Joel 2

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Blow the ram's-horn in Zion, sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let everybody in the countrytremble, for the Day of Yahweh is coming, yes, it is near.	1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all who dwell in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming;
2 Day of darkness and gloom, Day of cloud and blackness. Like the dawn, across the mountains spreadsa vast and mighty people, such as has never been before, such as wil never be again to the remotest ages.	2 Yes, it is near, a day of darkness and of gloom, a day of clouds and somberness! Like dawn spreading over the mountains, a people numerous and mighty! Their like has not been from of old, nor will it be after them, even to the years of distant generations.
3 In their van a fire devours, in their rear a flame consumes. The country is like a garden of Eden ahead ofthem and a desert waste behind them. Nothing escapes them.	3 Before them a fire devours, and after them a flame enkindles; Like the garden of Eden is the land before them, and after them a desert waste; from them there is no escape.
4 They look like horses, like chargers they gal op on,	4 Their appearance is that of horses; like steeds they run.
5 with a racket like that of chariots they spring over the mountain tops, with a crackling like a blazing firedevouring the stubble, a mighty army in battle array.	5 As with the rumble of chariots they leap on the mountaintops; As with the crackling of a fiery flame devouring stubble; Like a mighty people arrayed for battle.
6 At the sight of them, people are appal ed and every face grows pale.	6 Before them peoples are in torment, every face blanches.
7 Like fighting men they press forward, like warriors they scale the wal s, each marching straight ahead,not turning from his path;	7 Like warriors they run, like soldiers they scale the wall; They advance, each in his own lane, without swerving from their paths.
8 they never jostle each other, each marches straight ahead: arrows fly, they stil press forward, neverbreaking ranks.	8 No one crowds another, each advances in his own track; Though they fall into the ditches, they are not checked.
9 They hurl themselves at the city, they leap onto the wal s, swarm up the houses, getting in through thewindows like thieves.	9 They assault the city, they run upon the wall, they climb into the houses; In at the windows they come like thieves.
10 As they come on, the earth quakes, the skies tremble, sun and moon grow dark, the stars lose theirbrilliance.	10 Before them the earth trembles, the heavens shake; The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withhold their brightness.
11 Yahweh's voice rings out at the head of his troops! For mighty indeed is his army, strong, the enforcerof his orders, for great is the Day of Yahweh, and very terrible -- who can face it?	11 The LORD raises his voice at the head of his army; For immense indeed is his camp, yes, mighty, and it does his bidding. For great is the day of the LORD, and exceedingly terrible; who can bear it?
12 'But now -- declares Yahweh- come back to me with al your heart, fasting, weeping, mourning.'	12 Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;
13 Tear your hearts and not your clothes, and come back to Yahweh your God, for he is gracious andcompassionate, slow to anger, rich in faithful love, and he relents about inflicting disaster.	13 Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment.
14 Who knows if he wil not come back, relent and leave a blessing behind him, a cereal offering and alibation to be presented to Yahweh your God?	14 Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing, Offerings and libations for the LORD, your God.
15 Blow the ram's-horn in Zion! Order a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly,	15 Blow the trumpet in Zion! proclaim a fast, call an assembly;
16 cal the people together, summon the community, assemble the elders, gather the children, eveninfants at the breast! Call the bridegroom from his bedroom and the bride from her bower!	16 Gather the people, notify the congregation; Assemble the elders, gather the children and the infants at the breast; Let the bridegroom quit his room, and the bride her chamber.
17 Let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, stand weeping between portico and altar, saying, 'Spare yourpeople, Yahweh! Do not expose your heritage to the contempt, to the sarcasm of the nations! Why give thepeoples cause to say, "Where is their God?" '	17 Between the porch and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep, And say, "Spare, O LORD, your people, and make not your heritage a reproach, with the nations ruling over them! Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"
18 Then, becoming jealous over his country, Yahweh took pity on his people.	18 Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land and took pity on his people.
19 Yahweh said in answer to his people, 'Now I shal send you wheat, wine and olive oil until you haveenough. Never again wil I expose you to the contempt of the nations.	19 The LORD answered and said to his people: See, I will send you grain, and wine, and oil, and you shall be filled with them; No more will I make you a reproach among the nations.
20 I shal take the northerner far away from you and drive him into an arid, desolate land, his vanguard tothe eastern sea, his rearguard to the western sea. He wil give off a stench, he wil give off a foul stink (for whathe made bold to do).'	20 No, the northerner I will remove far from you, and drive him out into a land arid and waste, With his van toward the eastern sea, and his rear toward the western sea; And his foulness shall go up, and his stench shall go up.
21 Land, do not be afraid; be glad, rejoice, for Yahweh has done great things.	21 Fear not, O land! exult and rejoice! for the LORD has done great things.
22 Wild animals, do not be afraid; the desert pastures are green again, the trees bear fruit, vine and figtree yield their richness.	22 Fear not, beasts of the field! for the pastures of the plain are green; The tree bears its fruit, the fig tree and the vine give their yield.
23 Sons of Zion, be glad, rejoice in Yahweh your God; for he has given you autumn rain as justicedemands, and he wil send the rains down for you, the autumn and spring rain as of old.	23 And do you, O children of Zion, exult and rejoice in the LORD, your God! He has given you the teacher of justice: he has made the rain come down for you, the early and the late rain as before.
24 The threshing-floors wil be ful of grain, the vats overflow with wine and oil.	24 The threshing floors shall be full of grain and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
25 'I will make up to you for the years devoured by grown locust and hopper, by shearer and younglocust, my great army which I sent to invade you.	25 And I will repay you for the years which the locust has eaten, The grasshopper, the devourer, and the cutter, my great army which I sent among you.
26 'You will eat to your heart's content, and praise the name of Yahweh your God who has treated you sowonderful y. (My people will never be humiliated again!)	26 You shall eat and be filled, and shall praise the name of the LORD, your God, Because he has dealt wondrously with you; my people shall nevermore be put to shame.
27 'And you will know that I am among you in Israel, I, Yahweh your God, and no one else. My people willnever be humiliated again!'	27 And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel; I am the LORD, your God, and there is no other; my people shall nevermore be put to shame.