A Lamentation against Israel
1 שִׁמְע֞וּ (Hear) אֶת־ (-) הַדָּבָ֣ר (the word) הַזֶּ֗ה (this) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) אָנֹכִ֜י (I) נֹשֵׂ֧א (take up) עֲלֵיכֶ֛ם (against you⁺) קִינָ֖ה (as a lamentation), בֵּ֥ית (O house) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (of Israel).
2 נָֽפְלָה֙ (She has fallen); לֹֽא־ (not) תוֹסִ֣יף (will she again) ק֔וּם (rise);
בְּתוּלַ֖ת (the virgin) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel)
נִטְּשָׁ֥ה (for she lies forsaken) עַל־ (on) אַדְמָתָ֖הּ (her land);
אֵ֥ין (with no one) מְקִימָֽהּ׃ (to raise her up).
3 כִּ֣י (For) כֹ֤ה (thus) אָמַר֙ (says) אֲדֹנָ֣י (the Lord) יְהוִ֔ה (YHWH);
הָעִ֛יר (The city) הַיֹּצֵ֥את (marching out) אֶ֖לֶף (as a thousand)
תַּשְׁאִ֣יר (will have left) מֵאָ֑ה (a hundred),
וְהַיּוֹצֵ֥את (and the one marching out) מֵאָ֛ה (as a hundred)
תַּשְׁאִ֥יר (will have left) עֲשָׂרָ֖ה (ten), לְבֵ֥ית (of the house) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ס (of Israel).
A Call to Repentance
(Joel 1:13–20; Zephaniah 2:1–3; Luke 13:1–5)
4 כִּ֣י (For) כֹ֥ה (thus) אָמַ֛ר (says) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) לְבֵ֣ית (to the house) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel),
דִּרְשׁ֖וּנִי (Seek Me) וִֽחְיֽוּ׃ (and live).
5 וְאַֽל־ (And do not) תִּדְרְשׁוּ֙ (seek) בֵּֽית־ (Beth-) אֵ֔ל (el),
וְהַגִּלְגָּל֙ (and to Gilgal), לֹ֣א (do not) תָבֹ֔אוּ (come)
וּבְאֵ֥ר (to Beer-) שֶׁ֖בַע (and sheba); לֹ֣א (do not) תַעֲבֹ֑רוּ (cross over)
כִּ֤י (for) הַגִּלְגָּל֙ (Gilgal) גָּלֹ֣ה (in exile) יִגְלֶ֔ה (will go off),
וּבֵֽית־ (and Beth-) אֵ֖ל (el) יִהְיֶ֥ה (will come) לְאָֽוֶן׃ (to Aven).
6 דִּרְשׁ֥וּ (Seek) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) וִֽחְי֑וּ (and live);
פֶּן־ (lest) יִצְלַ֤ח (He break out) כָּאֵשׁ֙ (like fire) בֵּ֣ית (in the house) יוֹסֵ֔ף (of Joseph),
וְאָכְלָ֥ה (and devour it)
וְאֵין־ (with no one) מְכַבֶּ֖ה (to quench it) לְבֵֽית־ (in Beth-) אֵֽל׃ (el).
7 הַהֹפְכִ֥ים (You who are turning) לְלַעֲנָ֖ה (into wormwood), מִשְׁפָּ֑ט (justice)
וּצְדָקָ֖ה (and righteousness) לָאָ֥רֶץ (in the earth), הִנִּֽיחוּ׃ (laying to rest).
8 עֹשֵׂ֨ה (The One making) כִימָ֜ה (the Pleiades) וּכְסִ֗יל (and Orion),
וְהֹפֵ֤ךְ (and the One turning) לַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ (into the morning), צַלְמָ֔וֶת (the shadow of death)
וְי֖וֹם (the day) לַ֣יְלָה (as night), הֶחְשִׁ֑יךְ (and making dark)
הַקּוֹרֵ֣א (the One calling) לְמֵֽי־ (to the waters) הַיָּ֗ם (of the sea),
וַֽיִּשְׁפְּכֵ֛ם (and who pours them out) עַל־ (over) פְּנֵ֥י (the face) הָאָ֖רֶץ (of the earth),
יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) שְׁמֽוֹ׃ס (is His name).
9 הַמַּבְלִ֥יג (The One flashing) שֹׁ֖ד (destruction) עַל־ (upon) עָ֑ז (the strong)
וְשֹׁ֖ד (so that destruction) עַל־ (upon) מִבְצָ֥ר (the fortress) יָבֽוֹא׃ (comes).
10 שָׂנְא֥וּ (They hate) בַשַּׁ֖עַר (in the gate), מוֹכִ֑יחַ (the one reproving)
וְדֹבֵ֥ר (and the one speaking) תָּמִ֖ים (virtuously) יְתָעֵֽבוּ׃ (they abhor).
11 לָ֠כֵן (Therefore) יַ֣עַן (because) בּוֹשַׁסְכֶ֞ם (of your⁺ treading down) עַל־ (upon) דָּ֗ל (the poor),
וּמַשְׂאַת־ (and the tribute) בַּר֙ (of grain); תִּקְח֣וּ (you⁺ take) מִמֶּ֔נּוּ (from him)
בָּתֵּ֥י (houses) גָזִ֛ית (of hewn stone), בְּנִיתֶ֖ם (you⁺ have built)
וְלֹא־ (and not) תֵ֣שְׁבוּ (will you⁺ dwell) בָ֑ם (in them)
כַּרְמֵי־ (vineyards), חֶ֣מֶד (of delight) נְטַעְתֶּ֔ם (you⁺ have planted)
וְלֹ֥א (not) תִשְׁתּ֖וּ (will you⁺ drink) אֶת־ (-) יֵינָֽם׃ (their wine).
12 כִּ֤י (Indeed) יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ (I know) רַבִּ֣ים (how many) פִּשְׁעֵיכֶ֔ם (are your⁺ transgressions)
וַעֲצֻמִ֖ים (and how mighty) חַטֹּֽאתֵיכֶ֑ם (your⁺ sins);
צֹרְרֵ֤י (you afflicting) צַדִּיק֙ (the righteous), לֹ֣קְחֵי (taking) כֹ֔פֶר (bribes),
וְאֶבְיוֹנִ֖ים (and the poor) בַּשַּׁ֥עַר (at the gate) הִטּֽוּ׃ (stretching aside).
13 לָכֵ֗ן (Therefore) הַמַּשְׂכִּ֛יל (the one acting prudently) בָּעֵ֥ת (at the time); הַהִ֖יא (that) יִדֹּ֑ם (will keep silent)
כִּ֛י (for) עֵ֥ת (a time) רָעָ֖ה (evil) הִֽיא׃ (it is).
14 דִּרְשׁוּ־ (Seek) ט֥וֹב (good), וְאַל־ (and not) רָ֖ע (evil),
לְמַ֣עַן (so that) תִּֽחְי֑וּ (you⁺ may live);
וִיהִי־ (and it will come to pass) כֵ֞ן (that) יְהוָ֧ה (YHWH),
אֱלֹהֵֽי־ (God) צְבָא֛וֹת (of Hosts), אִתְּכֶ֖ם (is with you⁺) כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (as) אֲמַרְתֶּֽם׃ (you⁺ have spoken).
15 שִׂנְאוּ־ (Hate) רָע֙ (what is evil), וְאֶ֣הֱבוּ (and love) ט֔וֹב (what is good),
וְהַצִּ֥יגוּ (and establish) בַשַּׁ֖עַר (in the gate)! מִשְׁפָּ֑ט (Justice)
אוּלַ֗י (Perhaps) יֶֽחֱנַ֛ן (will be gracious) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵֽי־ (God)
צְבָא֖וֹת (of Hosts) שְׁאֵרִ֥ית (to the remnant) יוֹסֵֽף׃ס (of Joseph).
Woe to Rebellious Israel
(Acts 7:39–43)
16 לָ֠כֵן (Therefore) כֹּֽה־ (thus); אָמַ֨ר (says) יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH), אֱלֹהֵ֤י (God) צְבָאוֹת֙ (of Hosts), אֲדֹנָ֔י (the Lord),
בְּכָל־ (In all) רְחֹב֣וֹת (the public squares); מִסְפֵּ֔ד (will be wailing)
וּבְכָל־ (and in all) חוּצ֖וֹת (the streets), יֹאמְר֣וּ (they will say) הוֹ־ (Alas) ה֑וֹ (Alas)!
וְקָרְא֤וּ (And they will call) אִכָּר֙ (the farmer) אֶל־ (to) אֵ֔בֶל (mourning),
וּמִסְפֵּ֖ד (and wailing). אֶל־ (To) י֥וֹדְעֵי (those knowing) נֶֽהִי׃ (lamentation).
17 וּבְכָל־ (And in all) כְּרָמִ֖ים (the vineyards) מִסְפֵּ֑ד (wailing),
כִּֽי־ (for) אֶעֱבֹ֥ר (I will pass over) בְּקִרְבְּךָ֖ (in your midst)
אָמַ֥ר (says) יְהוָֽה׃ס (YHWH).
18 ה֥וֹי (Woe) הַמִּתְאַוִּ֖ים (to those desiring) אֶת־ (-) י֣וֹם (the day) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH)!
לָמָּה־ (For what is) זֶּ֥ה (this) לָכֶ֛ם (to you⁺) י֥וֹם (the day) יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH)
הוּא־ (it is) חֹ֥שֶׁךְ (darkness), וְלֹא־ (and not) אֽוֹר׃ (light).
19 כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר (As when) יָנ֥וּס (flees) אִישׁ֙ (a man) מִפְּנֵ֣י (from) הָאֲרִ֔י (a lion),
וּפְגָע֖וֹ (meets him) הַדֹּ֑ב (a bear)
וּבָ֣א (or he comes into) הַבַּ֔יִת (the house), וְסָמַ֤ךְ (and leans) יָדוֹ֙ (his hand) עַל־ (on) הַקִּ֔יר (the wall),
וּנְשָׁכ֖וֹ (and bites him) הַנָּחָֽשׁ׃ (a snake).
20 הֲלֹא־ (Is it not) חֹ֛שֶׁךְ (darkness), י֥וֹם (the day)
יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH) וְלֹא־ (and not) א֑וֹר (light)?
וְאָפֵ֖ל (Even gloom), וְלֹא־ (with no) נֹ֥גַֽהּ (brightness) לֽוֹ׃ (in it).
21 שָׂנֵ֥אתִי (I hate), מָאַ֖סְתִּי (I despise) חַגֵּיכֶ֑ם (your⁺ feast s),
וְלֹ֥א (and not) אָרִ֖יחַ (I do savor) בְּעַצְּרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃ (in your⁺ solemn assemblies).
22 כִּ֣י (Even) אִם־ (though) תַּעֲלוּ־ (you⁺ send up) לִ֥י (to Me) עֹל֛וֹת (burnt offerings) וּמִנְחֹתֵיכֶ֖ם (and grain offerings),
לֹ֣א (not) אֶרְצֶ֑ה (accept them)
וְשֶׁ֥לֶם (and peace offering) מְרִיאֵיכֶ֖ם (of your⁺ fatlings)
לֹ֥א (not) אַבִּֽיט׃ (will I regard).
23 הָסֵ֥ר (Turn aside) מֵעָלַ֖י (from Me) הֲמ֣וֹן (the noise) שִׁרֶ֑יךָ (of your songs);
וְזִמְרַ֥ת (and the music) נְבָלֶ֖יךָ (of your harps) לֹ֥א (not) אֶשְׁמָֽע׃ (will I hear).
24 וְיִגַּ֥ל (And let roll) כַּמַּ֖יִם (like the waters), מִשְׁפָּ֑ט (justice)
וּצְדָקָ֖ה (and righteousness) כְּנַ֥חַל (like a stream) אֵיתָֽן׃ (ever-flowing).
25 הַזְּבָחִ֨ים (Sacrifices) וּמִנְחָ֜ה (and offerings) הִֽגַּשְׁתֶּם־ (did you⁺ bring near) לִ֧י (to Me)
בַמִּדְבָּ֛ר (in the wilderness) אַרְבָּעִ֥ים (those forty) שָׁנָ֖ה (years), בֵּ֥ית (O house) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (of Israel)?
26 וּנְשָׂאתֶ֗ם (You⁺ have taken along) אֵ֚ת (-) סִכּ֣וּת (Sikkuth) מַלְכְּכֶ֔ם (your⁺ king)
וְאֵ֖ת (and) כִּיּ֣וּן (and Kaiwan) צַלְמֵיכֶ֑ם (your⁺ idols),
כּוֹכַב֙ (the star) אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם (of your⁺ gods), אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם (you⁺ have made) לָכֶֽם׃ (for yourselves).
27 וְהִגְלֵיתִ֥י (And I will send into exile) אֶתְכֶ֖ם (you⁺) מֵהָ֣לְאָה (beyond) לְדַמָּ֑שֶׂק (Damascus),
אָמַ֛ר (says) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH), אֱלֹהֵֽי־ (the God) צְבָא֖וֹת (of Hosts) שְׁמֽוֹ׃פ (is His name).
