Joel, 4

1. Yes, in those days, and at that time, when I would restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,

1. 'For in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,

2. I will assemble all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, And I will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of my people and my inheritance, Israel; Because they have scattered them among the nations, and divided my land.

2. I shall gather all the nations together and take them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; there I shall put them on trial because of Israel, my people and my heritage, for having scattered them among the nations and having divided my land among themselves.

3. Over my people they have cast lots; they gave a boy for a harlot, and sold a girl for the wine they drank.

3. They drew lots for my people, bartering a boy for a whore and selling a girl for wine to drink.

4. Moreover, what are you to me, Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Would you take vengeance upon me by some action? But if you do take action against me, swiftly, speedily, I will return your deed upon your own head.

4. 'And what are you to me, Tyre and Sidon and all you regions of Philistia? Can you take revenge on me? If you take revenge on me, I shall quickly, instantly, make your revenge recoil on your own heads

5. You took my silver and my gold, and brought my precious treasures into your temples!

5. for having taken my silver and gold away and carried off my valuable treasures to your temples,

6. You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, removing them far from their own country!

6. and for having sold the children of Judah and Jerusalem to the Ionians, to be taken far away from their own frontiers.

7. See, I will rouse them from the place into which you have sold them, and I will return your deed upon your own head.

7. Look, I shall rouse them from the places to which you have sold them; I shall make your actions recoil on your own heads

8. I will sell your sons and your daughters to the people of Judah, who shall sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far off. Indeed, the LORD has spoken.

8. by selling your sons and daughters to the sons of Judah, who in turn will sell them to the Sabaeans, to a nation far away- Yahweh has spoken!'

9. Declare this among the nations: proclaim a war, rouse the warriors to arms! Let all the soldiers report and march!

9. Proclaim this among the nations. Prepare for war! Rouse the champions! All you troops, advance, march!

10. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak man say, "I am a warrior!"

10. Hammer your ploughshares into swords, your bill-hooks into spears; let the weakling say, 'I am tough!'

11. Hasten and come, all you neighboring peoples, assemble there! (Bring down, O Lord, your warriors!)

11. Hurry and come, all the nations around, and assemble there! (Yahweh, send down your champions!)

12. Let the nations bestir themselves and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit in judgment upon all the neighboring nations.

12. 'Let the nations rouse themselves and march to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I shall sit in judgement on all the nations around.

13. Apply the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; Come and tread, for the wine press is full; The vats overflow, for great is their malice.

13. Ply the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come and tread, for the winepress is full; the vats are overflowing, so great is their wickedness!'

14. Crowd upon crowd in the valley of decision; For near is the day of the LORD in the valley of decision.

14. Multitude on multitude in the Valley of Decision! For the Day of Yahweh is near in the Valley of the Verdict!

15. Sun and moon are darkened, and the stars withhold their brightness.

15. Sun and moon grow dark, the stars lose their brilliance.

16. The LORD roars from Zion, and from Jerusalem raises his voice; The heavens and the earth quake, but the LORD is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the men of Israel.

16. Yahweh roars from Zion, he thunders from Jerusalem; heaven and earth tremble. But Yahweh will be a shelter for his people, a stronghold for the Israelites.

17. Then shall you know that I, the LORD, am your God, dwelling on Zion, my holy mountain; Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall pass through her no more.

17. 'Then you will know that I am Yahweh your God residing on Zion, my holy mountain. Jerusalem will then be a sanctuary, no foreigners will overrun it ever again.'

18. And then, on that day, the mountains shall drip new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk; And the channels of Judah shall flow with water: A fountain shall issue from the house of the LORD, to water the Valley of Shittim.

18. When that Day comes, the mountains will run with new wine and the hills will flow with milk, and all the stream-beds of Judah will run with water. A fountain will spring from Yahweh's Temple and water the Gorge of the Acacias.

19. Egypt shall be a waste, and Edom a desert waste, Because of violence done to the people of Judah, because they shed innocent blood in their land.

19. Egypt will become a desolation, and Edom a desert waste on account of the violence done to the children of Judah whose innocent blood they shed in their country.

20. But Judah shall abide forever, and Jerusalem for all generations.

20. But Judah will be inhabited for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation!

21. I will avenge their blood, and not leave it unpunished. The LORD dwells in Zion.

21. 'I shall avenge their blood and let none go unpunished,' and Yahweh will dwell in Zion.