Joel 2

1Blow a horn in Zion, || And shout in My holy hill, || All inhabitants of the earth tremble, || For the Day of YHWH is coming, for [it is] near!

2A day of darkness and thick darkness, || A day of cloud and thick darkness, || As darkness spread on the mountains, || A people numerous and mighty, || Like there has not been from of old, || And after it there is not again—Until the years of generation and generation.

3Before it fire has consumed, || And after it a flame burns, || As the Garden of Eden [is] the land before it, || And after it a wilderness—a desolation! And also there has not been to it an escape,

4As the appearance of horses [is] its appearance, || And as horsemen, so they run.

5As the noise of chariots, they skip on the tops of the mountains, || As the noise of a flame of fire devouring stubble, || As a mighty people set in array for battle.

6Pained are peoples from its face, || All faces have gathered paleness.

7They run as mighty ones, || As men of war they go up a wall, || And they each go in his own ways, || And they do not change their paths.

8And each does not press his brother, || They each go on in his way, || If they fall by the missile, they are not cut off.

9In the city they run to and fro, || On the wall they run, || Into houses they go up by the windows, || They go in as a thief.

10At their face the earth has trembled, || The heavens have shaken, || Sun and moon have been black, || And stars have gathered up their shining.

11And YHWH has given forth His voice before His force, || For His camp [is] very great, || For mighty [is] the doer of His word, || For great [is] the Day of YHWH—very fearful, || And who bears it?

12“And also now,” a declaration of YHWH, || “Turn back to Me with all your heart, || And with fasting, and with weeping, || And with lamentation.”

13And tear your heart, and not your garments, || And turn back to your God YHWH, || For He [is] gracious and merciful, || Slow to anger, and abundant in kindness, || And relenting from evil.

14Who knows—He turns back, || Indeed—He has relented, || And He has left behind Him a blessing, || A present and drink-offering of your God YHWH?

15Blow a horn in Zion, || Sanctify a fast—proclaim a restraint.

16Gather the people, sanctify an assembly, || Assemble the aged, || Gather infants and sucklings of the breasts, || Let a bridegroom go out from his inner chamber, || And a bride out of her closet.

17Let the priests weep between the porch and the altar, servants of YHWH, || And let them say: “Have pity, O YHWH, on Your people, || And do not give Your inheritance to reproach, || To the ruling over them of nations, || Why do they say among peoples, Where [is] their God?”

18And let YHWH be zealous for His land, || And have pity on His people.

19Let YHWH answer and say to His people, || “Behold, I am sending to you the grain, || And the new wine, and the oil, || And you have been satisfied with it, || And I make you no longer a reproach among nations,

20And the northern I put far off from you, || And have driven him to a land dry and desolate, || With his face toward the Eastern Sea, || And his rear to the Western Sea, || And his stink has come up, || And his stench comes up, || For he has exerted himself to work.”

21Do not fear, O land! Be glad and rejoice, || For YHWH has exerted Himself to work.

22Do not fear, O livestock of the field! For pastures of a wilderness have sprung up, || For the tree has borne its fruit, || Fig tree and vine have given their strength!

23And you sons of Zion, || Be glad and rejoice in your God YHWH, || For He has given to you the Teacher for righteousness, || And causes a shower to come down to you, || Early rain and spring rain [as] in the beginning.

24And the floors have been full [with] pure grain, || And the presses have overflown [with] new wine and oil.

25“And I have repaid to you the years that the locust consumed, || The cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, || My great force that I sent against you.

26And you have eaten, eating and being satisfied, || And have praised the Name of your God YHWH, || Who has dealt with you wonderfully, || And My people are not ashamed for all time.

27And you have known that I [am] in the midst of Israel, || And I [am] your God YHWH, and there is none else, || And My people are not ashamed for all time.

28And it has come to pass afterward, || I pour out My Spirit on all flesh, || And your sons and your daughters have prophesied, || Your old men dream dreams, || Your young men see visions.

29And also on the menservants and on the maidservants, || In those days I pour out My Spirit.

30And I have given wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood, and fire, and columns of smoke.

31The sun is turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, || Before the coming of the Day of YHWH, || The great and the fearful.

32And it has come to pass, || Everyone who calls on the Name of YHWH is delivered, || For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there is an escape, || As YHWH has said, || And among the remnants whom YHWH is calling!”