< Isaiah 24 >

1 Look, the LORD makes the earth empty, makes it waste, turns it upside down, and scatters its inhabitants.
Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
2 It will be 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 taker of interest, so with the giver of interest.
And it shall be, 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 lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor.
3 The earth will be utterly emptied and utterly laid waste; for the LORD has spoken this word.
The earth shall be utterly emptied, and clean despoiled; for the LORD hath spoken this word.
4 The earth mourns and fades away. The world languishes and fades away. The lofty people of the earth languish.
The earth fainteth and fadeth away, the world faileth and fadeth away, the lofty people of the earth do fail.
5 The earth also is polluted under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the law, violated the statute, and broken the everlasting covenant.
The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statute, broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are found guilty. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
Therefore hath a curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are found guilty; therefore the inhabitants of the earth waste away, and men are left few.
7 The new wine mourns. The vine languishes. All the merry-hearted sigh.
The new wine faileth, the vine fadeth; all the merry-hearted do sigh.
8 The mirth of tambourines ceases. The sound of those who rejoice ends. The joy of the harp ceases.
The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.
9 They will not drink wine with a song. Strong drink will be bitter to those who drink it.
They drink not wine with a song; strong drink is bitter to them that drink it.
10 The confused city is broken down. Every house is shut up, that no man may come in.
Broken down is the city of wasteness; every house is shut up, that none may come in.
11 There is a crying in the streets because of the wine. All joy is darkened. The mirth of the land is gone.
There is a crying in the streets amidst the wine; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.
12 The city is left in desolation, and the gate is struck with destruction.
In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten unto ruin.
13 For it will be so in the midst of the earth among the peoples, as the shaking of an olive tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is done.
For thus shall it be in the midst of the earth, among the peoples, as at the beating of an olive-tree, as at the gleanings when the vintage is done.
14 These shall lift up their voice. They will shout for the majesty of the LORD. They cry aloud from the sea.
Those yonder lift up their voice, they sing for joy; for the majesty of the LORD they shout from the sea:
15 Therefore glorify the LORD in the east, even the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea.
'Therefore glorify ye the LORD in the regions of light, even the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, in the isles of the sea.'
16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs. Glory to the righteous. But I said, "I pine away. I pine away. Woe is me." The treacherous have dealt treacherously. Yes, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously.
From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs: 'Glory to the righteous.' But I say: I waste away, I waste away, woe is me! The treacherous deal treacherously; yea, the treacherous deal very treacherously.
17 Fear, the pit, and the snare, are on you who inhabitant the earth.
Terror, and the pit, and the trap, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
18 It will happen that he who flees from the noise of the fear will fall into the pit; and he who comes up out of the midst of the pit will be taken in the snare; for the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.
And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the terror shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the trap; for the windows on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth do shake;
19 The earth is utterly broken. The earth is torn apart. The earth is shaken violently.
The earth is broken, broken down, the earth is crumbled in pieces, the earth trembleth and tottereth;
20 The earth will stagger like a drunken man, and will sway back and forth like a hammock. Its disobedience will be heavy on it, and it will fall and not rise again.
The earth reeleth to and fro like a drunken man, and swayeth to and fro as a lodge; and the transgression thereof is heavy upon it, and it shall fall, and not rise again.
21 It shall happen in that day that the LORD will punish the army of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth on the earth.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD will punish the host of the high heaven on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22 And they will be gathered, a gathering in a dungeon, and shall be shut up in the prison; and after many days shall they be visited.
And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the dungeon, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be punished.
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, for the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his elders will be glory.
Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for the LORD of hosts will reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His elders shall be Glory.

< Isaiah 24 >