Joel, 2

1. Blow the trumpet in Zion, sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all who dwell in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming;

1. Blow the ram's-horn in Zion, sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let everybody in the country tremble, for the Day of Yahweh is coming, yes, it is near.

2. Yes, it is near, a day of darkness and of gloom, a day of clouds and somberness! Like dawn spreading over the mountains, a people numerous and mighty! Their like has not been from of old, nor will it be after them, even to the years of distant generations.

2. Day of darkness and gloom, Day of cloud and blackness. Like the dawn, across the mountains spreads a vast and mighty people, such as has never been before, such as will never be again to the remotest ages.

3. Before them a fire devours, and after them a flame enkindles; Like the garden of Eden is the land before them, and after them a desert waste; from them there is no escape.

3. In their van a fire devours, in their rear a flame consumes. The country is like a garden of Eden ahead of them and a desert waste behind them. Nothing escapes them.

4. Their appearance is that of horses; like steeds they run.

4. They look like horses, like chargers they gallop on,

5. As with the rumble of chariots they leap on the mountaintops; As with the crackling of a fiery flame devouring stubble; Like a mighty people arrayed for battle.

5. with a racket like that of chariots they spring over the mountain tops, with a crackling like a blazing fire devouring the stubble, a mighty army in battle array.

6. Before them peoples are in torment, every face blanches.

6. At the sight of them, people are appalled and every face grows pale.

7. Like warriors they run, like soldiers they scale the wall; They advance, each in his own lane, without swerving from their paths.

7. Like fighting men they press forward, like warriors they scale the walls, each marching straight ahead, not turning from his path;

8. No one crowds another, each advances in his own track; Though they fall into the ditches, they are not checked.

8. they never jostle each other, each marches straight ahead: arrows fly, they still press forward, never breaking ranks.

9. They assault the city, they run upon the wall, they climb into the houses; In at the windows they come like thieves.

9. They hurl themselves at the city, they leap onto the walls, swarm up the houses, getting in through the windows like thieves.

10. Before them the earth trembles, the heavens shake; The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withhold their brightness.

10. As they come on, the earth quakes, the skies tremble, sun and moon grow dark, the stars lose their brilliance.

11. The LORD raises his voice at the head of his army; For immense indeed is his camp, yes, mighty, and it does his bidding. For great is the day of the LORD, and exceedingly terrible; who can bear it?

11. Yahweh's voice rings out at the head of his troops! For mighty indeed is his army, strong, the enforcer of his orders, for great is the Day of Yahweh, and very terrible -- who can face it?

12. Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;

12. 'But now -- declares Yahweh- come back to me with all your heart, fasting, weeping, mourning.'

13. Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment.

13. Tear your hearts and not your clothes, and come back to Yahweh your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in faithful love, and he relents about inflicting disaster.

14. Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing, Offerings and libations for the LORD, your God.

14. Who knows if he will not come back, relent and leave a blessing behind him, a cereal offering and a libation to be presented to Yahweh your God?

15. Blow the trumpet in Zion! proclaim a fast, call an assembly;

15. Blow the ram's-horn in Zion! Order a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly,

16. Gather the people, notify the congregation; Assemble the elders, gather the children and the infants at the breast; Let the bridegroom quit his room, and the bride her chamber.

16. call the people together, summon the community, assemble the elders, gather the children, even infants at the breast! Call the bridegroom from his bedroom and the bride from her bower!

17. Between the porch and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep, And say, "Spare, O LORD, your people, and make not your heritage a reproach, with the nations ruling over them! Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"

17. Let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, stand weeping between portico and altar, saying, 'Spare your people, Yahweh! Do not expose your heritage to the contempt, to the sarcasm of the nations! Why give the peoples cause to say, "Where is their God?" '

18. Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land and took pity on his people.

18. Then, becoming jealous over his country, Yahweh took pity on his people.

19. The LORD answered and said to his people: See, I will send you grain, and wine, and oil, and you shall be filled with them; No more will I make you a reproach among the nations.

19. Yahweh said in answer to his people, 'Now I shall send you wheat, wine and olive oil until you have enough. Never again will I expose you to the contempt of the nations.

20. No, the northerner I will remove far from you, and drive him out into a land arid and waste, With his van toward the eastern sea, and his rear toward the western sea; And his foulness shall go up, and his stench shall go up.

20. I shall take the northerner far away from you and drive him into an arid, desolate land, his vanguard to the eastern sea, his rearguard to the western sea. He will give off a stench, he will give off a foul stink (for what he made bold to do).'

21. Fear not, O land! exult and rejoice! for the LORD has done great things.

21. Land, do not be afraid; be glad, rejoice, for Yahweh has done great things.

22. Fear not, beasts of the field! for the pastures of the plain are green; The tree bears its fruit, the fig tree and the vine give their yield.

22. Wild animals, do not be afraid; the desert pastures are green again, the trees bear fruit, vine and fig tree yield their richness.

23. And do you, O children of Zion, exult and rejoice in the LORD, your God! He has given you the teacher of justice: he has made the rain come down for you, the early and the late rain as before.

23. Sons of Zion, be glad, rejoice in Yahweh your God; for he has given you autumn rain as justice demands, and he will send the rains down for you, the autumn and spring rain as of old.

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

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

25. And I will repay you for the years which the locust has eaten, The grasshopper, the devourer, and the cutter, my great army which I sent among you.

25. 'I will make up to you for the years devoured by grown locust and hopper, by shearer and young locust, my great army which I sent to invade you.

26. You shall eat and be filled, and shall praise the name of the LORD, your God, Because he has dealt wondrously with you; my people shall nevermore be put to shame.

26. 'You will eat to your heart's content, and praise the name of Yahweh your God who has treated you so wonderfully. (My people will never be humiliated again!)

27. And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel; I am the LORD, your God, and there is no other; my people shall nevermore be put to shame.

27. 'And you will know that I am among you in Israel, I, Yahweh your God, and no one else. My people will never be humiliated again!'