The Lord Sends an Army of Locusts
1Priests, blow the trumpets in Zion.
Give a warning on my holy mountain.
Let everyone who lives in the land tremble with fear.
The day of the Lord is coming.
It is very near.
2That day will be dark and sad.
It will be black and cloudy.
A huge army of locusts is coming.
They will spread across the mountains
like the sun when it rises.
There has never been an army like it.
And there will never be another
for all time to come.
3Like fire they eat up everything in their path.
Behind them it looks as if flames have burned the land.
In front of them the land is like the Garden of Eden.
Behind them it is a dry and empty desert.
Nothing escapes them.
4They look like horses.
Like war horses they charge ahead.
5They sound like chariots as they leap over the mountaintops.
They crackle like fire burning up dry weeds.
They are like a mighty army
that is ready for battle.
6When people see them, they tremble with fear.
All their faces turn pale.
7The locusts charge ahead like warriors.
They climb over walls like soldiers.
All of them march in line.
They don’t turn to the right or the left.
8They don’t bump into one another.
Each of them marches straight ahead.
They charge through everything that tries to stop them.
But they still stay in line.
9They attack a city.
They run along its wall.
They climb into houses.
They enter through windows like robbers.
10As they march forward, the earth shakes.
The heavens tremble as they approach.
The sun and moon grow dark.
And the stars stop shining.
11The Lord thunders with his mighty voice
as he leads his army.
He has so many forces they can’t even be counted.
The army that obeys his commands is mighty.
The day of the Lord is great and terrifying.
Who can live through it?
Let Your Hearts Be Broken
12The Lord announces to his people,
“Return to me with all your heart.
There is still time.
Do not eat any food.
Weep and mourn.”
13Don’t just tear your clothes to show how sad you are.
Let your hearts be broken.
Return to the Lord your God.
He is gracious.
He is tender and kind.
He is slow to get angry.
He is full of love.
He won’t bring his judgment.
He won’t destroy you.
14Who knows? He might turn toward you
and not bring his judgment.
He might even give you his blessing.
Then you can bring grain offerings and drink offerings
to the Lord your God.
15Priests, blow the trumpets in Zion.
Announce a holy fast.
Tell the people not to eat anything.
Gather them together for a special service.
16Bring them together.
Set all of them apart to me.
Bring together the elders.
Gather the children and the babies
who are still nursing.
Let the groom leave his bedroom.
Let the bride leave their marriage bed.
17Let the priests who serve the Lord weep.
Let them cry between the temple porch and the altar.
Let them say, “Lord, spare your people.
Don’t let others make fun of them.
Don’t let the nations laugh at them.
Don’t let them tease your people and say,
‘Where is their God?’ ”
The Lord Answers the Prayer of His People
18Then the Lord was concerned for his land.
He took pity on his people.
19He replied,
“I am sending you grain, olive oil and fresh wine.
It will be enough to satisfy you completely.
I will never allow other nations
to make fun of you again.
20“I will drive far away from you
the army that comes from the north.
I will send some of its forces
into a dry and empty land.
Its eastern troops will drown in the Dead Sea.
Its western troops will drown in the Mediterranean Sea.
Their dead bodies will stink.”
The Lord has done great things.
21Land of Judah, don’t be afraid.
Be glad and full of joy.
The Lord has done great things.
22Wild animals, don’t be afraid.
The desert grasslands are turning green again.
The trees are bearing their fruit.
The vines and fig trees are producing rich crops.
23People of Zion, be glad.
Be joyful because of what the Lord your God has done.
He has given you the right amount of rain in the fall.
That’s because he is faithful.
He has sent you plenty of showers.
He has sent fall and spring rains alike,
just as he did before.
24Your threshing floors will be covered with grain.
Olive oil and fresh wine will spill over
from the places where they are stored.
25The Lord says,
“I sent a great army of locusts to attack you.
They included common locusts, giant locusts,
young locusts and other locusts.
I will make up for the years
they ate your crops.
26You will have plenty to eat.
It will satisfy you completely.
Then you will praise me.
I am the Lord your God.
I have done wonderful things for you.
My people will never again be put to shame.
27You will know that I am with you in Israel.
I am the Lord your God.
There is no other God.
So my people will never again be put to shame.
The Day of the Lord Is Coming
28“After that, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your old men will have dreams.
Your young men will have visions.
29In those days I will pour out my Spirit
on those who serve me, men and women alike.
30I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth.
There will be blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
31The sun will become dark.
The moon will turn red like blood.
It will happen before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.
32Everyone who calls out to me will be saved.
On Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
some of my people will be left alive.
I have chosen them.
That is what I have promised.
Jeshi La Nzige
12:1 Hos 10:2, 7; Kut 15:17; Oba 1:15; Sef 1:14-16; Eze 12:23Pigeni tarumbeta katika Sayuni;
pigeni mbiu katika mlima wangu mtakatifu.
Wote waishio katika nchi na watetemeke,
kwa kuwa siku ya Bwana inakuja. Iko karibu,
22:2 Ay 9:7; Isa 8:22; 13:10; Amo 5:18; Kut 10:14; Dan 9:12; Mt 24:21; Eze 34:12siku ya giza na huzuni,
siku ya mawingu na utusitusi.
Kama mapambazuko yasambaavyo
toka upande huu wa milima
hata upande mwingine
jeshi kubwa na lenye nguvu linakuja.
Jambo kama hili halijakuwepo tangu zamani
wala halitakuwepo tena kamwe
kwa vizazi vijavyo.
32:3 Za 97:3; 105:34-35; Kut 10:12-15; Isa 14:17; Zek 7:14; Isa 1:31Mbele yao moto unateketeza,
nyuma yao miali ya moto
inawaka kwa nguvu.
Mbele yao nchi iko kama bustani ya Edeni,
nyuma yao ni jangwa lisilofaa:
hakuna kitu kinachowaepuka.
4Wanaonekana kama farasi;
wanakwenda mbio
kama askari wapanda farasi.
52:5 Ufu 9:9; Isa 5:24; 30:30Wanatoa sauti kama magari ya vita,
wanaporukaruka juu ya vilele vya milima,
kama mlio wa miali ya moto ilayo mabua,
kama jeshi kubwa lililojipanga kwa ajili ya vita.
62:6 Yer 8:21; Isa 13Wanapoonekana, mataifa yanakuwa katika maumivu makuu;
kila uso unabadilika rangi.
72:7 Isa 5:27; Mit 30:27; Ay 16:14Wanashambulia kama wapiganaji wa vita;
wanapanda kuta kama askari.
Wote wanatembea katika safu,
hawapotoshi safu zao.
8Hakuna anayemsukuma mwenzake;
kila mmoja anakwenda mbele moja kwa moja.
Wanapita katika vizuizi
bila kuharibu safu zao.
92:9 Yer 9:21; Kut 10:6Wanaenda kasi kuingia mjini;
wanakimbia ukutani.
Wanaingia ndani ya nyumba;
kwa kuingilia madirishani kama wevi.
102:10 Isa 5:30; 13:10; Za 18:7; 102:26; Ufu 9:2; Ay 9:7; Eze 38:19Mbele yao dunia inatikisika,
anga linatetemeka,
jua na mwezi vinatiwa giza,
na nyota hazitoi mwanga wake tena.
112:11 Isa 2:12; Hes 24:23; Ufu 6:17; 18:8; Sef 2:11; Eze 30:3; Yoe 1:15; Yer 50:34; Mal 3:2; Za 29:3Bwana anatoa mshindo wa ngurumo
mbele ya jeshi lake;
majeshi yake hayana idadi,
ni wenye nguvu nyingi
wale ambao hutii agizo lake.
Siku ya Bwana ni kuu,
ni ya kutisha.
Ni nani anayeweza kuistahimili?
Rarueni Mioyo Yenu
122:12 Kum 4:30; Hos 12:6; Eze 33:11; 1Sam 7:3“Hata sasa,” asema Bwana,
“nirudieni kwa mioyo yenu yote,
kwa kufunga, kwa kulia na kuomboleza.”
132:13 Za 34:18; 51:17; 86:5; Mwa 37:29; Hes 14:6; Kut 34:6; Yon 4:2; Isa 57:15; 2Fal 22:19; Mt 5:3-4; Ay 1:20Rarueni mioyo yenu
na siyo mavazi yenu.
Mrudieni Bwana, Mungu wenu,
kwa maana yeye ndiye mwenye neema
na mwingi wa huruma,
si mwepesi wa hasira, ni mwingi wa upendo,
huona huruma, hujizuia kuleta maafa.
142:14 Yer 26:3; 31:14; Yn 3:9; Sef 2:3; Isa 65:8; Zek 8:13; Yos 14:12; Amo 5:15; Hag 2:19; Mal 3:10Ni nani ajuaye? Yeye aweza kugeuka na kuwa na huruma
na kuacha baraka nyuma yake:
sadaka za nafaka na sadaka za vinywaji
kwa ajili ya Bwana Mungu wenu.
152:15 2Nya 20:3; Hes 10:2-3; Yer 36:9Pigeni tarumbeta katika Sayuni,
tangazeni saumu takatifu,
liiteni kusanyiko takatifu.
162:16 Kut 19:10; 2Nya 20:13; 1Kor 7:5; Za 19Wakusanyeni watu,
wekeni wakfu kusanyiko;
waleteni pamoja wazee,
wakusanyeni watoto,
wale wanyonyao maziwa.
Bwana arusi na atoke chumbani mwake
na bibi arusi naye atoke katika chumba chake.
172:17 Eze 8:16; Mt 23:35; Kum 9:26-29; Ay 17:6; Za 42:3; Kut 32:11; Isa 37:20; Yoe 1:13; Isa 22:12Makuhani, ambao wanahudumu mbele za Bwana,
na walie katikati ya ukumbi
wa Hekalu na madhabahu.
Waseme, “Wahurumie watu wako, Ee Bwana.
Usifanye urithi wako kitu cha kudharauliwa,
neno la dhihaka kati ya mataifa.
Kwa nini wasemezane miongoni mwao,
‘Yuko wapi Mungu wao?’ ”
Jibu La Bwana
182:18 Isa 26:11; 42:13; Zek 8:2; 1:14; Kum 32:36; Za 103:13; 72:13Kisha Bwana atakuwa na wivu kwa ajili ya nchi yake
na kuwa na huruma juu ya watu wake.
192:19 Yer 31:12; Eze 34:29; Za 4:7; Law 26:5Bwana atawajibu:
“Ninawapelekea nafaka,
mvinyo mpya na mafuta,
vya kuwatosha ninyi
hadi mridhike kabisa;
kamwe sitawafanya tena
kitu cha kudharauliwa na mataifa.
202:20 Yer 1:14-15; Zek 14:8; Kum 11:24; Kut 10:19; Isa 34:3“Nitafukuza jeshi la kaskazini likae mbali nanyi,
nikilisukuma ndani ya jangwa,
askari wa safu za mbele wakienda
ndani ya bahari ya mashariki
na wale wa safu za nyuma
katika bahari ya magharibi.
Uvundo wake utapaa juu;
harufu yake itapanda juu.”
Hakika ametenda mambo makubwa.
212:21 Sef 3:16-17; Isa 25:1; 29:22; 54:4; 1Yn 4:18Usiogope, ee nchi;
furahi na kushangilia.
Hakika Bwana ametenda mambo makubwa.
222:22 Yoe 1:18-20; Zek 8:12; Za 65:12; Hes 16:14; 1Fal 4:25Msiogope, enyi wanyama pori,
kwa kuwa mbuga za malisho yenu
zinarudia ubichi.
Miti nayo inazaa matunda,
mtini na mzabibu inatoa utajiri wake.
232:23 Hab 3:18; Yak 5:7; Za 28:7; 33:21; Law 26:4Furahini, enyi watu wa Sayuni,
shangilieni katika Bwana Mungu wenu,
kwa kuwa amewapa mvua za vuli
kwa kipimo cha haki.
Anawapelekea mvua nyingi,
mvua ya vuli na ya masika, kama mwanzoni.
242:24 Law 26:10; Mal 3:10; Mit 3:10; Amo 9:13; Yoe 3:18Sakafu za kupuria zitajaa nafaka,
mapipa yatafurika mvinyo mpya na mafuta.
252:25 Kut 14:10; Amo 4:9“Nitawalipa kwa ajili ya miaka ile iliyoliwa na nzige:
parare, madumadu na tunutu,
jeshi langu kubwa ambalo
nililituma katikati yenu.
262:26 Law 23:40; 26:5; Isa 25:1; 29:22; 62:9; Za 126:3; Mik 6:14Mtakuwa na wingi wa vyakula mpaka mshibe,
na mtalisifu jina la Bwana Mungu wenu,
ambaye amefanya maajabu kwa ajili yenu;
kamwe watu wangu hawataaibishwa tena.
272:27 Kut 6:2; Isa 44:8; 45:5; 54:4; Yoe 3:17; Law 26:11; Sef 3:11Ndipo mtakapojua kwamba mimi niko katika Israeli
kwamba mimi ndimi Bwana Mungu wenu,
na kwamba hakuna mwingine;
kamwe watu wangu hawataaibika tena.
Siku Ya Bwana
282:28 Yn 7:38; 11:2; Eze 39:29; Mdo 21:9; Hes 11:17; Gal 3:14; 1Sam 19:20“Hata itakuwa, baada ya hayo,
nitamimina Roho wangu juu ya wote wenye mwili.
Wana wenu na binti zenu watatabiri,
wazee wenu wataota ndoto,
na vijana wenu wataona maono.
292:29 1Kor 12:13; Gal 3:28; Eze 36:27Hata juu ya watumishi wangu, wanaume kwa wanawake,
katika siku zile nitamimina Roho wangu.
302:30 Lk 21:11; Mk 13:24-25Nami nitaonyesha maajabu katika mbingu
na duniani:
damu, moto na mawimbi ya moshi.
312:31 Isa 22:5; Mt 24:29; Isa 13:9-10; Mal 3:2; Yer 4:23; Yoe 1:15Jua litageuzwa kuwa giza
na mwezi kuwa mwekundu kama damu,
kabla ya kuja siku ya Bwana
ile kuu na ya kutisha.
322:32 Rum 9:27; 10:13; Oba 1:17; Mik 4:7; 7:18; Isa 11:11; 46:13; Za 106:8; 50:12; Yer 33:3; Mwa 4:26; Mdo 2:21, 39Na kila mtu atakayeliitia
jina la Bwana ataokolewa.
Kwa maana juu ya Mlima Sayuni na katika Yerusalemu
kutakuwepo wokovu,
kama Bwana alivyosema,
miongoni mwa walionusurika
ambao Bwana awaita.
