Study Desk

Behold, the Lord ^(a)lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface and scatters its inhabitants.

And the people will be like the priest, the servant like his master, the maid like her mistress, the buyer like the seller, the lender like the borrower, the ^(b)creditor like the debtor.

The earth will be completely laid waste and completely despoiled, for the Lord has spoken this word.

The ^(c)earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the ^(d)exalted of the people of the earth fade away.

The earth is also ^(e)polluted ^[a]by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, ^(f)broke the everlasting covenant.

Therefore, a ^(g)curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the ^(h)inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.

The ⁽ⁱ⁾new wine mourns, The vine decays, All the merry-hearted sigh.

The ^(j)gaiety of tambourines ceases, The noise of revelers stops, The gaiety of the harp ceases.

They do not drink wine with song; ^(k)Strong drink is ^(l)bitter to those who drink it.

The ^(m)city of chaos is broken down; ⁽ⁿ⁾Every house is shut up so that none may enter.

There is an ^(o)outcry in the streets concerning the wine; ^(p)All joy ^[b]turns to gloom. The gaiety of the earth is banished.

Desolation is left in the city And the ^(q)gate is battered to ruins.

For ^(r)thus it will be in the midst of the earth among the peoples, As the ^[c]shaking of an olive tree, As the gleanings when the grape harvest is over.