1. Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad its inhabitants.
2. And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest to him.
3. The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.
4. The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
5. The earth also is defiled under its inhabitants; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
6. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell in it are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
7. The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merry-hearted do sigh.
8. The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.
9. They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.
10. The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may enter.
11. There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.
12. In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.
13. When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive-tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.