1 Behold, Yahweh makes the earth empty, and makes it waste, and
turns it upside down, and scatters abroad the inhabitants of it. 2 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 creditor, so with the debtor; as with the
taker of interest, so with the giver of interest to him. 3 The earth shall
be utterly emptied, and utterly laid waste; for Yahweh has spoken this word.
4 The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away,
the lofty people of the earth do languish. 5 The earth also is polluted
under the inhabitants of it; because they have transgressed the laws,
violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore has
the curse devoured the earth, and those who dwell therein are found guilty:
therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. 7 The
new wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted do sigh. 8 The
mirth of tambourines ceases, the noise of those who rejoice ends, the joy of
the harp ceases. 9 They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink
shall be bitter to those who drink it. 10 The waste city is broken down;
every house is shut up, that no man may come in. 11 There is a crying in
the streets because of the wine; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land
is gone. 12 In the city is left desolation, and the gate is struck with
destruction. 13 For thus shall it be in the midst of the earth among the
peoples, as the shaking of an olive tree, as the gleanings when the vintage
is done. 14 These shall lift up their voice, they shall shout; for the
majesty of Yahweh they cry aloud from the sea. 15 Therefore glorify
Yahweh in the east, even the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, in the isles
of the sea! 16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs:
Glory to the righteous. But I said, I pine away, I pine away, woe is me! the
treacherous have dealt treacherously; yes, the treacherous have dealt very
treacherously. 17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are on you, O
inhabitant of the earth. 18 It shall happen, that he who flees from the
noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he who comes up out of the
midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows on high are
opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. 19 The earth is utterly
broken, the earth is torn apart, the earth is shaken violently. 20 The
earth shall stagger like a drunken man, and shall sway back and forth like a
hammock; and the disobedience of it shall be heavy on it, and it shall fall,
and not rise again. 21 It shall happen in that day, that Yahweh will
punish the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth on the
earth. 22 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. 23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for
Yahweh of Hosts will reign on Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his
elders shall be glory.
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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