Joel 2

1 Blow a horn in Zion, sound an alarm in my holy mountain, let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord comes, for near is

Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm on my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of YHWH is coming, for it is near.

2 the day of darkness and gloom, the day of cloud and thick darkness! Like the light of dawn scattered over the mountains, a people great and powerful; its like has not been from of old, neither will be any more after it, even to the years of coming ages.

A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. As blackness spreading on the mountains a great and powerful people; there has never been the like, neither will there be any more after them, even after the years of many generations.

3 Before them the fire devours, and behind them a flame burns; like the garden of Eden is the land before them, and after them it is a desolate desert, nothing escapes them.

A fire devours before them, and behind them, a flame burns. The land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them, a desolate wilderness. Yes, and no one has escaped them.

4 Their appearance is as the appearance of horses, and like horsemen they charge.

The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses, and as horsemen, so do they run.

5 Like the sound of chariots on the tops of the mountains they leap, like the crackle of flames devouring stubble, like a mighty people preparing for battle.

Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains do they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, as a mighty people drawn up for battle.

6 Peoples are in anguish before them, all faces grow pale.

At their presence the peoples are in anguish. All faces have grown pale.

7 Like mighty men they run, like warriors they mount up a wall, they march each by himself, they break not their ranks,

They run like mighty men. They climb the wall like warriors. They each march in his line, and they do not swerve off course.

8 none jostles the other. They march each in his path. They fall upon the weapons without breaking.

Neither does one jostle another; they march everyone in his path, and they burst through the defenses, and do not break ranks.

9 They scour the city, they run on the wall. They climb up into the houses. Like a thief they enter the windows.

They rush on the city. They run on the wall. They climb up into the houses. They enter in at the windows like thieves.

10 Earth trembles before them, the sky quakes, the sun and moon become dark, and the stars withdraw their shining;

The earth quakes before them. The heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.

11 and the Lord utters his voice before his army, for his host is exceedingly great. Mighty is he who performs his word. For great is the day of the Lord, it is terrible, who can endure it?

YHWH thunders his voice before his army; for his forces are very great; for he is strong who obeys his command; for the day of YHWH is great and very awesome, and who can endure it?

12 But now this is the message of the Lord: Turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting and weeping and mourning,

"Yet even now," says YHWH, "turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning."

13 rend your hearts and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God; for he indeed is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and plenteous in love, and relents of the evil.

Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to YHWH, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.

14 Who knows but he will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a cereal and drink-offering for the Lord your God.

Who knows? He may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal offering and a drink offering to YHWH, your God.

15 Blow a horn in Zion, sanctify a fast, summon an assembly,

Blow the trumpet in Zion. Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly.

16 gather the people, make holy the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and the infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom come forth from his chamber, and the bride from her bridal tent.

Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who suck the breasts. Let the bridegroom go forth from his room, and the bride out of her chamber.

17 Between the porch and the altar, let the priests, the ministers of the Lord weep aloud, let them say: Spare, the Lord, your people. Make not your heritage an object of reproach, for the heathen to mock them. Why should it be said among the nations, “Where is their God?”

Let the priests, the ministers of YHWH, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, "Spare your people, YHWH, and do not give your heritage to mockery, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"

18 Then the Lord became deeply concerned for his land, and took pity upon his people,

Then YHWH was jealous for his land, And had pity on his people.

19 and the Lord answered and said to his people: I will send you corn, wine, and oil. You will be satisfied. I will not make you again an object of scorn among the nations,

YHWH answered his people, "Look, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will eat and you will be satisfied with them; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.

20 I will remove far from you the northern foe, and I will drive it into a land barren and desolate, its front into the eastern sea, and its rear to the western sea. And from it a stench will arise. He has done great things!

But I will remove the northern army far away from you, and will drive it into a barren and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its back into the western sea; and its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise." Surely he has done great things.

21 Fear not, land, exult. Rejoice for the Lord has done great things!

Land, do not be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for YHWH has done great things.

22 Fear not, animals of the field. For the pastures of the wilderness are putting forth new grass, for the trees bear their fruit, fig tree and vine yield full harvest.

Do not be afraid, you animals of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness spring up, for the tree bears its fruit. The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.

23 Be glad, then, children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the early rain in just measure, and poured down upon you the winter rain, and sent the latter rain as before.

"Be glad then, you people of Zion, and rejoice in YHWH, your God; for he gives you the former rain in just measure, and he causes the rain to come down for you, the former rain and the latter rain, as before.

24 The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.

The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.

25 I will repay you for the years which the swarming locust has eaten. The hopping, the destroying, and the cutting locusts, my great army which I sent among you, and my people will never again be put to shame.

I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the great locust, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar, my great army, which I sent among you.

26 You will eat your food and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt so wonderfully by you,

You will have plenty to eat, and be satisfied, and will praise the name of YHWH, your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and my people will never be put to shame.

27 and you will know that I am in the midst of Israel, that I am the Lord your God and none else, and my people will never again be put to shame.

You will know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am YHWH, your God, and there is no one else; and my people will never be put to shame.

28 Afterwards, I will pour out my spirit on everyone. 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 afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.

29 and even on your male and female slaves in those days, I will pour out my spirit.

And also on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

30 And I will show signs in the sky and on earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.

And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.

The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and awesome day of YHWH comes.

32 But whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, even as the Lord has said, and among the fugitives those whom the Lord calls.

And it will happen that whoever will call on the name of YHWH shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as YHWH has said, and among the remnant, those whom YHWH calls.