Isaiah 24:1-12

English Standard Version

Judgment on the Whole Earth

24 Behold, ^(A)the Lord will empty the earth^[a] and make it desolate,
    and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.
²^(B)And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest;
    as with the slave, so with his master;
    as with the maid, so with her mistress;
^(C)as with the buyer, so with the seller;
    as with the lender, so with the borrower;
    ^(D)as with the creditor, so with the debtor.
³^(E)The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered;
    ^(F)for the Lord has spoken this word.

⁴^(G)The earth mourns and withers;
    the world languishes and withers;
    the highest people of the earth languish.
⁵The earth lies ^(H)defiled
    under its inhabitants;
for ^(I)they have transgressed the laws,
    violated the statutes,
    broken the everlasting covenant.
⁶Therefore ^(J)a curse devours the earth,
    and its inhabitants ^(K)suffer for their guilt;
therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched,
    and few men are left.
⁷^(L)The wine mourns,
    the vine languishes,
    all the merry-hearted sigh.
⁸^(M)The mirth of the tambourines is stilled,
    the noise of the jubilant has ceased,
    the mirth of the lyre is stilled.
⁹No more do they drink wine ^(N)with singing;
    strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.
¹⁰^(O)The wasted city is broken down;
    ^(P)every house is shut up so that none can enter.
¹¹^(Q)There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine;
    ^(R)all joy has grown dark;
    the gladness of the earth is banished.
¹²Desolation is left in the city;
    the gates are battered into ruins.