✧Behold, Jehovah maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. ✧2And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest to him. ✧3The earth shall be utterly emptied, and utterly laid waste; for Jehovah hath spoken this word. ✧4The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the lofty people of the earth do languish. ✧5The earth also is polluted under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. ✧6Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are found guilty: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. ✧7The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merry-hearted do sigh. ✧8The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth. ✧9They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it. ✧10The waste city is broken down; every house is shut up, that no man may come in. ✧11There is a crying in the streets because of the wine; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. ✧12In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction. ✧13For thus shall it be in the midst of the earth among the peoples, as the shaking of an olive-tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is done. ✧14These shall lift up their voice, they shall shout; for the majesty of Jehovah they cry aloud from the sea. ✧15Wherefore glorify ye Jehovah in the east, even the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel, in the isles of the sea. ✧16From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs: Glory to the righteous. But I said, I pine away, I pine away, woe is me! the treacherous have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously. ✧17Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth. ✧18And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. ✧19The earth is utterly broken, the earth is rent asunder, the earth is shaken violently. ✧20The earth shall stagger like a drunken man, and shall sway to and fro like a hammock; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall, and not rise again. ✧21And it shall come to pass in that day, that Jehovah will punish the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. ✧22And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison; and after many days shall they be visited. ✧23Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Jehovah of hosts will reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders shall be glory.
American Standard Version (ASV). American Standard Version (1901). Public domain.