Isaiah, 24

1. Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

1. See how Yahweh breaks the land and makes it crack, how he turns it upside down and scatters its inhabitants,

2. 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 taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.

2. priest and people alike, servant and master, maid and mistress; buyer and seller, lender and borrower. As it will be with the creditor, so will it be with the debtor.

3. The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.

3. Cracked is the earth, worn out is the world, for Yahweh has spoken.

4. The earth mourneth [and] fadeth away, the world languisheth [and] fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

4. The earth mourns and withers, the world pines and fades, both heaven and earth languish.

5. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

5. The land lies polluted, defiled by its inhabitants who have transgressed the laws, violated the ordinances, and broken the covenant.

6. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

6. Therefore a curse consumes the land and its people burn for their guilt. Few of its inhabitants are left.

7. The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.

7. The new wine mourns, the vine pines away, all the revelers groan.

8. The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.

8. The merry timbrels are stilled, the noise of the revelers is over, the harps and lyres are silenced.

9. They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.

9. No more will they drink wine with a song; strong drink tastes bitter to the drinker.

10. The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

10. The city of confusion is broken down, every door is closed; you cannot enter.

11. [There is] a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.

11. In the streets they cry for wine: all joy is gone, all cheer has left the land.

12. In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.

12. The city is left in distress, its ruined market is deserted.)

13. When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, [there shall be] as the shaking of an olive tree, [and] as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.

13. Some remain where nations have been as olives after the beating of the trees, as grapes after the vintage.

14. They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea.

14. They lift up their voices and shout for joy, from the vast lands they acclaim Yahweh.

15. Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, [even] the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.

15. People give him glory from the western islands: "Islands, sing to Yahweh, the God of Israel!"

16. From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, [even] glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.

16. From the remotest part of the earth we hear songs of praise: "Glory to the Righteous One." Yet I said: "Woe is me! Woe is me! there is but treachery and traitors!"

17. Fear, and the pit, and the snare, [are] upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.

17. Not at all! Terror, pit and snare await you, inhabitants of the earth.

18. And it shall come to pass, [that] he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.

18. He who flees at the cry of terror falls into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit gets caught in the snare. For the floodgates of heaven are opened and the earth shakes to its foundation.

19. The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.

19. The earth is broken into fragments, the earth is in convulsion.

20. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

20. The earth reels like a drunkard, it sways like a hut in the storm, weighed down by its transgression, and it falls, never to rise again.

21. And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones [that are] on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.

21. On that day Yahweh will punish the host of the heavens above, and the kings of the earth below.

22. And they shall be gathered together, [as] prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.

22. They will be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit; they will be shut up in a dungeon and after a time, punished.

23. Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

23. Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, when Yahweh Sabaoth reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and lets his Glory be shown to his elders.