< Joël Propheta 2 >

1 canite tuba in Sion ululate in monte sancto meo conturbentur omnes habitatores terrae quia venit dies Domini quia prope est
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].
2 dies tenebrarum et caliginis dies nubis et turbinis quasi mane expansum super montes populus multus et fortis similis ei non fuit a principio et post eum non erit usque in annos generationis et generationis
[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.
3 ante faciem eius ignis vorans et post eum exurens flamma quasi hortus voluptatis terra coram eo et post eum solitudo deserti neque est qui effugiat eum
[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.
4 quasi aspectus equorum aspectus eorum et quasi equites sic current
[The locusts] resemble horses, and they run like [SIM] war horses.
5 sicut sonitus quadrigarum super capita montium exilient sicut sonitus flammae ignis devorantis stipulam velut populus fortis praeparatus ad proelium
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].
6 a facie eius cruciabuntur populi omnes vultus redigentur in ollam
When people see them coming, they become very pale and frightened.
7 sicut fortes current quasi viri bellatores ascendent murum vir in viis suis gradietur et non declinabunt a semitis suis
[The locusts] climb over walls like soldiers do; they march along in columns and never turn aside [from their columns].
8 unusquisque fratrem suum non coartabit singuli in calle suo ambulabunt sed et per fenestras cadent et non demolientur
They rush straight ahead without pushing each other. [Even though people throw] spears and javelins at them, that will not cause them to stop.
9 urbem ingredientur in muro current domos conscendent per fenestras intrabunt quasi fur
They swarm over the city walls and enter our houses; they enter through our windows like [SIM] thieves do.
10 a facie eius contremuit terra moti sunt caeli sol et luna obtenebrati sunt et stellae retraxerunt splendorem suum
[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].
11 et Dominus dedit vocem suam ante faciem exercitus sui quia multa sunt nimis castra eius quia fortia et facientia verbum eius magnus enim dies Domini et terribilis valde et quis sustinebit eum
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.
12 nunc ergo dicit Dominus convertimini ad me in toto corde vestro in ieiunio et in fletu et in planctu
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].
13 et scindite corda vestra et non vestimenta vestra et convertimini ad Dominum Deum vestrum quia benignus et misericors est patiens et multae misericordiae et praestabilis super malitia
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.
14 quis scit si convertatur et ignoscat et relinquat post se benedictionem sacrificium et libamen Domino Deo nostro
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.
15 canite tuba in Sion sanctificate ieiunium vocate coetum
Blow the trumpets on Zion [Hill]! Gather the people together! Show by fasting that you are sorry [for the sins that you have committed].
16 congregate populum sanctificate ecclesiam coadunate senes congregate parvulos et sugentes ubera egrediatur sponsus de cubili suo et sponsa de thalamo suo
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.
17 inter vestibulum et altare plorabunt sacerdotes ministri Domini et dicent parce Domine populo tuo et ne des hereditatem tuam in obprobrium ut dominentur eis nationes quare dicunt in populis ubi est Deus eorum
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]?’”
18 zelatus est Dominus terram suam et pepercit populo suo
But Yahweh [showed that he] was concerned about his people and that he would act mercifully toward them.
19 et respondit Dominus et dixit populo suo ecce ego mittam vobis frumentum et vinum et oleum et replebimini eo et non dabo vos ultra obprobrium in gentibus
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.
20 et eum qui ab aquilone est procul faciam a vobis et expellam eum in terram inviam et desertam faciem eius contra mare orientale et extremum eius ad mare novissimum et ascendet fetor eius et ascendet putredo eius quia superbe egit
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!
21 noli timere terra exulta et laetare quoniam magnificavit Dominus ut faceret
He does wonderful things! So even the ground should rejoice!
22 nolite timere animalia regionis quia germinaverunt speciosa deserti quia lignum adtulit fructum suum ficus et vinea dederunt virtutem suam
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.
23 et filii Sion exultate et laetamini in Domino Deo vestro quia dedit vobis doctorem iustitiae et descendere faciet ad vos imbrem matutinum et serotinum in principio
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.
24 et implebuntur areae frumento et redundabunt torcularia vino et oleo
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.
25 et reddam vobis annos quos comedit lucusta bruchus et rubigo et eruca fortitudo mea magna quam misi in vos
[Yahweh said, ] “I will repay you for everything that was destroyed by those great swarms of locusts that I sent to attack you.
26 et comedetis vescentes et saturabimini et laudabitis nomen Domini Dei vestri qui fecit vobiscum mirabilia et non confundetur populus meus in sempiternum
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.
27 et scietis quia in medio Israhel ego sum et ego Dominus Deus vester et non est amplius et non confundetur populus meus in aeternum
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.”
28 et erit post haec effundam spiritum meum super omnem carnem et prophetabunt filii vestri et filiae vestrae senes vestri somnia somniabunt et iuvenes vestri visiones videbunt
“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].
29 sed et super servos et ancillas in diebus illis effundam spiritum meum
At that time, I will give my Spirit even to servants, both men and women.
30 et dabo prodigia in caelo et in terra sanguinem et ignem et vaporem fumi
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.
31 sol vertetur in tenebras et luna in sanguinem antequam veniat dies Domini magnus et horribilis
[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.
32 et erit omnis qui invocaverit nomen Domini salvus erit quia in monte Sion et in Hierusalem erit salvatio sicut dixit Dominus et in residuis quos Dominus vocaverit
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.”

< Joël Propheta 2 >