The Earth Judged
1
Look, the Lord is stripping the earth bare
and making it desolate.
He will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants:
2 and making it desolate.
He will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants:
people and priest alike,
servant and master,
female servant and mistress,
buyer and seller,
lender and borrower,
creditor and debtor.
3 servant and master,
female servant and mistress,
buyer and seller,
lender and borrower,
creditor and debtor.
The earth will be stripped completely bare
and will be totally plundered,
for the Lord has spoken this message.(A)
and will be totally plundered,
for the Lord has spoken this message.(A)
4
The earth mourns and withers;
the world wastes away and withers;
the exalted people of the earth waste away.
5
6 the world wastes away and withers;
the exalted people of the earth waste away.
Therefore a curse has consumed the earth,(D)
and its inhabitants have become guilty;
the earth’s inhabitants have been burned,
and only a few survive.
7
8 and its inhabitants have become guilty;
the earth’s inhabitants have been burned,
and only a few survive.
The joyful tambourines(F) have ceased.
The noise of the jubilant has stopped.
The joyful lyre has ceased.
9 The noise of the jubilant has stopped.
The joyful lyre has ceased.
They no longer sing and drink wine;
beer is bitter to those who drink it.
10
11
12 beer is bitter to those who drink it.
Only desolation remains in the city;
its gate has collapsed in ruins.
13 its gate has collapsed in ruins.
For this is how it will be on earth
among the nations:
like a harvested olive tree,
like a gleaning after a grape harvest.(I)
among the nations:
like a harvested olive tree,
like a gleaning after a grape harvest.(I)
14
They raise their voices, they sing out;
they proclaim in the west
the majesty of the Lord.
15 they proclaim in the west
the majesty of the Lord.
Therefore, in the east honor the Lord!
In the islands of the west
honor the name of Yahweh,
the God of Israel.
16 In the islands of the west
honor the name of Yahweh,
the God of Israel.
But I said, “I waste away! I waste away!(b)
Woe is me.”
The treacherous act treacherously;
the treacherous deal very treacherously.(K)
Woe is me.”
The treacherous act treacherously;
the treacherous deal very treacherously.(K)
17
18
19
The earth is completely devastated;
the earth is split open;
the earth is violently shaken.
20 the earth is split open;
the earth is violently shaken.
The earth staggers like a drunkard(P)
and sways like a hut.
Earth’s rebellion weighs it down,
and it falls, never to rise again.
and sways like a hut.
Earth’s rebellion weighs it down,
and it falls, never to rise again.