The Locusts as a Warning of the Day of the Lord
1 Blow the trumpet; sound the alarm
on Zion, God's sacred hill.
Tremble, people of Judah!
The day of the Lord is coming soon.
2 It will be a dark and gloomy day,
a black and cloudy day.
The great army of locusts advances
like darkness spreading over the mountains.
There has never been anything like it,
and there never will be again.
3 Like fire they eat up the plants.
In front of them the land is like the Garden of Eden,
but behind them it is a barren desert.
Nothing escapes them.
4 They look like horses;
they run like war-horses.
5 As they leap on the tops of the mountains,
they rattle like chariots;
they crackle like dry grass on fire.
They are lined up like a great army ready for battle.
6 As they approach, everyone is terrified;
every face turns pale.
7 They attack like warriors;
they climb the walls like soldiers.
They all keep marching straight ahead
and do not change direction
8 or get in each other's way.
They swarm through defenses,
and nothing can stop them.
9 They rush against the city;
they run over the walls;
they climb up the houses
and go in through the windows like thieves.
10 The earth shakes as they advance;
the sky trembles.
The sun and the moon grow dark,
and the stars no longer shine.
11 The Lord thunders commands to his army.
The troops that obey him
are many and mighty.
How terrible is the day of the Lord!
Who will survive it?
A Call to Repentance
12 “But even now,” says the Lord,
“repent sincerely and return to me
with fasting and weeping and mourning.
13 Let your broken heart show your sorrow;
tearing your clothes is not enough.”
Come back to the Lord your God.
He is kind and full of mercy;
he is patient and keeps his promise;
he is always ready to forgive and not punish.
14 Perhaps the Lord your God will change his mind
and bless you with abundant crops.
Then you can offer him grain and wine.
15 Blow the trumpet on Mount Zion;
give orders for a fast and call an assembly!
16 Gather the people together;
prepare them for a sacred meeting;
bring the old people;
gather the children
and the babies too.
Even newly married couples
must leave their homes and come.
17 The priests, serving the Lord
between the altar and the entrance of the Temple,
must weep and pray:
“Have pity on your people, Lord.
Do not let other nations despise us and mock us
by saying, ‘Where is your God?’”
God Restores Fertility to the Land
18 Then the Lord showed concern for his land;
he had mercy on his people.
19 He answered them:
“Now I am going to give you
grain and wine and olive oil,
and you will be satisfied.
Other nations will no longer despise you.
20 I will remove the locust army that came from the north
and will drive some of them into the desert.
Their front ranks will be driven into the Dead Sea,
their rear ranks into the Mediterranean.
Their dead bodies will stink.
I will destroy them because of all they have done to you.
21 “Fields, don't be afraid,
but be joyful and glad
because of all the Lord has done for you.
22 Animals, don't be afraid.
The pastures are green;
the trees bear their fruit,
and there are plenty of figs and grapes.
23 “Be glad, people of Zion,
rejoice at what the Lord your God has done for you.
He has given you the right amount of autumn rain;
he has poured down the winter rain for you
and the spring rain as before.
24 The threshing places will be full of grain;
the pits beside the presses will overflow with wine and olive oil.
25 I will give you back what you lost
in the years when swarms of locusts ate your crops.
It was I who sent this army against you.
26 Now you will have plenty to eat, and be satisfied.
You will praise the Lord your God,
who has done wonderful things for you.
My people will never be despised again.
27 Then, Israel, you will know that I am among you
and that I, the Lord, am your God
and there is no other.
My people will never be despised again.
The Day of the Lord
28 “Afterward I will pour out my Spirit on everyone:
your sons and daughters will proclaim my message;
your old people will have dreams,
and your young people will see visions.
29 At that time I will pour out my Spirit
even on servants, both men and women.
30 “I will give warnings of that day
in the sky and on the earth;
there will be bloodshed, fire, and clouds of smoke.
31 The sun will be darkened,
and the moon will turn red as blood
before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.
32 But all who ask the Lord for help will be saved.
As the Lord has said,
‘Some in Jerusalem will escape;
those whom I choose will survive.’”
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!
