1Behold, YHWH empties the earth and lays it waste, and he distorts its face and scatters its inhabitants.
2And it shall be, as the people, so the priest; as the servant, so his master; as the maidservant, so her mistress; as the buyer, so the seller; as the lender, so the borrower; as the creditor, so the debtor.
3The earth shall be utterly emptied and utterly spoiled; for YHWH has spoken this word.
4The earth mourns and withers, the world languishes and withers; the lofty of the people of the earth languish.
5And the earth is defiled under its inhabitants; because they transgressed the Torah, violated the statute (choq), broke the everlasting covenant (berit).
6Therefore a curse devours the earth, and those who dwell in it are held guilty; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched, and few men are left.
7The new wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry of heart sigh.
8The mirth of the timbrels has shabbatted, the noise of the jubilant has ceased, the mirth of the harp has shabbatted.
9With a song they do not drink wine; strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.
10The city of chaos is broken down; every house is shut, that none may enter.
11There is an outcry over the wine in the streets; all joy has grown dark, the mirth of the earth is gone.
12In the city is left desolation, and the gate is beaten to ruins.
13For thus it shall be in the midst of the earth, among the peoples, as the beating of an olive tree, as gleanings when the grape-harvest is finished.
14They lift up their voice, they sing aloud; for the majesty of YHWH they cry out from the sea.
15Therefore in the lights glorify YHWH, in the coastlands of the sea the name of YHWH, the God of Israel.
16From the edge of the earth we heard songs: "Glory to the righteous." But I said, "Leanness to me, leanness to me, woe to me! The treacherous deal treacherously, and with treachery the treacherous deal treacherously."
17Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth.
18And it shall be, he who flees from the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who comes up from the midst of the pit shall be caught in the snare; for the windows on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth shake.
19The earth is utterly broken, the earth is utterly split apart, the earth is utterly shaken.
20The earth staggers to and fro like a drunkard, and it sways like a hut; and its transgression is heavy upon it, and it falls and does not rise again.
21And it shall be in that day, that YHWH will punish the host of the height on high, and the kings of the ground (adamah) upon the ground (adamah).
22And they shall be gathered, a gathering of prisoners in a pit, and they shall be shut up in a dungeon; and after many days they shall be visited.
23And the moon shall be abashed, and the sun ashamed; for YHWH of hosts (tzevaot) reigns in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his elders is glory.