Joel 2

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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, wail on my holy mountain, let all the inhabitants of the land be stirred up. For the day of the Lord is on its way; for it is near:
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 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and whirlwinds. Like the morning reaching over the mountains, they are a numerous and strong people. Nothing like them has existed since the beginning, nor will exist after them, even in the years of generation upon generation.
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 their face is a devouring fire, and behind them is a burning flame. The land before them is like a lush garden, and behind them is a desolate desert, and there is no one who can escape them.
4 They look like horses, like chargers they gal op on,	4 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, and they will rush forward like horsemen.
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 Like the sound of a four-horse chariot, they will leap over the tops of the mountains. Like the sound of a burning flame devouring stubble, they are as a strong people prepared for battle.
6 At the sight of them, people are appal ed and every face grows pale.	6 Before their face, the people will be tortured; each one’s appearance will retreat, as if into a jar.
7 Like fighting men they press forward, like warriors they scale the wal s, each marching straight ahead,not turning from his path;	7 They will rush forward, as if they were strong. Like valiant warriors, they will ascend the wall. The men will advance, each one on his own way, and they will not turn aside from their path.
8 they never jostle each other, each marches straight ahead: arrows fly, they stil press forward, neverbreaking ranks.	8 And each one will not hem in his brother; every one will walk in his own rough path. Moreover, they will drop through the breach and not be harmed.
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 will advance into the city; they will rush through the wall. They will scale the houses; they will go in through the windows, like a thief.
10 As they come on, the earth quakes, the skies tremble, sun and moon grow dark, the stars lose theirbrilliance.	10 Before their face, the earth has trembled, the heavens have been moved. The sun and moon have been obscured, and the stars have retracted their splendor.
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 And the Lord has bestowed his voice before the face of his army. For its military camps are very numerous; for they are strong and they carry out his word. For the day of the Lord is great and so very terrible, and who can withstand it?
12 'But now -- declares Yahweh- come back to me with al your heart, fasting, weeping, mourning.'	12 Now, therefore, the Lord says: “Be converted to me with your whole heart, in 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 And rend your hearts, and not your garments, and convert to the Lord your God. For he is gracious and merciful, patient and full of compassion, and steadfast despite ill will.
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 Who knows if he might convert and forgive, and bequeath a blessing after him, a sacrifice and a libation to 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, sanctify 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, sanctify the church, unite the elders, gather together the little ones and infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom depart from his bed, and the bride from her bridal 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 vestibule and the altar, the priests, the ministers of the Lord, will weep, and they will say: “Spare, O Lord, spare your people. And do not bequeath your inheritance into disgrace, so that the nations would rule 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 The Lord has been zealous for his land, and he has spared 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 And the Lord responded, and he said to his people: “Behold, I will send you grain and wine and oil, and you will again be filled with them. And I will no longer give you disgrace among the Gentiles.
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 And he who is from the North, I will drive far from you. And I will expel him into an impassable land, and into the desert, with his face opposite the Eastern sea, and his furthest part towards the furthest sea. And his stench will ascend, and his rottenness will ascend, because he has acted arrogantly.
21 Land, do not be afraid; be glad, rejoice, for Yahweh has done great things.	21 Earth, do not be afraid. Exult and rejoice. For the Lord has great esteem for what he has done.
22 Wild animals, do not be afraid; the desert pastures are green again, the trees bear fruit, vine and figtree yield their richness.	22 Animals of the countryside, do not be afraid. For the beauty of the wilderness has sprung forth. For the tree has borne its fruit. The fig tree and the vine have bestowed their virtue.
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 you, sons of Zion, exult and rejoice in the Lord your God. For he has given you a teacher of justice, and he will make the early and the late rains descend to you, just as it was in the beginning.
24 The threshing-floors wil be ful of grain, the vats overflow with wine and oil.	24 And the threshing floors will be filled with grain, and the presses will 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, and the beetle, and the mildew, and the caterpillar consumed: my great strength which I sent upon 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 And you will eat with enjoyment, and you will be satisfied, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked miracles with you, and my people will not be confounded forever.
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 will know that I am in the midst of Israel, and I am the Lord your God, and there is no other, and my people will not be confounded forever.
	28 And after this, it will happen that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy; your elders will dream dreams, and your youths will see visions.
	29 Moreover, in those days I will pour out my spirit upon my servants and handmaids.
	30 And I will grant wonders in the sky and on earth: blood and fire and the vapor of smoke.
	31 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord shall arrive.
	32 And it will happen that everyone who will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. For on Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and in the remnant whom the Lord will call, there will be salvation, just as the Lord has said.