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 in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of Jehovah cometh, for it is at hand;

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 gloom, a day of clouds and gross darkness, as the dawn spread upon the mountains; — a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after them, to the years of generations and 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 devoureth before them, and behind them a flame burneth; the land is as a garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness: yea, and nothing escapeth 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 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, they leap; like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

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

Before them the peoples are in anguish: all faces turn 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 men of war; and they march every one on his ways, and break not their ranks.

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

Neither doth one press upon another; they march every one in his path; and fall amid weapons, but are not wounded.

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

They spread themselves over the city; they run upon the wall; they climb up into the houses; they enter in by the windows like a thief.

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

The earth quaketh 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?

And Jehovah uttereth his voice before his army; for his camp is very great; for strong is he that executeth his word: for the day of Jehovah is great and very terrible; and who can bear 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, saith Jehovah, 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.

and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto Jehovah your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving-kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

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 knoweth? He might return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, an oblation and a drink-offering for Jehovah your God?

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

Blow the trumpet in Zion, hallow a fast, proclaim 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, hallow the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts; let the bridegroom go forth from his chamber, and the bride from her closet.

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 Jehovah, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare, O Jehovah, thy people, and give not thine inheritance to reproach, that they should be a byword of the nations. Wherefore 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 Jehovah will be jealous for his land, and will have 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,

And Jehovah will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I send you corn, and new wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith; 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!

And I will remove far off from you him [that cometh] from the north, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, his face toward the eastern sea, and his rear toward the hinder sea; and his stench shall come up, and his ill odour shall come up, for he hath exalted himself to do great things.

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

— Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for Jehovah doeth 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.

Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring; for the tree beareth its fruit; the fig-tree and the vine yield full increase.

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.

And ye, children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in Jehovah your God; for he giveth you the early rain in due measure, and he causeth to come down for you the rain, the early rain, and the latter rain at the beginning [of the season].

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

And the floors shall be full of corn, and the vats shall 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.

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, 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,

And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of Jehovah your God, who hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.

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.

And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, Jehovah, [am] your God, and there is none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

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 afterwards [that] I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.

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

Yea, even upon the bondmen and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit.

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

And I will shew wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood, and 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 shall be changed to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come.

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 shall be that whosoever shall call upon the name of Jehovah shall be saved: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as Jehovah hath said, and for the residue whom Jehovah shall call.