Locusts and an Enemy Army
1 Sound the trumpet on Zion,
the Lord's sacred hill.
Warn everyone to tremble!
The judgment day of the Lord
is coming soon.
2 It will be dark and gloomy
with storm clouds overhead.
Troops will cover the mountains
like thunderclouds.
No army this powerful
has ever been gathered before
or will be gathered again.
3 Fiery flames surround them;
no one escapes.
Before they invaded,
the land was like Eden;
now only a desert remains.
4 They look like horses
and charge like cavalry.
5 They roar over mountains
like noisy chariots,
or a mighty army
ready for battle.
They are a forest fire
that feasts on straw.
6 The very sight of them
is frightening.
7 They climb over walls
like warriors;
they march in columns
and never turn aside.
8 They charge straight ahead,
without pushing each other;
even arrows and spears
cannot make them retreat.
9 They swarm over city walls
and enter our homes;
they crawl in through windows,
just like thieves.
10 They make the earth tremble
and the heavens shake;
the sun and moon turn dark,
and stars stop shining.
11 The Lord God leads this army
of countless troops,
and they obey his commands.
The day of his judgment
is so terrible
that no one can stand it.
The Lord's Invitation
12 The Lord said:
It isn't too late.
You can still return to me
with all your heart.
Start crying and mourning!
Go without eating.
13 Don't rip your clothes
to show your sorrow.
Instead, turn back to me
with broken hearts.
I am merciful, kind, and caring.
I don't easily lose my temper,
and I don't like to punish.
14 I am the Lord your God.
Perhaps I will change my mind
and treat you with mercy.
Then you will be blessed
with enough grain and wine
for offering sacrifices to me.
15 Sound the trumpet on Zion!
Call the people together.
Show your sorrow
by going without food.
16 Make sure that everyone
is fit to worship me.
Bring adults, children, babies,
and even bring newlyweds
from their festivities.
17 Tell my servants, the priests,
to cry inside the temple
and to offer this prayer
near the altar:
“Save your people, Lord God!
Don't let foreign nations
make jokes about us.
Don't let them laugh and ask,
‘Where is your God?’ ”
The Lord Will Bless the Land
18 The Lord was deeply concerned
about his land
and had pity on his people.
19 In answer to their prayers
he said,
“I will give you enough grain,
wine, and olive oil
to satisfy your needs.
No longer will I let you
be insulted by the nations.
20 An army attacked from the north,
but I will chase it
into a scorching desert.
There it will rot and stink
from the Dead Sea
to the Mediterranean.”
The Lord works wonders
21 and does great things.
So tell the soil to celebrate
22 and wild animals
to stop being afraid.
Grasslands are green again;
fruit trees and fig trees
are loaded with fruit.
Grapevines are covered
with grapes.
23 People of Zion,
celebrate in honor
of the Lord your God!
He is generous and has sent
the autumn and spring rains
in the proper seasons.
24 Grain will cover
your threshing places;
jars will overflow
with wine and olive oil.
The Lord Will Rescue His People
25 I, the Lord your God,
will make up for the losses
caused by those swarms
and swarms of locusts
I sent to attack you.
26 My people, you will eat
until you are satisfied.
Then you will praise me
for the wonderful things
I have done.
Never again will you
be put to shame.
27 Israel, you will know
that I stand at your side.
I am the Lord your God—
there are no other gods.
Never again will you
be put to shame.
The Lord Will Work Wonders
The Lord said:
28 Later, I will give my Spirit
to everyone.
Your sons and daughters
will prophesy.
Your old men
will have dreams,
and your young men
will see visions.
29 In those days I will even give
my Spirit to my servants,
both men and women.
30 I will work wonders
in the sky above
and on the earth below.
There will be blood and fire
and clouds of smoke.
31 The sun will turn dark,
and the moon
will be as red as blood
before that great
and terrible day
when I appear.
32 Then I, the Lord will save everyone who faithfully worships me. I have promised there will be survivors on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and among them will be my chosen ones.
Siseņu uzbrukums
1 Pūtiet Ciānā ragu,
taurējiet manā svētajā kalnā,
lai trīc visi, kas mīt uz zemes,
jo nāk Kunga diena –
tā tuvu!
2 Tumsas un krēslas diena,
mākoņu un miglas diena
kā melnums pār kalniem plešas –
branga un stipra tauta,
tādas kā tā nav bijis nemūžam!
Un tādas vairs nebūs audžu audzēs!
3 Tiem pa priekšu rij uguns,
tiem nopakaļ laizās liesma,
pirms tiem zeme kā Ēdenes dārzs,
tiem nopakaļ izdeldēts tuksnesis!
Neviens no tiem neizglābsies!
4 Tiem paskats kā zirgiem,
un kā rumaki viņi skrien!
5 Kā ratu rīboņa pār kalniem tie brāžas,
kā uguns liesma, kas salmus rij,
kā branga tauta, kas sataisījusies karam!
6 Tautas to priekšā kauc –
visiem nu piesarcis vaigs!
7 Kā stiprinieki tie skrien,
kā karavīri tie rāpjas pār mūriem –
visi dodas pa savu ceļu,
nenovirzās no savas takas!
8 Viens otru tie nekavē –
ik vīrs dodas pa savu taku,
tie savus ieročus tver –
nav apturami!
9 Tie pilsētai virsū metas,
skrej pāri mūriem,
rāpjas mājās pa logiem –
kā zagļi tie nāk!
10 To priekšā trīc zeme, dreb debesis,
saule un mēness tumst,
un zvaigznes mitējas starot!
11 Kungs ceļ balsi uz savu karaspēku,
jo varen brangs ir viņa pulks,
jo varens ir tas, kas pilda viņa sacīto,
jo liela ir Kunga diena,
jo bijājama, – kas gan to izturēs?
Saplosiet savas sirdis, ne drānas!
12 Un vēl tagad Kungs saka:
“Atgriezieties pie manis no visas sirds,
gavējiet, raudiet un sērojiet!”
13 Plosiet savas sirdis, ne drānas
un atgriezieties pie Kunga, sava Dieva,
jo viņš ir žēlīgs un līdzcietīgs,
gauss dusmās un dāsns žēlastībā,
viņš rimsies no ļauna!
14 Kas zina – varbūt viņš atkal rimsies,
un pēc tam atkal nāks svētība,
labības dāvana un lejamais upuris
Kungam, jūsu Dievam.
15 Pūtiet Ciānā ragu,
gavēni svētiet,
sasauciet sapulci!
16 Pulciniet ļaudis,
svētiet sapulci,
aiciniet kopā vecajos,
pulciniet bērnus un zīdaiņus,
lai līgavainis iznāk no savas istabas
un līgava no sava kāzu pajuma!
17 No lieveņa līdz pat altārim lai priesteri raud,
kas kalpo Kungam, lai saka:
taupi, Kungs, savu tautu,
nepadari savu mantojumu par apsmieklu,
ko svešām tautām paļāt, –
kādēļ ļaut tautām mēļot:
kur tad ir viņu Dievs?
Dieva atbilde
18 Kungs bija greizsirdīgs savas zemes dēļ –
viņš žēloja savu tautu!
19 Tad Kungs runāja un sacīja savai tautai:
“Redzi, es jums došu maizi, jaunvīnu un eļļu –
jums būs līdz sātam! –
es jūs vairs nedarīšu par apsmieklu svešām tautām.
20 Ziemeļniekus es no jums padzīšu,
aiztriekšu tos uz zemi, izkaltušu un izdeldētu,
tos, kas priekšā, – Austrumu jūrā,
tos, kas nopakaļ, – Rietumu jūrā,
no tiem smirdoņa celsies, tie sapūs –
jo viņš vareni dara!
21 Nebīsties, zeme!
Līksmo un priecājies,
jo Kungs vareni dara!
22 Nebīstieties, lauka zvēri!
Sazaļos tuksneša pļavas,
koki dos augļus,
vīģes koki un vīnakoki dos ražu!
23 Un jūs, Ciānas dēli, –
līksmojiet un priecājieties
par Kungu, savu Dievu,
jo viņš taisnīgi licis lietum nolīt pār jums,
licis, lai pār jums nolīst lītavas,
agrie un vēlīnie lieti kā iepriekš.
24 Kuļamkloni būs labības pilni,
un krūkas pludos no vīna un eļļas!
25 Es jums gandarīšu tos gadus,
kad jūs ēda siseņi, sienāži, vaguļi un cirmeņi –
mans varenais karaspēks,
ko biju jums uzsūtījis!
26 Ēstin jūs ēdīsiet līdz sātam,
slavēsiet Kunga, sava Dieva, vārdu,
kas jums darījis brīnumu lietas, –
mana tauta vairs netiks kaunā nemūžam!
27 Tad jūs zināsiet, ka es esmu Israēlā!
Es esmu Kungs, jūsu Dievs, cita nav!
Mana tauta vairs netiks kaunā nemūžam!
