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

See, the Lord will lay the earth waste. He will destroy it, turn its ground up-side-down, and send its people everywhere.

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.

What happens to the people will happen to the religious leader. What happens to the man servant will happen to his owner. The woman servant will be like her owner. The buyer will be like the seller. The giver will be like the receiver. The one who lets another use his money will be like the one who uses it.

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

All the earth will be laid waste and destroyed, 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 earth cries in sorrow and wastes away. The world becomes weak with sorrow and wastes away, together with the honored people of the earth.

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 earth has been made unclean by its people. They have sinned and not obeyed the laws, and have broken the agreement that was to be forever.

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.

So the earth is cursed and those who live in it suffer for their guilt. So the people of the earth are burned, and few men are left.

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

The new wine dries up and the vine wastes away. All the glad in heart are in sorrow.

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

The happiness of the music-makers stops. The noise of those filled with joy stops. The happiness of the harp stops.

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

They do not drink wine with singing. Strong drink tastes bad 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 city of trouble is broken down. Every house is shut up so no one may go in.

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

There is a crying out in the streets about the wine. All joy turns to darkness. The happiness of the earth is gone.

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

The city is laid waste. The gate is broken to pieces.

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 this is how it will be on the earth among the nations. It will be like the shaking of an olive tree, and like what is left after the grapes have been gathered.

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

They raise their voices. They call out for joy. They cry out from the west about the wonderful power of the Lord.

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.

So honor the Lord in the east. Honor the name of the Lord God of Israel in the islands 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 ends of the earth we hear songs: “Praise the One Who is right and good.” But I say, “I waste away! I waste away! It is bad for me! The false ones are not faithful. Yes, their way is very false.”

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

Fear and the deep hole and the trap are before you, O people 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.

He who runs from the news of trouble will fall into a deep hole. And he who comes out of the hole will be caught in a trap. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the earth shakes.

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

The earth is broken in pieces. The earth is torn apart. The earth is very shaken.

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 turns from one side to the other side like a drunk man. It shakes like a tent because its sin is heavy upon it. It will fall, never to 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.

In that day the Lord will punish the powers of heaven above, and the kings of the earth below.

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.

They will be gathered together like those in a prison. They will be kept in a deep, dark prison, and after many days they will be punished.

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 dark and the sun will not shine, for the Lord of All will rule on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem. And in front of His leaders, He will let His shining-greatness be seen.