The Book of Joel, Chapter 2יואל 2

תִּקְע֨וּ שׁוֹפָ֜ר בְּצִיּ֗וֹן וְהָרִ֨יעוּ֙ בְּהַ֣ר קָדְשִׁ֔י יִרְגְּז֕וּ כֹּ֖ל יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי בָ֥א יוֹם יְהוָ֖ה כִּ֥י קָרֽוֹב

Blow you the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of YHWH cometh, for nigh at hand;

י֧וֹם חֹ֣שֶׁךְ וַאֲפֵלָ֗ה י֤וֹם עָנָן֙ וַעֲרָפֶ֔ל כְּשַׁ֖חַר פָּרֻ֣שׂ עַל הֶֽהָרִ֑ים עַ֚ם רַ֣ב וְעָצ֔וּם כָּמֹ֗הוּ לֹ֤א נִֽהְיָה֙ מִן הָ֣עוֹלָ֔ם וְאַֽחֲרָיו֙ לֹ֣א יוֹסֵ֔ף עַד שְׁנֵ֖י דּ֥וֹר וָדֽוֹר

A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there has not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, to the years of many generations.

לְפָנָיו֙ אָ֣כְלָה אֵ֔שׁ וְאַחֲרָ֖יו תְּלַהֵ֣ט לֶֽהָבָ֑ה כְּגַן עֵ֨דֶן הָאָ֜רֶץ לְפָנָ֗יו וְאַֽחֲרָיו֙ מִדְבַּ֣ר שְׁמָמָ֔ה וְגַם פְּלֵיטָ֖ה לֹא הָ֥יְתָה לּֽוֹ

A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.

כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה סוּסִ֖ים מַרְאֵ֑הוּ וּכְפָרָשִׁ֖ים כֵּ֥ן יְרוּצֽוּן

The appearance of them as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.

כְּק֣וֹל מַרְכָּב֗וֹת עַל רָאשֵׁ֤י הֶֽהָרִים֙ יְרַקֵּד֔וּן כְּקוֹל֙ לַ֣הַב אֵ֔שׁ אֹכְלָ֖ה קָ֑שׁ כְּעַ֣ם עָצ֔וּם עֱר֖וּךְ מִלְחָמָֽה

Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

מִפָּנָ֖יו יָחִ֣ילוּ עַמִּ֑ים כָּל פָּנִ֖ים קִבְּצ֥וּ פָארֽוּר

Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.

כְּגִבּוֹרִ֣ים יְרֻצ֔וּן כְּאַנְשֵׁ֥י מִלְחָמָ֖ה יַעֲל֣וּ חוֹמָ֑ה וְאִ֤ישׁ בִּדְרָכָיו֙ יֵֽלֵכ֔וּן וְלֹ֥א יְעַבְּט֖וּן אֹרְחוֹתָֽם

They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:

וְאִ֤ישׁ אָחִיו֙ לֹ֣א יִדְחָק֔וּן גֶּ֥בֶר בִּמְסִלָּת֖וֹ יֵֽלֵכ֑וּן וּבְעַ֥ד הַשֶּׁ֛לַח יִפֹּ֖לוּ לֹ֥א יִבְצָֽעוּ

Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.

בָּעִ֣יר יָשֹׁ֗קּוּ בַּֽחוֹמָה֙ יְרֻצ֔וּן בַּבָּתִּ֖ים יַעֲל֑וּ בְּעַ֧ד הַחַלּוֹנִ֛ים יָבֹ֖אוּ כַּגַּנָּֽב

They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.

לְפָנָיו֙ רָ֣גְזָה אֶ֔רֶץ רָעֲשׁ֖וּ שָׁמָ֑יִם שֶׁ֤מֶשׁ וְיָרֵ֨חַ֙ קָדָ֔רוּ וְכוֹכָבִ֖ים אָסְפ֥וּ נָגְהָֽם

The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:

וַֽיהוָ֗ה נָתַ֤ן קוֹלוֹ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י חֵיל֔וֹ כִּ֣י רַ֤ב מְאֹד֙ מַחֲנֵ֔הוּ כִּ֥י עָצ֖וּם עֹשֵׂ֣ה דְבָר֑וֹ כִּֽי גָד֧וֹל יוֹם יְהוָ֛ה וְנוֹרָ֥א מְאֹ֖ד וּמִ֥י יְכִילֶֽנּוּ

And YHWH shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp very great: for strong that executeth his word: for the day of YHWH great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

וְגַם עַתָּה֙ נְאֻם יְהוָ֔ה שֻׁ֥בוּ עָדַ֖י בְּכָל לְבַבְכֶ֑ם וּבְצ֥וֹם וּבְבְכִ֖י וּבְמִסְפֵּֽד

Therefore also now, says YHWH, turn you to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

וְקִרְע֤וּ לְבַבְכֶם֙ וְאַל בִּגְדֵיכֶ֔ם וְשׁ֖וּבוּ אֶל יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֑ם כִּֽי חַנּ֤וּן וְרַחוּם֙ ה֔וּא אֶ֤רֶךְ אַפַּ֨יִם֙ וְרַב חֶ֔סֶד וְנִחָ֖ם עַל הָרָעָֽה

And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn to YHWH your God: for he gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

מִ֥י יוֹדֵ֖עַ יָשׁ֣וּב וְנִחָ֑ם וְהִשְׁאִ֤יר אַֽחֲרָיו֙ בְּרָכָ֔ה מִנְחָ֣ה וָנֶ֔סֶךְ לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם

Who knoweth he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; a meat offering and a drink offering to YHWH your God?

תִּקְע֥וּ שׁוֹפָ֖ר בְּצִיּ֑וֹן קַדְּשׁוּ צ֖וֹם קִרְא֥וּ עֲצָרָֽה

Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

אִסְפוּ עָ֞ם קַדְּשׁ֤וּ קָהָל֙ קִבְצ֣וּ זְקֵנִ֔ים אִסְפוּ֙ עֽוֹלָלִ֔ים וְיֹנְקֵ֖י שָׁדָ֑יִם יֵצֵ֤א חָתָן֙ מֵֽחֶדְר֔וֹ וְכַלָּ֖ה מֵחֻפָּתָֽהּ

Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

בֵּ֤ין הָאוּלָם֙ וְלַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ יִבְכּוּ֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים מְשָׁרְתֵ֖י יְהוָ֑ה וְֽיֹאמְר֞וּ ח֧וּסָה יְהוָ֣ה עַל עַמֶּ֗ךָ וְאַל תִּתֵּ֨ן נַחֲלָתְךָ֤ לְחֶרְפָּה֙ לִמְשָׁל בָּ֣ם גּוֹיִ֔ם לָ֚מָּה יֹאמְר֣וּ בָֽעַמִּ֔ים אַיֵּ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם

Let the priests, the ministers of YHWH, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare your people, O YHWH, and give not your heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where their God?

וַיְקַנֵּ֥א יְהוָ֖ה לְאַרְצ֑וֹ וַיַּחְמֹ֖ל עַל עַמּֽוֹ

Then will YHWH be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

וַיַּ֨עַן יְהוָ֜ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְעַמּ֗וֹ הִנְנִ֨י שֹׁלֵ֤חַ לָכֶם֙ אֶת הַדָּגָן֙ וְהַתִּיר֣וֹשׁ וְהַיִּצְהָ֔ר וּשְׂבַעְתֶּ֖ם אֹת֑וֹ וְלֹא אֶתֵּ֨ן אֶתְכֶ֥ם ע֛וֹד חֶרְפָּ֖ה בַּגּוֹיִֽם

Yea, YHWH will answer and say to his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and you shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:

וְֽאֶת הַצְּפוֹנִ֞י אַרְחִ֣יק מֵעֲלֵיכֶ֗ם וְהִדַּחְתִּיו֮ אֶל אֶ֣רֶץ צִיָּ֣ה וּשְׁמָמָה֒ אֶת פָּנָ֗יו אֶל הַיָּם֙ הַקַּדְמֹנִ֔י וְסֹפ֖וֹ אֶל הַיָּ֣ם הָאַֽחֲר֑וֹן וְעָלָ֣ה בָאְשׁ֗וֹ וְתַ֨עַל֙ צַחֲנָת֔וֹ כִּ֥י הִגְדִּ֖יל לַעֲשֽׂוֹת

But I will remove far off from you the northern , and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he has done great things.

אַל תִּֽירְאִ֖י אֲדָמָ֑ה גִּ֣ילִי וּשְׂמָ֔חִי כִּֽי הִגְדִּ֥יל יְהוָ֖ה לַעֲשֽׂוֹת

Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for YHWH will do great things.

אַל תִּֽירְאוּ֙ בַּהֲמ֣וֹת שָׂדַ֔י כִּ֥י דָשְׁא֖וּ נְא֣וֹת מִדְבָּ֑ר כִּֽי עֵץ֙ נָשָׂ֣א פִרְי֔וֹ תְּאֵנָ֥ה וָגֶ֖פֶן נָתְנ֥וּ חֵילָֽם

Be not afraid, you beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

וּבְנֵ֣י צִיּ֗וֹן גִּ֤ילוּ וְשִׂמְחוּ֙ בַּיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם כִּֽי נָתַ֥ן לָכֶ֛ם אֶת הַמּוֹרֶ֖ה לִצְדָקָ֑ה וַיּ֣וֹרֶד לָכֶ֗ם גֶּ֛שֶׁם מוֹרֶ֥ה וּמַלְק֖וֹשׁ בָּרִאשֽׁוֹן

Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in YHWH your God: for he has given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first .

וּמָלְא֥וּ הַגֳּרָנ֖וֹת בָּ֑ר וְהֵשִׁ֥יקוּ הַיְקָבִ֖ים תִּיר֥וֹשׁ וְיִצְהָֽר

And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.

וְשִׁלַּמְתִּ֤י לָכֶם֙ אֶת הַשָּׁנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר֙ אָכַ֣ל הָֽאַרְבֶּ֔ה הַיֶּ֖לֶק וְהֶחָסִ֣יל וְהַגָּזָ֑ם חֵילִי֙ הַגָּד֔וֹל אֲשֶׁ֥ר שִׁלַּ֖חְתִּי בָּכֶֽם

And I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֤ם אָכוֹל֙ וְשָׂב֔וֹעַ וְהִלַּלְתֶּ֗ם אֶת שֵׁ֤ם יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂ֥ה עִמָּכֶ֖ם לְהַפְלִ֑יא וְלֹא יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ עַמִּ֖י לְעוֹלָֽם

And you shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of YHWH your God, that has dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.

וִידַעְתֶּ֗ם כִּ֣י בְקֶ֤רֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אָ֔נִי וַאֲנִ֛י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם וְאֵ֣ין ע֑וֹד וְלֹא יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ עַמִּ֖י לְעוֹלָֽם

And you shall know that I in the midst of Israel, and I YHWH your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.