Isaiah 24:1–12
24 Behold, cthe Lord will empty the earth1 and make it desolate,
and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.
2 dAnd 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;
eas with the buyer, so with the seller;
as with the lender, so with the borrower;
fas with the creditor, so with the debtor.
3 gThe earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered;
hfor the Lord has spoken this word.
4 iThe earth mourns and withers;
the world languishes and withers;
the highest people of the earth languish.
5 The earth lies jdefiled
under its inhabitants;
for kthey have transgressed the laws,
violated the statutes,
broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore la curse devours the earth,
and its inhabitants msuffer for their guilt;
therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched,
and few men are left.
7 nThe wine mourns,
the vine languishes,
all the merry-hearted sigh.
8 oThe mirth of the tambourines is stilled,
the noise of the jubilant has ceased,
the mirth of the lyre is stilled.
9 No more do they drink wine pwith singing;
strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.
10 qThe wasted city is broken down;
revery house is shut up so that none can enter.
11 sThere is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine;
tall joy has grown dark;
the gladness of the earth is banished.
12 Desolation is left in the city;
the gates are battered into ruins.