The Holy Bible: Revised Common Version

1  Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty, makes it waste,/
turns it upside down, and scatters abroad its inhabitants.

2  And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest;/
as with the servant, so with his master;/
as with the woman-servant, so with her mistress;/
as with the buyer, so with the seller;/
as with the lender, so with the borrower;/
as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest to him.

3  The land shall be utterly 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 haughty people of the earth languish.

5  The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants/
because they have transgressed the laws,/
changed the ordinance,/
broken the everlasting covenant.

6  Therefore, the curse has devoured the earth,/
and those who dwell in it are desolate./
Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned/
and few men are left.

7  The new wine mourns, the vine languishes,/
all the merry-hearted sigh.

8  The mirth of tambourines ceases./
The noise of those who rejoice ends./
The joy of the harp ceases.

9  They shall not drink wine with a song./
Strong drink shall be bitter to those who drink it.

10 The city of confusion is broken down./
Every house is shut up so that no man may enter.

11 There is a crying for wine in the streets./
All joy is darkened,/
the mirth of the land is gone.

12 Desolation is left in the city,/
and the gate is smitten with destruction.

13 When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people,/
there shall be as the shaking of an olive-tree/
and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.

14 They shall lift up their voice./
They shall sing for the majesty of the LORD./
They shall cry aloud from the sea.

15 Therefore, glorify the LORD in the fires,/
even the name of the LORD God of Israel/
in the coastlands of the sea.

16 From the uttermost part of the earth we have heard songs,/
even glory to the righteous./
But I said, "My leanness, my leanness,/
woe to me!/
The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously./
Indeed, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously."

17 Fear, the pit, and the snare are upon you,/
O inhabitant of the earth.

18 And it shall come to pass,/
that he who flees from the noise of the fear/
shall fall into the pit,/
and he who comes up out of the midst of the pit/
shall be taken in the snare,/
for the windows from on high are open/
and the foundations of the earth shake.

19 The earth is utterly broken down,/
the earth is entirely dissolved,/
the earth is exceedingly moved.

20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard/
and shall sway to and fro like a hammock./
Its transgression shall be heavy upon it./
It shall fall and not rise again.

21 And it shall come to pass in that day,/
that the LORD shall punish/
the host of the high ones who are on high/
and the kings of the earth upon the earth.

22 And they shall be gathered/
as prisoners are gathered in the pit/
and shall be shut up in the prison,/
and after many days they shall be visited.

23 Then the moon shall be confounded/
and the sun ashamed/
when the LORD of hosts reigns/
on mount Zion, in Jerusalem,/
and before his ancients gloriously.