Ἰωήλʹ 2
1 σαλπίσατε σάλπιγγι ἐν Σιων κηρύξατε ἐν ὄρει ἁγίῳ μου καὶ συγχυθήτωσαν πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν γῆν διότι πάρεστιν ἡμέρα κυρίου ὅτι ἐγγύς
Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all who live in the land tremble for the day of the Lord is coming—it's definitely near!
2 ἡμέρα σκότους καὶ γνόφου ἡμέρα νεφέλης καὶ ὁμίχλης ὡς ὄρθρος χυθήσεται ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη λαὸς πολὺς καὶ ἰσχυρός ὅμοιος αὐτῷ οὐ γέγονεν ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος καὶ μετ’ αὐτὸν οὐ προστεθήσεται ἕως ἐτῶν εἰς γενεὰς γενεῶν
It's a gloomy day of darkness, a day of thick clouds and heavy shadows. Like the dawn spreading over the mountains, an army appears, so large and powerful that there has never ever been anything like it before, nor will there ever be anything like it again.
3 τὰ ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ πῦρ ἀναλίσκον καὶ τὰ ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ ἀναπτομένη φλόξ ὡς παράδεισος τρυφῆς ἡ γῆ πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ὄπισθεν αὐτοῦ πεδίον ἀφανισμοῦ καὶ ἀνασῳζόμενος οὐκ ἔσται αὐτῷ
Fire blazes in front of them, behind them flames are burning. In front of them the land looks like the Garden of Eden, behind them is a desert of total desolation: not a single survivor remains.
4 ὡς ὅρασις ἵππων ἡ ὄψις αὐτῶν καὶ ὡς ἱππεῖς οὕτως καταδιώξονται
They have the appearance of horses; they charge like cavalry.
5 ὡς φωνὴ ἁρμάτων ἐπὶ τὰς κορυφὰς τῶν ὀρέων ἐξαλοῦνται καὶ ὡς φωνὴ φλογὸς πυρὸς κατεσθιούσης καλάμην καὶ ὡς λαὸς πολὺς καὶ ἰσχυρὸς παρατασσόμενος εἰς πόλεμον
Listen to the sound: they are like rumbling chariots leaping over the mountain tops, they are like crackling flames burning stubble, they are like a mighty army marching in formation into battle.
6 ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ συντριβήσονται λαοί πᾶν πρόσωπον ὡς πρόσκαυμα χύτρας
Terror seizes all those in their path; all the people's faces grow pale.
7 ὡς μαχηταὶ δραμοῦνται καὶ ὡς ἄνδρες πολεμισταὶ ἀναβήσονται ἐπὶ τὰ τείχη καὶ ἕκαστος ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ αὐτοῦ πορεύσεται καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐκκλίνωσιν τὰς τρίβους αὐτῶν
They attack like mighty warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march as one, never breaking ranks.
8 καὶ ἕκαστος ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἀφέξεται καταβαρυνόμενοι ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις αὐτῶν πορεύσονται καὶ ἐν τοῖς βέλεσιν αὐτῶν πεσοῦνται καὶ οὐ μὴ συντελεσθῶσιν
They do not jostle one another, they stay on track; and even if some are cut down, they are not stopped.
9 τῆς πόλεως ἐπιλήμψονται καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν τειχέων δραμοῦνται καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς οἰκίας ἀναβήσονται καὶ διὰ θυρίδων εἰσελεύσονται ὡς κλέπται
They rush to and fro in the city; they run along the walls; they climb into houses, entering through the windows like thieves.
10 πρὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν συγχυθήσεται ἡ γῆ καὶ σεισθήσεται ὁ οὐρανός ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη συσκοτάσουσιν καὶ τὰ ἄστρα δύσουσιν τὸ φέγγος αὐτῶν
The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble, the sun and the moon grow dark, the stars stop shining.
11 καὶ κύριος δώσει φωνὴν αὐτοῦ πρὸ προσώπου δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ ὅτι πολλή ἐστιν σφόδρα ἡ παρεμβολὴ αὐτοῦ ὅτι ἰσχυρὰ ἔργα λόγων αὐτοῦ διότι μεγάλη ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ κυρίου μεγάλη καὶ ἐπιφανὴς σφόδρα καὶ τίς ἔσται ἱκανὸς αὐτῇ
The Lord shouts his commands at the head of his army. His camp his immense, and those who carry out his orders are powerful. The day of the Lord is totally terrifying—who can stand it?
12 καὶ νῦν λέγει κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν ἐπιστράφητε πρός με ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας ὑμῶν καὶ ἐν νηστείᾳ καὶ ἐν κλαυθμῷ καὶ ἐν κοπετῷ
“Yet even now,” says the Lord, “Come back to me while there is still time. Come to me with all your heart, with fasting and prayer.
13 καὶ διαρρήξατε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν καὶ μὴ τὰ ἱμάτια ὑμῶν καὶ ἐπιστράφητε πρὸς κύριον τὸν θεὸν ὑμῶν ὅτι ἐλεήμων καὶ οἰκτίρμων ἐστίν μακρόθυμος καὶ πολυέλεος καὶ μετανοῶν ἐπὶ ταῖς κακίαις
Repent in your minds, and not by tearing your clothes.” Come back to the Lord your God for he is gracious and kind. He is slow to get angry and full of faithful love, and changes his mind about sending punishment.
14 τίς οἶδεν εἰ ἐπιστρέψει καὶ μετανοήσει καὶ ὑπολείψεται ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ εὐλογίαν θυσίαν καὶ σπονδὴν κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ ἡμῶν
Who knows? Maybe he will change his mind, leaving behind a blessing so that you will be able to make grain and wine offerings to the Lord your God.
15 σαλπίσατε σάλπιγγι ἐν Σιων ἁγιάσατε νηστείαν κηρύξατε θεραπείαν
Blow the trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a fast; call a solemn assembly.
16 συναγάγετε λαόν ἁγιάσατε ἐκκλησίαν ἐκλέξασθε πρεσβυτέρους συναγάγετε νήπια θηλάζοντα μαστούς ἐξελθάτω νυμφίος ἐκ τοῦ κοιτῶνος αὐτοῦ καὶ νύμφη ἐκ τοῦ παστοῦ αὐτῆς
Gather the people together: the elders, the children, even the babies. Let the bridegroom leave his room; let the bride leave her room.
17 ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς κρηπῖδος τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου κλαύσονται οἱ ἱερεῖς οἱ λειτουργοῦντες κυρίῳ καὶ ἐροῦσιν φεῖσαι κύριε τοῦ λαοῦ σου καὶ μὴ δῷς τὴν κληρονομίαν σου εἰς ὄνειδος τοῦ κατάρξαι αὐτῶν ἔθνη ὅπως μὴ εἴπωσιν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς αὐτῶν
Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar of the Temple. Let them say, “Lord, please take pity on your people, and do not let your inheritance be disgraced, ruled over by foreign nations, so that the people of these nations could ask, ‘Where is their God?’”
18 καὶ ἐζήλωσεν κύριος τὴν γῆν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐφείσατο τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ
Now the Lord is very protective of his land and takes pity on his people.
19 καὶ ἀπεκρίθη κύριος καὶ εἶπεν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐξαποστέλλω ὑμῖν τὸν σῖτον καὶ τὸν οἶνον καὶ τὸ ἔλαιον καὶ ἐμπλησθήσεσθε αὐτῶν καὶ οὐ δώσω ὑμᾶς οὐκέτι εἰς ὀνειδισμὸν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι
The Lord will reply, saying to his people, “Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, and you will be satisfied. You will no longer be a disgrace among the foreign nations.
20 καὶ τὸν ἀπὸ βορρᾶ ἐκδιώξω ἀφ’ ὑμῶν καὶ ἐξώσω αὐτὸν εἰς γῆν ἄνυδρον καὶ ἀφανιῶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν τὴν πρώτην καὶ τὰ ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν τὴν ἐσχάτην καὶ ἀναβήσεται ἡ σαπρία αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀναβήσεται ὁ βρόμος αὐτοῦ ὅτι ἐμεγάλυνεν τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ
I will remove from you the army from the north; I will drive them into the desolate wilderness—the front into the eastern sea, and the rear into the western sea. The stench of the dead army will rise up—a real stink—for it has done terrible things.”
21 θάρσει γῆ χαῖρε καὶ εὐφραίνου ὅτι ἐμεγάλυνεν κύριος τοῦ ποιῆσαι
Don't be afraid, people of the land! Be happy and celebrate, for the Lord has done incredible things!
22 θαρσεῖτε κτήνη τοῦ πεδίου ὅτι βεβλάστηκεν πεδία τῆς ἐρήμου ὅτι ξύλον ἤνεγκεν τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ ἄμπελος καὶ συκῆ ἔδωκαν τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτῶν
Don't be afraid, wild animals! For the pastures of the wilderness are turning green. The trees are fruiting again—the fig trees and the grapevines are producing a good crop.
23 καὶ τὰ τέκνα Σιων χαίρετε καὶ εὐφραίνεσθε ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ θεῷ ὑμῶν διότι ἔδωκεν ὑμῖν τὰ βρώματα εἰς δικαιοσύνην καὶ βρέξει ὑμῖν ὑετὸν πρόιμον καὶ ὄψιμον καθὼς ἔμπροσθεν
People of Jerusalem! Celebrate and be happy in the Lord your God because he has given you rain to show his goodness. As before he sends the autumn and the spring rains.
24 καὶ πλησθήσονται αἱ ἅλωνες σίτου καὶ ὑπερεκχυθήσονται αἱ ληνοὶ οἴνου καὶ ἐλαίου
The threshing floors will be full of grain, the vats will overflow with new wine and olive oil.
25 καὶ ἀνταποδώσω ὑμῖν ἀντὶ τῶν ἐτῶν ὧν κατέφαγεν ἡ ἀκρὶς καὶ ὁ βροῦχος καὶ ἡ ἐρυσίβη καὶ ἡ κάμπη ἡ δύναμίς μου ἡ μεγάλη ἣν ἐξαπέστειλα εἰς ὑμᾶς
“I will give back to you what you lost over the years to the swarming, hopping, destroying, and cutting locusts, this great army that I sent against you.
26 καὶ φάγεσθε ἐσθίοντες καὶ ἐμπλησθήσεσθε καὶ αἰνέσετε τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῶν ἃ ἐποίησεν μεθ’ ὑμῶν εἰς θαυμάσια καὶ οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ ὁ λαός μου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα
You will have plenty to eat, and you will be satisfied, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God who has done miracles for you. My people will never again be ashamed.
27 καὶ ἐπιγνώσεσθε ὅτι ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ Ισραηλ ἐγώ εἰμι καὶ ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἔτι πλὴν ἐμοῦ καὶ οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῶσιν οὐκέτι πᾶς ὁ λαός μου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα
You will know that I am in the midst of my people Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other. My people will never again be ashamed.
28 καὶ ἔσται μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα καὶ προφητεύσουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν ἐνύπνια ἐνυπνιασθήσονται καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται
After this I will pour out my spirit on everyone. Your sons and daughters will be my prophets, your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.
29 καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου
In those days I will also pour out my spirit on male slaves and female slaves.
30 καὶ δώσω τέρατα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς αἷμα καὶ πῦρ καὶ ἀτμίδα καπνοῦ
I will place wonders in the heavens and on earth: blood, and fire, and columns of smoke.
31 ὁ ἥλιος μεταστραφήσεται εἰς σκότος καὶ ἡ σελήνη εἰς αἷμα πρὶν ἐλθεῖν ἡμέραν κυρίου τὴν μεγάλην καὶ ἐπιφανῆ
The sun will turn dark, and the moon will turn red like blood at the coming of the great and fearful day of the Lord.”
32 καὶ ἔσται πᾶς ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου σωθήσεται ὅτι ἐν τῷ ὄρει Σιων καὶ ἐν Ιερουσαλημ ἔσται ἀνασῳζόμενος καθότι εἶπεν κύριος καὶ εὐαγγελιζόμενοι οὓς κύριος προσκέκληται
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, rescued from Mount Zion and Jerusalem, as the Lord has said—these are among the survivors the Lord has called.
