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

Behold, Jehovah maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

2 W hat 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.

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 creditor, so with the debtor; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest to him.

3 A ll the earth will be laid waste and destroyed, for the Lord has said this.

The earth shall be utterly emptied, and utterly laid waste; for Jehovah hath spoken this word.

4 T he earth cries in sorrow and wastes away. The world becomes weak with sorrow and wastes away, together with the honored people of the earth.

The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the lofty people of the earth do languish.

5 T he 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.

The earth also is polluted under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.

6 S o 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.

Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are found guilty: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

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

The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merry-hearted do sigh.

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

The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.

9 T hey do not drink wine with singing. Strong drink tastes bad to those who drink it.

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

10 T he city of trouble is broken down. Every house is shut up so no one may go in.

The waste city is broken down; every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

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

There is a crying in the streets because of the wine; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.

12 T he city is laid waste. The gate is broken to pieces.

In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.

13 F or 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.

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

These shall lift up their voice, they shall shout; for the majesty of Jehovah they cry aloud from the sea.

15 S o honor the Lord in the east. Honor the name of the Lord God of Israel in the islands of the sea.

Wherefore glorify ye Jehovah in the east, even the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel, in the isles of the sea.

16 F rom 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.”

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; yea, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously.

17 F ear and the deep hole and the trap are before you, O people of the earth.

Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.

18 H e 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.

And 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 on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.

19 T he earth is broken in pieces. The earth is torn apart. The earth is very shaken.

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

20 T he 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.

The earth shall stagger like a drunken man, and shall sway to and fro like a hammock; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall, and not rise again.

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

And it shall come to pass in that day, that Jehovah will punish the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.

22 T hey 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.

And 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 T hen 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.

Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Jehovah of hosts will reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders shall be glory.