New Living Translation

1 Look! The LORD is about to destroy the earth<br>and make it a vast wasteland.<br>He devastates the surface of the earth<br>and scatters the people.<br> 2 Priests and laypeople,<br>servants and masters,<br>maids and mistresses,<br>buyers and sellers,<br>lenders and borrowers,<br>bankers and debtors — none will be spared.<br> 3 The earth will be completely emptied and looted.<br>The LORD has spoken!<br> 4 The earth mourns and dries up,<br>and the land wastes away and withers.<br>Even the greatest people on earth waste away.<br> 5 The earth suffers for the sins of its people,<br>for they have twisted God (Elohim)’s instructions,<br>violated his laws,<br>and broken his everlasting covenant.<br> 6 Therefore, a curse consumes the earth.<br>Its people must pay the price for their sin.<br>They are destroyed by fire,<br>and only a few are left alive.<br> 7 The grapevines waste away,<br>and there is no new wine.<br>All the merrymakers sigh and mourn.<br> 8 The cheerful sound of tambourines is stilled;<br>the happy cries of celebration are heard no more.<br>The melodious chords of the harp are silent.<br> 9 Gone are the joys of wine and song;<br>alcoholic drink turns bitter in the mouth.<br> 10 The city writhes in chaos;<br>every home is locked to keep out intruders.<br> 11 Mobs gather in the streets, crying out for wine.<br>Joy has turned to gloom.<br>Gladness has been banished from the land.<br> 12 The city is left in ruins,<br>its gates battered down.<br> 13 Throughout the earth the story is the same —<br>only a remnant is left,<br>like the stray olives left on the tree<br>or the few grapes left on the vine after harvest.<br> 14 But all who are left shout and sing for joy.<br>Those in the west praise the LORD’s majesty.<br> 15 In eastern lands, give glory to the LORD.<br>In the lands beyond the sea, praise the name of the LORD, the God (Elohim) of Israel.<br> 16 We hear songs of praise from the ends of the earth,<br>songs that give glory to the Righteous One!<br> But my heart is heavy with grief.<br>Weep for me, for I wither away.<br>Deceit still prevails,<br>and treachery is everywhere.<br> 17 Terror and traps and snares will be your lot,<br>you people of the earth.<br> 18 Those who flee in terror will fall into a trap,<br>and those who escape the trap will be caught in a snare.<br> Destruction falls like rain from the heavens;<br>the foundations of the earth shake.<br> 19 The earth has broken up.<br>It has utterly collapsed;<br>it is violently shaken.<br> 20 The earth staggers like a drunk.<br>It trembles like a tent in a storm.<br>It falls and will not rise again,<br>for the guilt of its rebellion is very heavy.<br> 21 In that day the LORD will punish the gods in the heavens<br>and the proud rulers of the nations on earth.<br> 22 They will be rounded up and put in prison.<br>They will be shut up in prison<br>and will finally be punished.<br> 23 Then the glory of the moon will wane,<br>and the brightness of the sun will fade,<br>for the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will rule on Mount Zion.<br>He will rule in great glory in Jerusalem,<br>in the sight of all the leaders of his people.<br>