Joel 2

1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, wail on my holy mountain, let all the inhabitants of the land be stirred up. For the day of the Lord is on its way; for it is near:

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 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and whirlwinds. Like the morning reaching over the mountains, they are a numerous and strong people. Nothing like them has existed since the beginning, nor will exist after them, even in the years of generation upon generation.

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 Before their face is a devouring fire, and behind them is a burning flame. The land before them is like a lush garden, and behind them is a desolate desert, and there is no one who can escape them.

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 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, and they will rush forward like horsemen.

They have the appearance of horses; they charge like cavalry.

5 Like the sound of a four-horse chariot, they will leap over the tops of the mountains. Like the sound of a burning flame devouring stubble, they are as a strong people prepared for battle.

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 Before their face, the people will be tortured; each one’s appearance will retreat, as if into a jar.

Terror seizes all those in their path; all the people's faces grow pale.

7 They will rush forward, as if they were strong. Like valiant warriors, they will ascend the wall. The men will advance, each one on his own way, and they will not turn aside from their path.

They attack like mighty warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march as one, never breaking ranks.

8 And each one will not hem in his brother; every one will walk in his own rough path. Moreover, they will drop through the breach and not be harmed.

They do not jostle one another, they stay on track; and even if some are cut down, they are not stopped.

9 They will advance into the city; they will rush through the wall. They will scale the houses; they will go in through the windows, like a thief.

They rush to and fro in the city; they run along the walls; they climb into houses, entering through the windows like thieves.

10 Before their face, the earth has trembled, the heavens have been moved. The sun and moon have been obscured, and the stars have retracted their splendor.

The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble, the sun and the moon grow dark, the stars stop shining.

11 And the Lord has bestowed his voice before the face of his army. For its military camps are very numerous; for they are strong and they carry out his word. For the day of the Lord is great and so very terrible, and who can withstand it?

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 Now, therefore, the Lord says: “Be converted to me with your whole heart, in fasting and weeping and mourning.”

“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 And rend your hearts, and not your garments, and convert to the Lord your God. For he is gracious and merciful, patient and full of compassion, and steadfast despite ill will.

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 Who knows if he might convert and forgive, and bequeath a blessing after him, a sacrifice and a libation to the Lord your God?

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 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call an assembly.

Blow the trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a fast; call a solemn assembly.

16 Gather the people, sanctify the church, unite the elders, gather together the little ones and infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom depart from his bed, and the bride from her bridal chamber.

Gather the people together: the elders, the children, even the babies. Let the bridegroom leave his room; let the bride leave her room.

17 Between the vestibule and the altar, the priests, the ministers of the Lord, will weep, and they will say: “Spare, O Lord, spare your people. And do not bequeath your inheritance into disgrace, so that the nations would rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

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 The Lord has been zealous for his land, and he has spared his people.

Now the Lord is very protective of his land and takes pity on his people.

19 And the Lord responded, and he said to his people: “Behold, I will send you grain and wine and oil, and you will again be filled with them. And I will no longer give you disgrace among the Gentiles.

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 And he who is from the North, I will drive far from you. And I will expel him into an impassable land, and into the desert, with his face opposite the Eastern sea, and his furthest part towards the furthest sea. And his stench will ascend, and his rottenness will ascend, because he has acted arrogantly.

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 Earth, do not be afraid. Exult and rejoice. For the Lord has great esteem for what he has done.

Don't be afraid, people of the land! Be happy and celebrate, for the Lord has done incredible things!

22 Animals of the countryside, do not be afraid. For the beauty of the wilderness has sprung forth. For the tree has borne its fruit. The fig tree and the vine have bestowed their virtue.

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 And you, sons of Zion, exult and rejoice in the Lord your God. For he has given you a teacher of justice, and he will make the early and the late rains descend to you, just as it was in the beginning.

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 And the threshing floors will be filled with grain, and the presses will overflow with wine and oil.

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

25 And I will repay you for the years which the locust, and the beetle, and the mildew, and the caterpillar consumed: my great strength which I sent upon you.

“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 And you will eat with enjoyment, and you will be satisfied, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked miracles with you, and my people will not be confounded forever.

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 And you will know that I am in the midst of Israel, and I am the Lord your God, and there is no other, and my people will not be confounded forever.

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 And after this, it will happen that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy; your elders will dream dreams, and your youths will see visions.

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 Moreover, in those days I will pour out my spirit upon my servants and handmaids.

In those days I will also pour out my spirit on male slaves and female slaves.

30 And I will grant wonders in the sky and on earth: blood and fire and the vapor of smoke.

I will place wonders in the heavens and on earth: blood, and fire, and columns of smoke.

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

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 And it will happen that everyone who will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. For on Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and in the remnant whom the Lord will call, there will be salvation, just as the Lord has said.

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.