The Locusts as a Warning of the Day of the Lord
1 Blow the trumpet; sound the alarm
on Zion, God's sacred hill.
Tremble, people of Judah!
The day of the Lord is coming soon.
2 It will be a dark and gloomy day,
a black and cloudy day.
The great army of locusts advances
like darkness spreading over the mountains.
There has never been anything like it,
and there never will be again.
3 Like fire they eat up the plants.
In front of them the land is like the Garden of Eden,
but behind them it is a barren desert.
Nothing escapes them.
4 They look like horses;
they run like war-horses.
5 As they leap on the tops of the mountains,
they rattle like chariots;
they crackle like dry grass on fire.
They are lined up like a great army ready for battle.
6 As they approach, everyone is terrified;
every face turns pale.
7 They attack like warriors;
they climb the walls like soldiers.
They all keep marching straight ahead
and do not change direction
8 or get in each other's way.
They swarm through defenses,
and nothing can stop them.
9 They rush against the city;
they run over the walls;
they climb up the houses
and go in through the windows like thieves.
10 The earth shakes as they advance;
the sky trembles.
The sun and the moon grow dark,
and the stars no longer shine.
11 The Lord thunders commands to his army.
The troops that obey him
are many and mighty.
How terrible is the day of the Lord!
Who will survive it?
A Call to Repentance
12 “But even now,” says the Lord,
“repent sincerely and return to me
with fasting and weeping and mourning.
13 Let your broken heart show your sorrow;
tearing your clothes is not enough.”
Come back to the Lord your God.
He is kind and full of mercy;
he is patient and keeps his promise;
he is always ready to forgive and not punish.
14 Perhaps the Lord your God will change his mind
and bless you with abundant crops.
Then you can offer him grain and wine.
15 Blow the trumpet on Mount Zion;
give orders for a fast and call an assembly!
16 Gather the people together;
prepare them for a sacred meeting;
bring the old people;
gather the children
and the babies too.
Even newly married couples
must leave their homes and come.
17 The priests, serving the Lord
between the altar and the entrance of the Temple,
must weep and pray:
“Have pity on your people, Lord.
Do not let other nations despise us and mock us
by saying, ‘Where is your God?’”
God Restores Fertility to the Land
18 Then the Lord showed concern for his land;
he had mercy on his people.
19 He answered them:
“Now I am going to give you
grain and wine and olive oil,
and you will be satisfied.
Other nations will no longer despise you.
20 I will remove the locust army that came from the north
and will drive some of them into the desert.
Their front ranks will be driven into the Dead Sea,
their rear ranks into the Mediterranean.
Their dead bodies will stink.
I will destroy them because of all they have done to you.
21 “Fields, don't be afraid,
but be joyful and glad
because of all the Lord has done for you.
22 Animals, don't be afraid.
The pastures are green;
the trees bear their fruit,
and there are plenty of figs and grapes.
23 “Be glad, people of Zion,
rejoice at what the Lord your God has done for you.
He has given you the right amount of autumn rain;
he has poured down the winter rain for you
and the spring rain as before.
24 The threshing places will be full of grain;
the pits beside the presses will overflow with wine and olive oil.
25 I will give you back what you lost
in the years when swarms of locusts ate your crops.
It was I who sent this army against you.
26 Now you will have plenty to eat, and be satisfied.
You will praise the Lord your God,
who has done wonderful things for you.
My people will never be despised again.
27 Then, Israel, you will know that I am among you
and that I, the Lord, am your God
and there is no other.
My people will never be despised again.
The Day of the Lord
28 “Afterward I will pour out my Spirit on everyone:
your sons and daughters will proclaim my message;
your old people will have dreams,
and your young people will see visions.
29 At that time I will pour out my Spirit
even on servants, both men and women.
30 “I will give warnings of that day
in the sky and on the earth;
there will be bloodshed, fire, and clouds of smoke.
31 The sun will be darkened,
and the moon will turn red as blood
before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.
32 But all who ask the Lord for help will be saved.
As the Lord has said,
‘Some in Jerusalem will escape;
those whom I choose will survive.’”
Oshiponga shoshipaxu nefiku lOmwene
1 Shikeni enghuma muSion! Kuwileni onghuwo komhunda yange iyapuki! Oonakukalamo moshilongo nava kale nokukakama, osheshi efiku lOmwene tali uya. Heeno, Ye oku li popepi. 2 Efiku lomilaulu nolomudimbi, efiku loshihemime noloilemo. Ngaashi ouyelele weluwa tau tandavele kombada yeemhunda, osho oshiwana shinene nosheenghono tashi uya. Oshiwana sha tya ngaha inashi kala po nale noitashi ka kala fiyo okomido domaludalo oo tae ke uya. 3 Komesho yasho otaku ende omundilo tau lungwinifa, ndele konima yasho omutemo tau xwike. Ngaashi epya laEden, edu la kala koshipala shasho, ndelenee konima yasho edu ombuwa yongaho. Ndele kape na umwe ta xupu po. 4 Nolupe lasho ngaashi olupe leenghambe, nongaashi eenghambe da londwa osho hava tondoka. 5 Otava koyauka kombada yeemhunda, ngaashi omatemba oita haa kolokota, ngaashi epopomo lomundilo tali xwike oihati, ngaashi oshiwana sheenghono, she lihomatekela olwoodi. 6 Ovanhu aveshe otave di kakamene. Noipala aishe otai ka pemba. 7 Ovo tava tondoka ngaashi ovaladi, ngaashi ovakwaita otava londo ohotekuma. Keshe umwe ta ende nokuyukilila nondjila yaye, itava kanduka mo mondjila. 8 Kape na umwe ta undula mukwao. Keshe umwe ota ende nondjila yaye mwene. Otava pitile momauta ndele itava ka yashwa. 9 Otava pumine mo moshilando, tava tondoka kombada yohotekuma, tava londo, tava i meengulu nokupumina momakende ngaashi ovalunga. 10 Moipafi yavo edu otali kakama neulu otali linyengaanyenga. Etango nohani otai ka laula neenyofi itadi yela vali. 11 Ndele Omwene ota ngungumifa ondaka yaye komesho yoita yaye. Osheshi oita yaye oinene unene, nosheshi omuwanifi wondjovo yaye omunaenghono. Osheshi efiku lOmwene olo linene nokutilika unene. Ndele olyelye ta dulu okukala po?
Ekumaido lokulidilulula
12 Ndelenee natango tuu Omwene ta ti: “Alukeni kwaame nomutima weni aushe nokulidilika nokulila nokunyika oufiye. 13 Pombauleni omitima deni, haoikutu yeni, nye mu alukile kOmwene Kalunga keni. Osheshi Ye omunefilonghenda nomunanghenda nomunanheni nomunene mouwanghenda, ndele iha kalele okuhandukuluka.” 14 Kashiimba Ye ote lialuka natango, ndele ta fii po enangeko noupuna, nokutya eendjayambo noikunwayambo yokuyambela Omwene Kalunga keni.
15 Shikeni enghuma muSion! Yapuleni efiku lelidiliko! Shiveni oshiongalele! 16 Ongeleni oshiwana, yapuleni eongalo, shiveni ovakulunhu. Ongeleni ounona nouhanana! Omuhomboli na dje mo mondjuwo yaye, nomuhombolwa mondjuwo yaye. 17 Ovapristeli, ovapiya vOmwene, nava kale nokulila pokati koshivelo noaltari, nava tye: “Akutu Omwene, xupifa oshiwana shoye, noshifyuululifwa shoye, ino shi efa shi fifwe ohoni, vaha shekwe koiwana. Oshike tava ka tya mokati koiwana: ‘Kalunga kavo oku li peni?’ ”
Omaudaneko oshishipo
18 Opo nee ouladi wOmwene wa pendukila oshilongo shaye. Ndele okwa kenukila oshiwana shaye. 19 Ndele Omwene okwa nyamukula ndele ta lombwele oshiwana shaye: “Tala, Ame handi mu tumine oilya, omaviinyu nomaadi, mu kute. Ndele itandi mu efa vali mu shekelwe mokati koiwana. 20 Heeno, omuhanauni ou ta di koumbangalanhu, Ame ohandi ke mu ta po, a dje punye, ndele handi mu shingile medu likukutu lihe nomeva. Ovapiti vokomesho handi va tele mEfuta lokoushilo, novashikuli vaye handi va tele mEfuta Lopokati. Edimba laye tali nyika, neolelo laye ola mbuta. Osheshi ye a ninga oinima yoixuna. 21 Ino tila, oove edu! Nyakukwa ove u kuwilile! Osheshi Omwene oha longo oinima inene. 22 Oifitukuti yomoixwa, inamu kala mwa tila! Omaulifilo omofuka otaa shipukwa nomuti otau ima. Nomukwiyu nomuviinyu otadi yandje oiimati yado. 23 Nanye ovana vaSion, nyakukweni, nye mu kuwilile mOmwene Kalunga keni. Osheshi ote mu pe odula yonhemuna pauyuki waye. Ote mu tumine odula yonhemuna noyokulombo. 24 Oipale otai ka kala i yadi oilya noikolelo otai xunga omaviinyu nomaadi. 25 Ame ohandi ke mu alulila omido dinya da likile koshipaxu nokeshenye nokoshipaxu shanakapipi nokokapuka taka kunya, oyo oita yange inene, nde i mu tuminine. 26 Opo nye tamu ka lya nawa, ndele tamu kuta nokuhambelela edina lOmwene Kalunga keni, Oye ou, e mu longela oikumwifa. Noshiwana shange itashi ka fifwa vali ohoni fiyo alushe. 27 Ndele onye tamu ka shiiva, nokutya Ame ndi li mokati kaIsrael. Ndele Aame Omwene Kalunga keni nokape na umwe. Noshiwana shange itashi ka fifwa vali ohoni fiyo alushe. 28 Konima yoinima ei, Ame ohandi ka tilila Omhepo yange kombada yovanhu aveshe, novana veni ovamati noukadona otava ka xunganeka, ovakulunhu veni otava ka twa eendjodi, novanyasha veni otava ka mona omamoniko. 29 Nosho yo kombada yovapiya ovamati noukadona ohandi ka tilila Omhepo yange, pomafiku tuu enya. 30 Ndele Ame ohandi ka monikifa oikumwifadidiliko keulu nokombada yedu: ohonde, nomundilo noiundu yomwifi. 31 Etango otali ka shituka omilaulu nohani ohonde fimbo efiku linene nolitilifa lOmwene inali fika. 32 Nakeshe tuu ou ta ifana edina lOmwene, ye ota ka xupifwa. Osheshi komhunda yaSion nomuJerusalem tamu ka kala oonakuxupifwa, ngaashi Omwene a tile. Nomokati kovainhapo tamu ka kala ava tava ka ifanwa kOmwene.
