Impending Judgment on the Earth

24 Behold, the Lord makes the earth empty and makes it waste,

Distorts its surface

And scatters abroad its inhabitants.

2 And it shall be:

As with the people, so with the apriest;

As with the servant, so with his master;

As with the maid, so with her mistress;

bAs with the buyer, so with the seller;

As with the lender, so with the borrower;

As with the creditor, so with the debtor.

3 The land shall be entirely emptied and utterly plundered,

For the Lord has spoken this word.

4 The earth mourns and fades away,

The world languishes and fades away;

The chaughty 1people of the earth languish.

5 dThe earth is also defiled under its inhabitants,

Because they have etransgressed the laws,

Changed the ordinance,

Broken the feverlasting covenant.

6 Therefore gthe curse has devoured the earth,

And those who dwell in it are 2desolate.

Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are hburned,

And few men are left.

7 iThe new wine fails, the vine languishes,

All the merry-hearted sigh.

8 The mirth jof the tambourine ceases,

The noise of the jubilant ends,

The joy of the harp ceases.