1Hør efter! Herren gør jorden[1] tom og øde. Han lægger Israels land øde og spreder dets indbyggere.2Det går menigmand som præst, slave som herre, slavepige som frue, køber som sælger, udlåner som låner. Ikke en eneste undslipper.3Landet bliver plyndret totalt og tømt. Det er Herrens ord.4-5Befolkningen vil lide under følgen af deres synder. Jorden vrider sig i smerte, og afgrøderne visner, for himlen nægter at give regn. Landet er ødelagt af ondskab og forbrydelser. Folket har overtrådt Guds lov og brudt hans ubrydelige pagt.6Derfor hænger Guds forbandelse over dem, og de må bære straffen for deres synd. Befolkningen svinder ind, og kun få vil overleve.7Vinhøsten er slået fejl, vinen er brugt op og lystigheden vendt til sorg.8Harpens melodiøse akkorder og tamburinens lystige rytmer er forstummet, al jubel er ophørt.9Ingen vin kan inspirere til sang, og øllet smager bittert.10Tomhedens by er brudt ned. Alle døre er låste og barrikaderede.11Folk strejfer om i gaderne og råber på vin. Glæden er gået i sort, lystigheden forsvundet.12Byen er ødelagt, dens porte slået ind.13Som når man har slået oliven ned fra træets grene eller plukket druer i vinmarken, sådan bliver det blandt alle folkeslagene ud over jorden: kun en rest bliver tilbage.14Men de, som er tilbage, skal råbe højt af glæde. I Vesten lovsynger de Guds storhed.15-16I Østen skal lovsangen give ekko tilbage. Fjerne øer skal lovprise Herren, Israels Herre. Fra jordens ender synger de: „Æren er Guds, for han er retfærdig.” Men mit hjerte er tungt af sorg, jeg holder det ikke ud. Ondskaben vinder stadig frem, troløshed ligger på lur overalt.17Terror, ulykker og undertrykkelse rammer alle jordens folk.18Undslipper I terror, vil I styrte i en faldgrube. Kravler I op af faldgruben, bliver I fanget i en fælde. Straffen kommer ned fra himlen. Jorden ryster i sin grundvold.19Den slår revner og bryder sammen, ryster og skælver.20Verden vakler som en beruset, svajer som et faldefærdigt skur. Den segner under vægten af sin skyld og rejser sig ikke igen.21Til den tid vil Herren straffe himlens åndemagter såvel som jordens stolte herskere.22De bliver stuvet sammen som fanger og lænket i mørkets hule. Der må de vente til dommens dag.23Fuldmånen vil skjule sit ansigt og solen gemme sig væk, for Herren, den Almægtige, skal regere fra Zions bjerg i Jerusalem, og hans folks ledere skal se hans herlighed.
1Behold, the Lord will empty the earth[1] and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. (Es 13,9)2And 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; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor. (Es 3,1; Jer 15,10; Klag 4,16; Ez 7,12; Hos 4,9)3The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered; for the Lord has spoken this word. (Es 1,20; Es 24,1; Es 24,6)4The earth mourns and withers; the world languishes and withers; the highest people of the earth languish. (Es 16,8; Hos 4,3)5The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. (4.Mos 35,33; Es 2,6; Es 2,8)6Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched, and few men are left. (Salm 5,10; Zak 5,3)7The wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted sigh. (Joel 1,10; Joel 1,12)8The mirth of the tambourines is stilled, the noise of the jubilant has ceased, the mirth of the lyre is stilled. (Jer 7,34; Hos 2,11; Amos 8,10)9No more do they drink wine with singing; strong drink is bitter to those who drink it. (Amos 6,5)10The wasted city is broken down; every house is shut up so that none can enter. (Es 23,1; Es 34,11)11There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine; all joy has grown dark; the gladness of the earth is banished. (Salm 144,14; Es 24,7; Joel 1,5; Joel 1,12)12Desolation is left in the city; the gates are battered into ruins.13For thus it shall be in the midst of the earth among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten, as at the gleaning when the grape harvest is done. (Es 17,6; Mika 7,1)14They lift up their voices, they sing for joy; over the majesty of the Lord they shout from the west.[2]15Therefore in the east[3] give glory to the Lord; in the coastlands of the sea, give glory to the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. (Es 45,6)16From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of glory to the Righteous One. But I say, “I waste away, I waste away. Woe is me! For the traitors have betrayed, with betrayal the traitors have betrayed.” (Es 21,2; Es 24,14; Es 26,2; Es 33,1; Es 60,21)17Terror and the pit and the snare[4] are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth! (Job 20,24; Jer 48,43; Amos 5,19)18He who flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. (1.Mos 7,11; Salm 18,7; Es 24,17)19The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken.20The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again. (Es 19,14; Es 24,5; Es 29,9)21On that day the Lord will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth. (Salm 76,12; Es 10,12; Es 31,8)22They will be gathered together as prisoners in a pit; they will be shut up in a prison, and after many days they will be punished. (Es 29,6; Mika 4,11)23Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, for the Lord of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and his glory will be before his elders. (Salm 99,1; Es 13,10; Mika 4,7)