1Behold, the LORD empties and devastates the land; and turns it into a wasteland, and scatters its inhabitants abroad. 2And it shall be the same for the priests; as for the people; for the master, as with his slave; with the maid, as with her mistress; with the buyer, as with the seller; with the lender, as with the borrower; with the debtor, as with the creditor. 3The land shall be utterly laid waste, and spoiled; for the LORD has spoken this word. 4The earth mourns and withers, it languishes and fades away, even the high and mighty people of the earth languish. 5The earth is defiled by its inhabitants; because they have disobeyed the laws, and twisted God’s word, and broken the everlasting covenant. 6Therefore, a curse consumes the earth, and its people must bear their guilt; the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and very few are left.

7The new wine dries up, the vine withers, all the merry-makers sigh. 8The mirth of timbrels is stilled, the noise of the revelers ends, the joyful harp is silent. 9They shall no longer drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them who drink it. 10The ruined city lies desolate; every house is shut up, that no man may enter. 11There is a cry for wine in the streets; all joy has become gloom; the mirth of the land is gone. 12The city is left in ruins; and its gate is battered down.

13Thus it shall be in the all the land and few remaining among the people, like what remains after the shaking of an olive tree, or when the vineyard is gleaned of its grapes. 14They that are left shall raise their voice, they shall sing of the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the west. 15Therefore, in the east, give glory to the LORD, exalt the name of the LORD God of Israel in the islands of the sea. 16From the ends of the earth have we heard songs of praise, “Glory to the Righteous One.” But I said, “My heart is heavy with grief, woe is me! Those that deal treacherously have betrayed; and deceit still prevails.” 17Fear, traps, and snares await you, O people of the earth. 18Whoever flees from the sound of terror shall fall into the pitfall traps, and he that climbs up out of the pit shall be caught in a snare; for the floodgates of heaven are open, and the foundations of the earth shake. 19The earth is utterly broken up, and is split apart, it is violently shaken. 20The earth reels like a drunkard, and is moved like a tent in a high wind; the guilt of rebellion blows heavily upon it, and it shall fall, and not rise again. 21And in that day, the LORD shall punish the powers in the heavens above, and the kings of the earth below. 22And they shall be herded together like prisoners are bound in prison, and shall be confined in the prison, and finally be punished after many days. 23Then the moon shall fade, when the LORD Almighty shall reign gloriously in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His elders.