Alas,you who are longingfor the dayof the LORD,For whatpurpose[will] the dayof the LORD[be] to you? It [will be] darknessand not light;
Wail,for the dayof the LORDis near!It will comeas destructionfrom the Almighty.
Then it will be that he who fleesthe reportof disasterwill fallinto the pit,And he who climbsout of the pitwill be caughtin the snare;For the windowsaboveare opened,and the foundationsof the earthshake.
Who say,"Let Him makespeed,let Him hastenHis work,that we may see[it]; And let the purposeof the HolyOneof IsraeldrawnearAnd cometo pass,that we may know[it]!"
And it will growloverit in that daylike the roaringof the sea.If one looksto the land,behold,there is darkness[and] distress;Even the lightis darkenedby its clouds.
"Yet they seekMe dayby dayand delightto knowMy ways,As a nationthat has donerighteousnessAnd has not forsakenthe ordinanceof their God.They askMe [for] justdecisions,They delightin the nearnessof God.
Then they will lookto the earth,and behold,distressand darkness,the gloomof anguish;and [they will be] drivenawayinto darkness.
By the furyof the LORDof hoststhe landis burnedup, And the peopleare like fuelfor the fire;Nomanspareshis brother.
Givegloryto the LORDyour God,BeforeHe bringsdarknessAnd beforeyour feetstumbleOn the duskymountains,And while you are hopingfor lightHe makesit into deepdarkness,[And] turns[it] into gloom.
Look,they keep sayingto me, "Whereis the wordof the LORD?Let it comenow!"
Alas!for that dayis great,Thereis nonelikeit; And it is the timeof Jacob'sdistress,But he will be savedfrom it.
"Sonof man,whatis thisproverbyou [people] have concerningthe landof Israel,saying,The daysare longand everyvisionfails'?
"Sonof man,behold,the houseof Israelis saying,'The visionthat he seesis for manyyears[from now], and he prophesiesof timesfaroff.'
Alasfor the day!For the dayof the LORDis near,And it will comeas destructionfrom the Almighty.
Beforethem the earthquakes,The heavenstremble,The sunand the moongrowdarkAnd the starslosetheir brightness.
The LORDuttersHis voicebeforeHis army;SurelyHis campis verygreat,For strongis he who carriesout His word.The dayof the LORDis indeedgreatand veryawesome,And who can endureit?
"The sunwill be turnedinto darknessAnd the mooninto bloodBeforethe greatand awesomedayof the LORDcomes.
"For the dayof the LORDdrawsnearon allthe nations.As you have done,it will be doneto you. Your dealingswill returnon your own head.
"For behold,the dayis coming,burninglike a furnace;and allthe arrogantand everyevildoerwill be chaff;and the daythat is comingwill setthem ablaze,"saysthe LORDof hosts,"sothat it will leavethem neitherrootnorbranch."
[They will be] wastedby famine,and consumedby plagueAnd bitterdestruction;And the teethof beastsI will sendupon them, With the venomof crawlingthingsof the dust.
But the dayof the Lordwill comelikea thief,in whichthe heavenswill pass awaywith a roarand the elementswill be destroyedwith intense heat,and the earthand its workswill be burnedup.
and saying,"Whereis the promiseof His coming?For [ever] sincethe fathersfell asleep,allcontinuesjustas it was from the beginningof creation."
