
21 Do not fear, land, be glad and rejoice, for Yahweh will do great things.
Be not thou afraid, O soil, —exult and rejoice, because Yahweh, hath shown himself great, in doing.
22 Do not fear, beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness will sprout, the trees will bear their fruit, and the fig trees and the vines will yield their full harvest.
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.
23 Be glad, people of Zion, and rejoice in Yahweh your God. For he will give you the autumn rain in due course and bring down showers for you, the autumn rain and the spring rain as before.
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;
24 The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
So shall the threshing-floors, be filled, with corn, —and the vats, overflow, with new wine and oil.
25 “I will restore to you the years of crops that the swarming locust has eaten —the great locust, the devouring locust, and the destroying locust— my mighty army that I sent among you.
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.
26 You will eat plentifully and be full, and praise the name of Yahweh your God, who has done wonders among you, and I will never again bring shame on my people.
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.
27 You will know that I am among Israel, and that I am Yahweh your God, and there is none else, and I will never bring shame on my people.
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.
28 It will come about 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.
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;
29 Also on servants and female servants, in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
Moreover also, upon the servants and upon the handmaids—in those days, will I pour out my spirit;
30 I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood, fire, and pillars of smoke.
And I will set forth wonders in the heavens, and in the earth, —blood, and fire, and columns of smoke:
31 The sun will turn into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes.
The sun, shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, —before the coming of the great and awful day of Yahweh.
32 It will be that everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as Yahweh has said, and among the survivors, those whom Yahweh calls.
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.
