Joel 1:1-2:17

New International Version

⁵ Wake up, you drunkards, and weep!
    Wail, all you drinkers of wine;^(L)
wail because of the new wine,
    for it has been snatched^(M) from your lips.
⁶ A nation has invaded my land,
    a mighty army without number;^(N)
it has the teeth^(O) of a lion,
    the fangs of a lioness.
⁷ It has laid waste^(P) my vines
    and ruined my fig trees.^(Q)
It has stripped off their bark
    and thrown it away,
    leaving their branches white.

⁸ Mourn like a virgin in sackcloth^(R)
    grieving for the betrothed of her youth.
⁹ Grain offerings and drink offerings^(S)
    are cut off from the house of the Lord.
The priests are in mourning,^(T)
    those who minister before the Lord.
¹⁰ The fields are ruined,
    the ground is dried up;^(U)
the grain is destroyed,
    the new wine^(V) is dried up,
    the olive oil fails.^(W)

¹¹ Despair, you farmers,^(X)
    wail, you vine growers;
grieve for the wheat and the barley,^(Y)
    because the harvest of the field is destroyed.^(Z)
12 The vine is dried up
    and the fig tree is withered;^(AA)
the pomegranate,^(AB) the palm and the apple^[b] tree—
    all the trees of the field—are dried up.^(AC)
Surely the people’s joy
    is withered away.

¹⁵ Alas for that^(AK) day!
    For the day of the Lord^(AL) is near;
    it will come like destruction from the Almighty.^[c](AM)

¹⁶ Has not the food been cut off^(AN)
    before our very eyes—
joy and gladness^(AO)
    from the house of our God?^(AP)
17 The seeds are shriveled
    beneath the clods.^[d](AQ)
The storehouses are in ruins,
    the granaries have been broken down,
    for the grain has dried up.
¹⁸ How the cattle moan!
    The herds mill about
because they have no pasture;^(AR)
    even the flocks of sheep are suffering.^(AS)

¹⁹ To you, Lord, I call,^(AT)
    for fire^(AU) has devoured the pastures^(AV) in the wilderness
    and flames have burned up all the trees of the field.
²⁰ Even the wild animals pant for you;^(AW)
    the streams of water have dried up^(AX)
    and fire has devoured the pastures^(AY) in the wilderness.

Let all who live in the land tremble,
    for the day of the Lord^(BC) is coming.
It is close at hand^(BD)—
²     a day of darkness^(BE) and gloom,^(BF)
    a day of clouds^(BG) and blackness.^(BH)
Like dawn spreading across the mountains
    a large and mighty army^(BI) comes,
such as never was in ancient times^(BJ)
    nor ever will be in ages to come.

³ Before them fire^(BK) devours,
    behind them a flame blazes.
Before them the land is like the garden of Eden,^(BL)
    behind them, a desert waste^(BM)—
    nothing escapes them.
⁴ They have the appearance of horses;^(BN)
    they gallop along like cavalry.
⁵ With a noise like that of chariots^(BO)
    they leap over the mountaintops,
like a crackling fire^(BP) consuming stubble,
    like a mighty army drawn up for battle.

⁶ At the sight of them, nations are in anguish;^(BQ)
    every face turns pale.^(BR)
7 They charge like warriors;^(BS)
    they scale walls like soldiers.
They all march in line,^(BT)
    not swerving^(BU) from their course.
⁸ They do not jostle each other;
    each marches straight ahead.
They plunge through defenses
    without breaking ranks.
⁹ They rush upon the city;
    they run along the wall.
They climb into the houses;^(BV)
    like thieves they enter through the windows.^(BW)

¹⁰ Before them the earth shakes,^(BX)
    the heavens tremble,^(BY)
the sun and moon are darkened,^(BZ)
    and the stars no longer shine.^(CA)
11 The Lord^(CB) thunders^(CC)
    at the head of his army;^(CD)
his forces are beyond number,
    and mighty is the army that obeys his command.
The day of the Lord is great;^(CE)
    it is dreadful.
    Who can endure it?^(CF)

¹³ Rend your heart^(CI)
    and not your garments.^(CJ)
Return^(CK) to the Lord your God,
    for he is gracious and compassionate,^(CL)
slow to anger and abounding in love,^(CM)
    and he relents from sending calamity.^(CN)
14 Who knows? He may turn^(CO) and relent^(CP)
    and leave behind a blessing^(CQ)—
grain offerings and drink offerings^(CR)
    for the Lord your God.

¹⁵ Blow the trumpet^(CS) in Zion,^(CT)
    declare a holy fast,^(CU)
    call a sacred assembly.^(CV)
16 Gather the people,
    consecrate^(CW) the assembly;
bring together the elders,^(CX)
    gather the children,
    those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom^(CY) leave his room
    and the bride her chamber.
¹⁷ Let the priests, who minister^(CZ) before the Lord,
    weep^(DA) between the portico and the altar.^(DB)
Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.
    Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,^(DC)
    a byword^(DD) among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
    ‘Where is their God?^(DE)’”