תִּקְע֨וּ שׁוֹפָ֜ר בְּצִיּ֗וֹן וְהָרִ֙יעוּ֙ בְּהַ֣ר קׇדְשִׁ֔י יִרְגְּז֕וּ כֹּ֖ל יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּי־בָ֥א יוֹם־יְהֹוָ֖ה כִּ֥י קָרֽוֹב׃ Blow a horn in Zion,
Sound an alarm on My holy mount!
Let all dwellers on earth tremble,
For the day of GOD has come!
It is close—
י֧וֹם חֹ֣שֶׁךְ וַאֲפֵלָ֗ה י֤וֹם עָנָן֙ וַעֲרָפֶ֔ל כְּשַׁ֖חַר פָּרֻ֣שׂ עַל־הֶהָרִ֑ים עַ֚ם רַ֣ב וְעָצ֔וּם כָּמֹ֗הוּ לֹ֤א נִֽהְיָה֙ מִן־הָ֣עוֹלָ֔ם וְאַֽחֲרָיו֙ לֹ֣א יוֹסֵ֔ף עַד־שְׁנֵ֖י דּ֥וֹר וָדֽוֹר׃ A day of darkness and gloom,
A day of densest cloud
Spread like soot over the hills.
A vast, enormous horde—
Nothing like it has ever happened,
And it shall never happen again
Through the years and ages.
לְפָנָיו֙ אָ֣כְלָה אֵ֔שׁ וְאַחֲרָ֖יו תְּלַהֵ֣ט לֶהָבָ֑ה כְּגַן־עֵ֨דֶן הָאָ֜רֶץ לְפָנָ֗יו וְאַֽחֲרָיו֙ מִדְבַּ֣ר שְׁמָמָ֔ה וְגַם־פְּלֵיטָ֖ה לֹא־הָ֥יְתָה לּֽוֹ׃ Their vanguard is a consuming fire,
Their rear guard a devouring flame.
Before them the land was like the Garden of Eden,
Behind them, a desolate waste:
Nothing has escaped them.
כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה סוּסִ֖ים מַרְאֵ֑הוּ וּכְפָרָשִׁ֖ים כֵּ֥ן יְרוּצֽוּן׃ They have the appearance of horses,
They gallop just like steeds.
כְּק֣וֹל מַרְכָּב֗וֹת עַל־רָאשֵׁ֤י הֶהָרִים֙ יְרַקֵּד֔וּן כְּקוֹל֙ לַ֣הַב אֵ֔שׁ אֹכְלָ֖ה קָ֑שׁ כְּעַ֣ם עָצ֔וּם עֱר֖וּךְ מִלְחָמָֽה׃ With a clatter as of chariots
They bound on the hilltops,
With a noise like a blazing fire
Consuming straw;
Like an enormous horde
Arrayed for battle.
מִפָּנָ֖יו יָחִ֣ילוּ עַמִּ֑ים כׇּל־פָּנִ֖ים קִבְּצ֥וּ פָארֽוּר׃ Peoples tremble before them,
All faces turn ashen.aturn ashen Meaning of Heb. uncertain; cf. Nah. 2.11.
כְּגִבּוֹרִ֣ים יְרֻצ֔וּן כְּאַנְשֵׁ֥י מִלְחָמָ֖ה יַעֲל֣וּ חוֹמָ֑ה וְאִ֤ישׁ בִּדְרָכָיו֙ יֵֽלֵכ֔וּן וְלֹ֥א יְעַבְּט֖וּן אֹרְחוֹתָֽם׃ They rush like warriors,
They scale a wall like fighters.
And each keeps to his own track.
Their paths never cross;bcross Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
וְאִ֤ישׁ אָחִיו֙ לֹ֣א יִדְחָק֔וּן גֶּ֥בֶר בִּמְסִלָּת֖וֹ יֵלֵכ֑וּן וּבְעַ֥ד הַשֶּׁ֛לַח יִפֹּ֖לוּ לֹ֥א יִבְצָֽעוּ׃ Not a single one jostles another,
Each keeps to his own course.
And should they fall through a loophole,
They do not get hurt.cAnd should they fall … not get hurt Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
בָּעִ֣יר יָשֹׁ֗קּוּ בַּֽחוֹמָה֙ יְרֻצ֔וּן בַּבָּתִּ֖ים יַעֲל֑וּ בְּעַ֧ד הַחַלּוֹנִ֛ים יָבֹ֖אוּ כַּגַּנָּֽב׃ They rush up the wall,
They dash about in the city;
They climb into the houses,
They enter like thieves
By way of the windows.
לְפָנָיו֙ רָ֣גְזָה אֶ֔רֶץ רָעֲשׁ֖וּ שָׁמָ֑יִם שֶׁ֤מֶשׁ וְיָרֵ֙חַ֙ קָדָ֔רוּ וְכוֹכָבִ֖ים אָסְפ֥וּ נׇגְהָֽם׃ Before them earth trembles,
Heaven shakes,
Sun and moon are darkened,
And stars withdraw their brightness.
וַיהֹוָ֗ה נָתַ֤ן קוֹלוֹ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י חֵיל֔וֹ כִּ֣י רַ֤ב מְאֹד֙ מַחֲנֵ֔הוּ כִּ֥י עָצ֖וּם עֹשֵׂ֣ה דְבָר֑וֹ כִּֽי־גָד֧וֹל יוֹם־יְהֹוָ֛ה וְנוֹרָ֥א מְאֹ֖ד וּמִ֥י יְכִילֶֽנּוּ׃ And GOD roars aloud
At the head of the divine army;
For vast indeed is this host,
Numberless are those that do God’s bidding.
For great is the day of GOD,
Most terrible—who can endure it?
וְגַם־עַתָּה֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה שֻׁ֥בוּ עָדַ֖י בְּכׇל־לְבַבְכֶ֑ם וּבְצ֥וֹם וּבִבְכִ֖י וּבְמִסְפֵּֽד׃ “Yet even now”—says GOD—
“Turn back to Me with all your hearts,
And with fasting, weeping, and lamenting.”
וְקִרְע֤וּ לְבַבְכֶם֙ וְאַל־בִּגְדֵיכֶ֔ם וְשׁ֖וּבוּ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־חַנּ֤וּן וְרַחוּם֙ ה֔וּא אֶ֤רֶךְ אַפַּ֙יִם֙ וְרַב־חֶ֔סֶד וְנִחָ֖ם עַל־הָרָעָֽה׃ Rend your hearts
Rather than your garments,
And turn back to the ETERNAL your God.
For [God] is gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger, abounding in kindness,
And renouncing punishment.
מִ֥י יוֹדֵ֖עַ יָשׁ֣וּב וְנִחָ֑ם וְהִשְׁאִ֤יר אַחֲרָיו֙ בְּרָכָ֔ה מִנְחָ֣ה וָנֶ֔סֶךְ לַיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ {פ}
Who knows but [God] may turn and relent,
And leave a blessing behind
For grain offering and drink offering
To the ETERNAL your God?dWhen the locusts depart, there will again be yield enough for offerings; see 1.9.
תִּקְע֥וּ שׁוֹפָ֖ר בְּצִיּ֑וֹן קַדְּשׁוּ־צ֖וֹם קִרְא֥וּ עֲצָרָֽה׃ Blow a horn in Zion,
Solemnize a fast,
Proclaim an assembly!
אִסְפוּ־עָ֞ם קַדְּשׁ֤וּ קָהָל֙ קִבְצ֣וּ זְקֵנִ֔ים אִסְפוּ֙ עֽוֹלָלִ֔ים וְיֹנְקֵ֖י שָׁדָ֑יִם יֵצֵ֤א חָתָן֙ מֵֽחֶדְר֔וֹ וְכַלָּ֖ה מֵחֻפָּתָֽהּ׃ Gather the people,
Bid the congregation purify themselves.epurify themselves Cf. Exod. 19.10; Zeph. 1.7.
Bring together the old,
Gather the babes
And the sucklings at the breast;
Let the bridegroom come out of his chamber,
The bride from her canopied couch.
בֵּ֤ין הָאוּלָם֙ וְלַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ יִבְכּוּ֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים מְשָׁרְתֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְֽיֹאמְר֞וּ ח֧וּסָה יְהֹוָ֣ה עַל־עַמֶּ֗ךָ וְאַל־תִּתֵּ֨ן נַחֲלָתְךָ֤ לְחֶרְפָּה֙ לִמְשׇׁל־בָּ֣ם גּוֹיִ֔ם לָ֚מָּה יֹאמְר֣וּ בָעַמִּ֔ים אַיֵּ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃ Between the portico and the altar,
Let the priests, GOD’s ministers, weep
And say:
“Oh, spare Your people, ETERNAL One!
Let not Your possession become a mockery,
To be taunted by nations!
Let not the peoples say,
‘Where is their God?’”
וַיְקַנֵּ֥א יְהֹוָ֖ה לְאַרְצ֑וֹ וַיַּחְמֹ֖ל עַל־עַמּֽוֹ׃ Then GOD was roused
In behalf of this land
And had compassion
Upon this people.
וַיַּ֨עַן יְהֹוָ֜ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְעַמּ֗וֹ הִנְנִ֨י שֹׁלֵ֤חַ לָכֶם֙ אֶת־הַדָּגָן֙ וְהַתִּיר֣וֹשׁ וְהַיִּצְהָ֔ר וּשְׂבַעְתֶּ֖ם אֹת֑וֹ וְלֹא־אֶתֵּ֨ן אֶתְכֶ֥ם ע֛וֹד חֶרְפָּ֖ה בַּגּוֹיִֽם׃ In response to this covenanted people
GOD
declared:
“I will grant you the new grain,
The new wine, and the new oil,
And you shall have them in abundance.
Nevermore will I let you be
A mockery among the nations.
וְֽאֶת־הַצְּפוֹנִ֞י אַרְחִ֣יק מֵעֲלֵיכֶ֗ם וְהִדַּחְתִּיו֮ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ צִיָּ֣ה וּשְׁמָמָה֒ אֶת־פָּנָ֗יו אֶל־הַיָּם֙ הַקַּדְמֹנִ֔י וְסֹפ֖וֹ אֶל־הַיָּ֣ם הָאַחֲר֑וֹן וְעָלָ֣ה בׇאְשׁ֗וֹ וְתַ֙עַל֙ צַחֲנָת֔וֹ כִּ֥י הִגְדִּ֖יל לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ I will drive the northernerfthe northerner I.e., the locusts. Emendation yields “My multitude”; cf. “nation” (1.6), “horde,” “army,” and “host” (2.2, 5, 11, 25). far from you,
I will thrust it into a parched and desolate land—
Its van to the Eastern Seagthe Eastern Sea The Dead Sea.
And its rear to the Western Sea;hthe Western Sea The Mediterranean Sea.
And the stench of it shall go up,
And the foul smell rise.”
For [GOD] shall work great deeds.
אַל־תִּֽירְאִ֖י אֲדָמָ֑ה גִּ֣ילִי וּשְׂמָ֔חִי כִּֽי־הִגְדִּ֥יל יְהֹוָ֖ה לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ Fear not, O soil, rejoice and be glad;
For GOD has wrought great deeds.
אַל־תִּֽירְאוּ֙ בַּהֲמ֣וֹת שָׂדַ֔י כִּ֥י דָשְׁא֖וּ נְא֣וֹת מִדְבָּ֑ר כִּי־עֵץ֙ נָשָׂ֣א פִרְי֔וֹ תְּאֵנָ֥ה וָגֶ֖פֶן נָתְנ֥וּ חֵילָֽם׃ Fear not, O beasts of the field,
For the pastures in the wilderness
Are clothed with grass.
The trees have borne their fruit;
Fig tree and vine
Have yielded their strength.
וּבְנֵ֣י צִיּ֗וֹן גִּ֤ילוּ וְשִׂמְחוּ֙ בַּיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם כִּֽי־נָתַ֥ן לָכֶ֛ם אֶת־הַמּוֹרֶ֖ה לִצְדָקָ֑ה וַיּ֣וֹרֶד לָכֶ֗ם גֶּ֛שֶׁם מוֹרֶ֥ה וּמַלְק֖וֹשׁ בָּרִאשֽׁוֹן׃ O children of Zion, be glad,
Rejoice in the ETERNAL your God.
For you have been given the early rain out of kindness,
Now the rain is made to fall [as] formerly—
The early rain and the late—
וּמָלְא֥וּ הַגֳּרָנ֖וֹת בָּ֑ר וְהֵשִׁ֥יקוּ הַיְקָבִ֖ים תִּיר֥וֹשׁ וְיִצְהָֽר׃ And threshing floors shall be piled with grain,
And vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.
וְשִׁלַּמְתִּ֤י לָכֶם֙ אֶת־הַשָּׁנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר֙ אָכַ֣ל הָאַרְבֶּ֔ה הַיֶּ֖לֶק וְהֶחָסִ֣יל וְהַגָּזָ֑ם חֵילִי֙ הַגָּד֔וֹל אֲשֶׁ֥ר שִׁלַּ֖חְתִּי בָּכֶֽם׃ “I will repay you for the yearsifor the years Emendation yields “double what was.”
Consumed by swarms and hoppers,
By grubs and locusts,
The great army I let loose against you.
וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֤ם אָכוֹל֙ וְשָׂב֔וֹעַ וְהִלַּלְתֶּ֗ם אֶת־שֵׁ֤ם יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה עִמָּכֶ֖ם לְהַפְלִ֑יא וְלֹא־יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ עַמִּ֖י לְעוֹלָֽם׃ And you shall eat your fill
And praise the name of the ETERNAL your God
Who dealt so wondrously with you—
My people shall be shamed no more.
וִידַעְתֶּ֗ם כִּ֣י בְקֶ֤רֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אָ֔נִי וַאֲנִ֛י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם וְאֵ֣ין ע֑וֹד וְלֹא־יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ עַמִּ֖י לְעוֹלָֽם׃ {פ}
And you shall know
That I am in the midst of Israel:
That I the ETERNAL One am your God
And there is no other.
And My people shall be shamed no more.”