Joel 1:15–2:11

¹⁵Alas for the day! for the day of Jehovah is at hand, and as destruction from the Almighty shall it come. ¹⁶Is not the food cut off before our eyes, joy and gladness from the house of our God? ¹⁷The seeds are rotten under their clods, the granaries are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered. ¹⁸How do the beasts groan! The herds of cattle are bewildered, for they have no pasture; the flocks of sheep also are in suffering. ¹⁹To thee, Jehovah, do I cry; for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned up all the trees of the field. ²⁰The beasts of the field also cry unto thee; for the water-courses are dried, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.

Chapter 2

¹Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of Jehovah cometh, for it is at hand; ²a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and gross darkness, as the dawn spread upon the mountains; —a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after them, to the years of generations and generations. ³A fire devoureth before them, and behind them a flame burneth; the land is as a garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness: yea, and nothing escapeth them. ⁴The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so they run. ⁵Like the noise of chariots, on the tops of the mountains, they leap; like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. ⁶Before them the peoples are in anguish: all faces turn pale. ⁷They run like mighty men; they climb the wall like men of war; and they march every one on his ways, and break not their ranks. ⁸Neither doth one press upon another; they march every one in his path; and fall amid weapons, but are not wounded. ⁹They spread themselves over the city; they run upon the wall; they climb up into the houses; they enter in by the windows like a thief. ¹⁰The earth quaketh before them; the heavens tremble; the sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. ¹¹And Jehovah uttereth his voice before his army; for his camp is very great; for strong is he that executeth his word: for the day of Jehovah is great and very terrible; and who can bear it?