Isaiah, 24

1. Lo, the LORD empties the land and lays it waste; he turns it upside down, scattering its inhabitants:

1. See how Yahweh lays the earth waste, makes it a desert, buckles its surface, scatters its inhabitants,

2. Layman and priest alike, servant and master, The maid as her mistress, the buyer as the seller, The lender as the borrower, the creditor as the debtor.

2. priest and people alike, master and slave, mistress and maid, seller and buyer, lender and borrower, creditor and debtor.

3. The earth is utterly laid waste, utterly stripped, for the LORD has decreed this thing.

3. Ravaged, ravaged the earth will be, despoiled, despoiled, for Yahweh has uttered this word.

4. The earth mourns and fades, the world languishes and fades; both heaven and earth languish.

4. The earth is mourning, pining away, the pick of earth's people are withering away.

5. The earth is polluted because of its inhabitants, who have transgressed laws, violated statutes, broken the ancient covenant.

5. The earth is defiled by the feet of its inhabitants, for they have transgressed the laws, violated the decree, broken the everlasting covenant.

6. Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants pay for their guilt; Therefore they who dwell on earth turn pale, and few men are left.

6. That is why the curse has consumed the earth and its inhabitants pay the penalty, that is why the inhabitants of the earth have been burnt up and few people are left.

7. The wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted groan.

7. The new wine is mourning, the vine is withering away, the once merry-hearted are sighing.

8. Stilled are the cheerful timbrels, ended the shouts of the jubilant, stilled is the cheerful harp.

8. The cheerful sound of tambourines is silent, the sound of revelling is over, the cheerful sound of the harp is silent.

9. They cannot sing and drink wine; strong drink is bitter to those who partake of it.

9. No more will they sing over their wine, liquor will taste bitter to the drinker.

10. Broken down is the city of chaos, shut against entry, every house.

10. The city of nothingness is in ruins, every house is shut, no one can enter.

11. In the streets they cry out for lack of wine; all joy has disappeared and cheer has left the land.

11. People shout in the streets to try to get wine; all joy has vanished, happiness has been banished from the country.

12. In the city nothing remains but ruin; its gates are battered and desolate.

12. Nothing but rubble in the city, the gate has collapsed in ruins.

13. Thus it is within the land, and among the peoples, As with an olive tree after it is beaten, as with a gleaning when the vintage is done.

13. For at the heart of earth's life, among the peoples, it is as at the beating of the olive trees, as at the gleaning of the grapes when the grape harvest is over.

14. These lift up their voice in acclaim; from the sea they proclaim the majesty of the LORD:

14. They raise their voices, shouting for joy, in Yahweh's honour they shout from the west.

15. "For this, in the coastlands, give glory to the LORD! In the coastlands of the sea, to the name of the LORD, the God of Israel!"

15. 'Yes, in the east, give glory to Yahweh, in the islands of the sea, to the name of Yahweh, God of Israel!'

16. From the end of the earth we hear songs: "Splendor to the Just One!" But I said, "I am wasted, wasted away. Woe is me! The traitors betray: with treachery have the traitors betrayed!

16. We have heard psalms from the remotest parts of earth, 'Glory to the Upright One!' But I thought, 'What an ordeal, what an ordeal! What misery for me!' The traitors have betrayed, the traitors have acted most treacherously.

17. Terror, pit, and trap are upon you, inhabitant of the earth;

17. Fear, the pit and the snare for you, inhabitants of the city!

18. He who flees at the sound of terror will fall into the pit; He who climbs out of the pit will be caught in the trap. For the windows on high will be opened and the foundations of the earth will shake.

18. And whoever flees from the cry of fear will fall into the pit, and whoever climbs out of the pit will be caught in the snare. Yes, the sluice-gates above are open, the foundations of the earth are quaking.

19. The earth will burst asunder, the earth will be shaken apart, the earth will be convulsed.

19. A cracking, the earth cracks open, a jolting, the earth gives a jolt, a lurching, the earth lurches backwards and forwards.

20. The earth will reel like a drunkard, and it will sway like a hut; Its rebellion will weigh it down, until it falls, never to rise again."

20. The earth will reel to and fro like a drunkard, it will be shaken like a shanty; so heavy will be its sin on it, it will fall, never to rise again.

21. On that day the LORD will punish the host of the heavens in the heavens, and the kings of the earth on the earth.

21. When that day comes, Yahweh will punish the armies of the sky above and on earth the kings of the earth;

22. They will be gathered together like prisoners into a pit; They will be shut up in a dungeon, and after many days they will be punished.

22. they will be herded together, herded together like prisoners in a dungeon and shut up in gaol, and, after long years, punished.

23. Then the moon will blush and the sun grow pale, For the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, glorious in the sight of his elders.

23. The moon will be confused and the sun ashamed, for Yahweh Sabaoth is king on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and the Glory will radiate on their elders.