Wail,for the dayof the LORDis near!It will comeas destructionfrom the Almighty.
"For calamityfrom Godis a terrorto me, And becauseof His majestyI candonothing.
"For in a verylittlewhileMy indignation[against you] will be spentand My anger[will be directed] to their destruction."
Now whatwill you doin the dayof punishment,And in the devastationwhich will comefrom afar?To whomwill you fleefor help?And wherewill you leaveyour wealth?
Behold,the dayof the LORDis coming,Cruel,with furyand burninganger,To makethe landa desolation;And He will exterminateits sinnersfrom it.
"I will also makeit a possessionfor the hedgehogand swampsof water,and I will sweepit with the broomof destruction,"declaresthe LORDof hosts.
"Wail,O gate;cry,O city;Meltaway, O Philistia,allof you; For smokecomesfrom the north,And thereis nostragglerin his ranks.
For the LORDof hostswill have a day[of reckoning] Againsteveryonewhois proudand loftyAnd againsteveryonewho is liftedup, That he may be abased.
The oracleconcerning Tyre.Wail,O shipsof Tarshish,For [Tyre] is destroyed,withouthouse[or] harbor;It is reportedto them from the landof Cyprus.
For the LORD'Sindignationis againstallthe nations,And [His] wrathagainstalltheir armies;He has utterlydestroyedthem, He has giventhem over to slaughter.
For the LORDhas a dayof vengeance,A yearof recompensefor the causeof Zion.
"But evilwill comeon you Which you will not knowhow to charmaway;And disasterwill fallon you For which you cannotatone;And destructionabout which you do not knowWill comeon you suddenly.
"Nowtherefore, whatdo I have here,"declaresthe LORD,"seeing that My peoplehave been takenaway withoutcause?"[Again] the LORDdeclares,"Those who ruleover them howl,and My nameis continuallyblasphemedalldaylong.
To proclaimthe favorableyearof the LORDAnd the dayof vengeanceof our God;To comfortallwho mourn,
"For the dayof vengeancewas in My heart,And My yearof redemptionhas come.
"Behold,My servantswill shoutjoyfullywith a gladheart,But you will cryout with a heavyheart,And you will wailwith a brokenspirit.
"Wail,you shepherds,and cry;And wallow[in ashes], you mastersof the flock;For the daysof your slaughterand your dispersionshave come,And you will falllike a choicevessel.
"Wail,O Heshbon,for Aihas been destroyed!Cryout, O daughtersof Rabbah,Girdyourselveswith sackclothand lament,And rushbackand forthinside the walls;For Malcamwill gointo exileTogetherwith his priestsand his princes.
SuddenlyBabylonhas fallenand been broken;Wailoverher! Bringbalmfor her pain;Perhapsshe may be healed.
"You have not goneup into the breaches,nordid you buildthe wallaroundthe houseof Israelto standin the battleon the dayof the LORD.
"Cryout and wail,sonof man;for it is against My people,it is against allthe officialsof Israel.They are deliveredover to the swordwith My people,thereforestrike[your] thigh.
"Thisis the interpretationof the message:'MENE--Godhas numberedyour kingdomand putan endto it.
ThenKingBelshazzarwas greatlyalarmed,his facegrew[even] paler,and his nobleswere perplexed.
Be ashamed,O farmers,Wail,O vinedressers,For the wheatand the barley;Becausethe harvestof the fieldis destroyed.
Girdyourselves[with sackcloth] And lament,O priests;Wail,O ministersof the altar!Come,spendthe nightin sackclothO ministersof my God,For the grain offeringand the drinkofferingAre withheldfrom the houseof your God.
Alasfor the day!For the dayof the LORDis near,And it will comeas destructionfrom the Almighty.
Awake,drunkards,and weep;And wail,allyou winedrinkers,On accountof the sweetwineThat is cutofffrom your mouth.
Blowa trumpetin Zion,And soundan alarmon My holymountain!Let allthe inhabitantsof the landtremble,For the dayof the LORDis coming;Surelyit is near,
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.
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;
Nearis the greatdayof the LORD,Nearand comingveryquickly;Listen,the dayof the LORD!In it the warriorcriesout bitterly.
Be silentbeforethe LordGOD!For the dayof the LORDis near,For the LORDhas prepareda sacrifice,He has consecratedHis guests.
Behold,a dayis comingfor the LORDwhen the spoiltaken from you will be dividedamongyou.
"Behold,I am going to sendyou Elijahthe prophetbeforethe comingof the greatand terribledayof the LORD.
Comenow,you rich,weepand howlfor your miserieswhich are comingupon you.
standingat a distancebecauseof the fearof her torment,saying,Woe,woe,the greatcity,Babylon,the strongcity!For in onehouryour judgmenthas come.'
