Isaiah

Behold, GOD will strip the earth bare,And lay it waste,And twist its surface,And scatter its inhabitants.

Laity and priest shall fare alike,Slave and master,Handmaid and mistress,Buyer and seller,Lender and borrower,Creditor and debtor.

The earth shall be bare, bare;It shall be plundered, plundered;For it is GOD who spoke this word.

The earth is withered, sear;The world languishes, it is sear;The most exalted people of the earthaThe most exalted people of the earth Change of vocalization yields “both sky and earth.” languish.

For the earth was defiledUnder its inhabitants;Because they transgressed teachings,Violated laws,Broke the ancient covenant.bthe ancient covenant I.e., the moral law, which is binding on all people (cf. Gen. 9.4–6).

That is why a curse consumes the earth,And its inhabitants pay the penalty;That is why earth’s dwellers have dwindled,And but few people are left.

The new wine fails,The vine languishes;And all the merry-hearted sigh.

Stilled is the merriment of hand-drums,Ended the clamor of revelers,Stilled the merriment of lyres.

They drink their wine without song;Liquor tastes bitter to the drinker.

Towns are broken,cbroken Emendation yields “left.” empty;Every house is shut, none enter;

Even over wine, a cry goes up in the streets:The sun has set on all joy,The gladness of the earth is banished.

Desolation is left in the townAnd the gate is battered to ruins.

For thus shall it be among the peoplesIn the midst of the earth:As when the olive tree is beaten out,Like gleanings when the vintage is over.

These shall lift up their voices,Exult in GOD’s majesty.They shall shout from the sea:

Therefore, honor GOD with lightsIn the coastlands of the sea—The name of the ETERNAL, the God of Israel.

From the end of the earthWe hear singing:Glory to the righteous!And I said:dAnd I said Change of vocalization yields “They shall say.” I waste away! I waste away! Woe is me!The faithless have acted faithlessly;The faithless have broken faith!eI waste … faith Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “Villain [Arabic razīl], foolish villain! / The faithless who acted faithlessly / Have been betrayed in turn.”

Terror, and pit, and trapfTerror, and pit, and trap Heb. paḥad wa-paḥath, wa-paḥ. Upon you who dwell on earth!

Whoever flees at the report of the terrorShall fall into the pit;And whoever climbs out of the pitShall be caught in the trap.For sluices are opened on high,And earth’s foundations tremble.

The earth is breaking, breaking;The earth is crumbling, crumbling.The earth is tottering, tottering;

The earth is swaying like a drunkard;It is rocking to and fro like a hut.Its iniquity shall weigh it down,And it shall fall, to rise no more.

In that day, GOD will punishThe host of heaven in heavenAnd the kings of the earth on earth.

They shall be gathered in a dungeonAs captives are gathered;And shall be locked up in a prison.But after many days they shall be remembered.

Then the moon shall be ashamed,And the sun shall be abashed.For GOD of Hosts will reignOn Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,And the Presence will be revealed to God’s elders.