Joel 2 – NIV & CCB

New International Version

Joel 2:1-32

An Army of Locusts

1Blow the trumpet in Zion;

sound the alarm on my holy hill.

Let all who live in the land tremble,

for the day of the Lord is coming.

It is close at hand—

2a day of darkness and gloom,

a day of clouds and blackness.

Like dawn spreading across the mountains

a large and mighty army comes,

such as never was in ancient times

nor ever will be in ages to come.

3Before them fire devours,

behind them a flame blazes.

Before them the land is like the garden of Eden,

behind them, a desert waste—

nothing escapes them.

4They have the appearance of horses;

they gallop along like cavalry.

5With a noise like that of chariots

they leap over the mountaintops,

like a crackling fire consuming stubble,

like a mighty army drawn up for battle.

6At the sight of them, nations are in anguish;

every face turns pale.

7They charge like warriors;

they scale walls like soldiers.

They all march in line,

not swerving from their course.

8They do not jostle each other;

each marches straight ahead.

They plunge through defenses

without breaking ranks.

9They rush upon the city;

they run along the wall.

They climb into the houses;

like thieves they enter through the windows.

10Before them the earth shakes,

the heavens tremble,

the sun and moon are darkened,

and the stars no longer shine.

11The Lord thunders

at the head of his army;

his forces are beyond number,

and mighty is the army that obeys his command.

The day of the Lord is great;

it is dreadful.

Who can endure it?

Rend Your Heart

12“Even now,” declares the Lord,

“return to me with all your heart,

with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

13Rend your heart

and not your garments.

Return to the Lord your God,

for he is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and abounding in love,

and he relents from sending calamity.

14Who knows? He may turn and relent

and leave behind a blessing—

grain offerings and drink offerings

for the Lord your God.

15Blow the trumpet in Zion,

declare a holy fast,

call a sacred assembly.

16Gather the people,

consecrate the assembly;

bring together the elders,

gather the children,

those nursing at the breast.

Let the bridegroom leave his room

and the bride her chamber.

17Let the priests, who minister before the Lord,

weep between the portico and the altar.

Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.

Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,

a byword among the nations.

Why should they say among the peoples,

‘Where is their God?’ ”

The Lord’s Answer

18Then the Lord was jealous for his land

and took pity on his people.

19The Lord replied2:18,19 Or Lord will be jealous… / and take pity… / 19 The Lord will reply to them:

“I am sending you grain, new wine and olive oil,

enough to satisfy you fully;

never again will I make you

an object of scorn to the nations.

20“I will drive the northern horde far from you,

pushing it into a parched and barren land;

its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea

and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea.

And its stench will go up;

its smell will rise.”

Surely he has done great things!

21Do not be afraid, land of Judah;

be glad and rejoice.

Surely the Lord has done great things!

22Do not be afraid, you wild animals,

for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green.

The trees are bearing their fruit;

the fig tree and the vine yield their riches.

23Be glad, people of Zion,

rejoice in the Lord your God,

for he has given you the autumn rains

because he is faithful.

He sends you abundant showers,

both autumn and spring rains, as before.

24The threshing floors will be filled with grain;

the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.

25“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—

the great locust and the young locust,

the other locusts and the locust swarm2:25 The precise meaning of the four Hebrew words used here for locusts is uncertain.

my great army that I sent among you.

26You will have plenty to eat, until you are full,

and you will praise the name of the Lord your God,

who has worked wonders for you;

never again will my people be shamed.

27Then you will know that I am in Israel,

that I am the Lord your God,

and that there is no other;

never again will my people be shamed.

The Day of the Lord

28“And afterward,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

your old men will dream dreams,

your young men will see visions.

29Even on my servants, both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

30I will show wonders in the heavens

and on the earth,

blood and fire and billows of smoke.

31The sun will be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood

before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

32And everyone who calls

on the name of the Lord will be saved;

for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem

there will be deliverance,

as the Lord has said,

even among the survivors

whom the Lord calls.2:32 In Hebrew texts 2:28-32 is numbered 3:1-5.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

约珥书 2:1-32

耶和华审判的日子

1你们要在锡安吹响号角,

在我的圣山上发出警讯,

地上的居民都要战抖,

因为耶和华的日子将要来临,

已经近了。

2那将是乌云密布、

天昏地暗的日子。

来了一支空前绝后、强盛无比的蝗虫大军,

它们像曙光一样布满山头。

3它们的前队如火燎原,

后队如熊熊烈焰。

它们未到以前,

大地美得像伊甸园;

它们过去之后,

大地变成一片荒场。

地上的一切都逃不过这一场浩劫。

4它们的形状像马,

快速奔驰如战马,

5在山岭上跳跃奔腾,

如隆隆战车,

好像烈火吞噬干草的声音,

又如大军摆开阵式准备打仗。

6它们一来,百姓就惊慌失措,

面如死灰。

7它们快速奔跑像勇士,

攀登城墙如战士,

有条不紊地前进。

8队伍整齐,各行其道,

势如破竹,无坚不摧。

9它们冲向城邑,蹿上城墙,

爬进房屋,

如盗贼般破窗而入。

10所到之处,

天摇地动,

日月昏暗,

星辰无光。

11耶和华向祂的军队发号施令,

祂的队伍不计其数,

执行祂命令的是一支劲旅。

耶和华的日子伟大而可畏,

谁能承受得住呢?

呼吁人民悔改

12耶和华说:

“现在,你们要禁食、哭泣、哀号,

全心回转归向我。”

13你们要撕心般地悔改,

而不是撕裂衣服。

归向你们的上帝耶和华吧,

因为祂有恩典和怜悯,

不轻易发怒,

有无限的慈爱,

不忍心降灾祸。

14谁知道呢?

或许祂转念心生怜悯,

给你们留下祝福,

使你们可以再次向你们的上帝耶和华献上素祭和奠祭。

15要在锡安山吹响号角,

宣布禁食的日子,

举行庄严的聚会。

16要招聚老人,聚集孩童,

包括吃奶的婴儿;

要吩咐新郎出洞房、

新娘出内室;

要召集全体人民,

让他们洁净自己。

17让事奉耶和华的祭司站在圣殿门廊和祭坛中间,

哭泣恳求说:

“耶和华啊,

求你顾惜你的子民,

不要让外族人侮辱、

讥笑你的产业说,

‘你们的上帝在哪里呢?’”

再赐祝福

18耶和华为自己的土地发热心,

祂怜悯自己的子民。

19祂回应他们说:

“我必赐五谷、新酒和油给你们,

使你们饱足,

不再让你们受列国的羞辱。

20我要赶出从北方来的军队,

把他们驱逐到一个干旱荒芜的地方,

把他们的领头部队赶进死海,

再把他们的殿后部队赶进地中海,

那时他们必臭气冲天、

腥味腾空,

因为耶和华为你们行了大事。”

21大地啊,不用惧怕,

倒要欢喜快乐;

因为耶和华行了大事。

22田野的走兽啊,不要惧怕,

因为绿草铺遍了原野,

树木也结满了果子,

无花果树和葡萄树都结实累累。

23锡安的人民啊,

你们应当欢喜快乐,

从你们的上帝耶和华那里得到喜乐。

因为祂按时2:23 按时”希伯来文是“按公义”。降下甘霖,

像从前一样赐给你们秋雨、

春雨。

24麦场必堆满五谷,

酒槽里的酒和油槽里的油必满溢。

25“我派蝻虫、蚱蜢、蚂蚱

和蝗虫大军在那些年所吃掉的,

我要补偿你们。

26你们必吃得饱足,

并赞美你们的上帝耶和华的名,

因祂为你们行了奇事。

我的子民永远不会再蒙羞。

27这样,你们就知道我在以色列

知道我是你们的上帝耶和华,

除我以外别无他神。

我的子民永远不会再蒙羞。

28“以后,我要将我的灵浇灌所有的人。

你们的儿女要说预言,

老人要做异梦,

青年要见异象。

29在那些日子,

我要将我的灵浇灌我的仆人和婢女。

30“我要在天上地下行奇事,你们将看见血、火和烟柱。 31太阳要变得昏暗,月亮要变得血红。在耶和华伟大而可畏的日子来临以前,这些事都会发生。 32那时候,凡求告耶和华之名的人都必得救,因为在锡安山,在耶路撒冷城,必有逃脱灾难的人,耶和华所呼召的人必幸存下来,正如耶和华所言。”