1 B ehold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

Behold, the Lord will make the land and the earth empty and make it waste and turn it upside down (twist the face of it) and scatter abroad its inhabitants.

2 A nd 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.

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 creditor, so with the debtor.

3 T he land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word.

The land and the earth shall be utterly laid waste and utterly pillaged; for the Lord has said this.

4 T he earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

The land and the earth mourn and wither, the world languishes and withers, the high ones of the people languish.

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

The land and the earth also are defiled by their inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, disregarded the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant.

6 T herefore 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.

Therefore a curse devours the land and the earth, and they who dwell in it suffer the punishment of their guilt. Therefore the inhabitants of the land and the earth are scorched and parched, and few people are left.

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

The new wine mourns, the vine languishes; all the merrymakers sigh.

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

The mirth of the timbrels is stilled, the noise of those who rejoice ends, the joy of the lyre is stopped.

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

No more will they drink wine with a song; strong drink will be bitter to those who drink it.

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

The wasted city of emptiness and confusion is broken down; every house is shut up so that no one may enter.

11 T here is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.

There is crying in the streets for wine; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is banished and gone into captivity.

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

In the city is left desolation, and its gate is battered and destroyed.

13 W hen 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.

For so shall it be in the midst of the earth among the peoples, as the shaking and beating of an olive tree, or as the gleaning when the vintage is done.

14 T hey shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry aloud from the sea.

these lift up their voices, they shout; for the majesty of the Lord they cry aloud from the Sea.

15 W herefore glorify ye the Lord in the fires, even the name of the Lord God of Israel in the isles of the sea.

Wherefore glorify the Lord in the east; the name of the Lord, the God of Israel in the isles and coasts of the Sea.

16 F rom 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.

From the uttermost parts of the earth have we heard songs: Glory to the Righteous One! But I say, Emaciated I pine away, I pine away. Woe is me! The treacherous dealers deal treacherously! Yes, the treacherous dealers deal very treacherously.

17 F ear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.

Terror and pit and snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth!

18 A nd 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.

And he who flees at the noise of the terror will fall into the pit; and he who comes up out of the pit will be caught in the snare. For the windows of the heavens are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble and shake.

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

The earth is utterly broken, the earth is rent asunder, the earth is shaken violently.

20 T he 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.

The earth shall stagger like a drunken man and shall sway to and fro like a hammock; its transgression shall lie heavily upon it, and it shall fall and not rise again.

21 A nd 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.

And in that day the Lord will visit and punish the host of the high ones on high and the kings of the earth on the earth.

22 A nd 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.

And they will be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in a pit or dungeon; they will be shut up in prison, and after many days they will be visited, inspected, and punished or pardoned.

23 T hen 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.

Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts, Who will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before His elders will show forth His glory.