Joel 2

Thomsona day of darkness and gloom—a day of clouds and thick darkness. Like dawn, there shall be poured out on the mountains a people numerous and powerful; the like of them hath never been, nor shall be any more to the years of all generations.

Brentonfor a day of darkness and gloominess is near, a day of cloud and mist: a numerous and strong people shall be spread upon the mountains as the morning; there has not been from the beginning one like it, and after it there shall not be again even to the years of many generations.

ThomsonBefore them is a kindling fire, and all behind them a glowing flame. Before them the land is like a pleasure garden, and behind them, a scene of desolation: and there is none who can escape them.

BrentonBefore them is a consuming fire, and behind them is a flame kindled: the land before them is as a paradise of delight, and behind them a desolate plain: and there shall none of them escape.

ThomsonWith a noise like that of chariots they will bound over the tops of mountains and their noise is like that of a flaming fire consuming stubble.
They are like a people numerous and powerful, arrayed for battle.

BrentonAs the sound of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, and as the sound of a flame of fire devouring stubble, and as a numerous and strong people setting themselves in array for battle.

ThomsonAt their presence peoples will be appalled and every face covered with blackness.

BrentonBefore them shall the people be crushed: every face shall be as the blackness of a caldron.

ThomsonThey can run like warriors and like mighty warriors scale walls; and each one will march in his own path. They will not alter their lines of march,

BrentonAs warriors shall they run, and as men of war shall they mount on the walls; and each shall move in his right path, and they shall not turn aside from their tracks:

Thomsonnor will any one separate from his comrade. They will march loaded with their arms, and though they fall on their weapons they shall not be killed.

Brentonand not one shall stand aloof from his brother: they shall go on weighed down with their arms, and they fall upon their weapons, yet shall they in no wise be destroyed.

ThomsonThey will surprise the city and run upon the walls; they will climb up the houses and enter at windows like thieves.

BrentonThey shall seize upon the city, and run upon the walls, and go up upon the houses, and enter in through the windows as thieves.

ThomsonAt their presence the earth will be confounded and the heaven shaken, and the sun and the moon will be darkened, and the stars will withdraw their light,

BrentonBefore them the earth shall be confounded, and the sky shall be shaken: the sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their light.

Thomsonand the Lord will utter His voice before His army. Because the circuit of His camp is very large—because the operation of His words is irresistible—because the day of the Lord is great, extremely awful; who therefore shall be able to abide it?

BrentonAnd the Lord shall utter his voice before his host: for his camp is very great: for the execution of his words is mighty: for the day of the Lord is great, very glorious, and who shall be able to resist it?

ThomsonRend your hearts and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God; for He is gracious and merciful, longsuffering and full of compassion, and relenteth at evils.

Brentonand rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God: for he is merciful and compassionate, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy, and repents of evils.

ThomsonWho knoweth but he will turn and relent, and leave behind him a blessing and a sacrifice and a libation for the Lord your God.

BrentonWho knows if he will return, and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meat-offering and a drink-offering to the Lord your God?

ThomsonAssemble the people; sanctify the congregation; choose elders. Bring together infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom come forth from his chamber and the bride from her wardrobe.

Brentongather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the infants at the breast: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

ThomsonAt the foot of the altar, let the priests who minister to the Lord, weep, and say, Spare, O Lord, Thy people; and give not up Thy heritage to reproach—for the nations to rule over them. That they may not say among the nations. Where is their God?

BrentonBetween the porch and the altar let the priests that minister to the Lord weep, and say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them, lest they should say among the heathen, Where is their God?

ThomsonAnd the Lord answered and said to His people, Behold I will send you corn and wine and oil, and with them you shall be plentifully supplied. And I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.

BrentonAnd the Lord answered and said to his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied with them: and I will no longer make you a reproach among the Gentiles.

ThomsonThis army from the north I will remove from you, and drive it to a land without water, and destroy its front in the first, and its rear in the last sea; and its smell shall come up and its stench shall ascend, because it hath magnified its [own] works.

BrentonAnd I will chase away from you the northern adversary, and will drive him away into a dry land, and I will sink his face in the former sea, and his back parts in the latter sea, and his ill savour shall come up, and his stink shall come up, because he has wrought great things.

ThomsonTake courage, O beasts of the field; for the plains of the wilderness are in bloom. Because the trees have yielded their fruit—the fig tree and the vine have put forth their strength;

BrentonBe of good courage, ye beasts of the plain, for the plains of the wilderness have budded, for the trees have borne their fruit, the fig-tree and the vine have yielded their strength.

Thomsonrejoice therefore, ye children of Sion and exult in the Lord your God: for He hath given you this food for righteousness, and He will distil upon you the former and the latter rain as heretofore.

BrentonRejoice then and be glad, ye children of Sion, in the Lord your God: for he has given you food fully, and he will rain on you the early and the latter rain, as before.

ThomsonAnd your threshing floors shall be filled with corn, and your vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

BrentonAnd the floors shall be filled with corn, and the presses shall overflow with wine and oil.

Thomson(J) I will indeed make you compensation for what hath been devoured by the grasshopper and the locust, the palmer worm and the mildew—that great army of mine which I sent against you.

BrentonAnd I will recompense you for the years which the locust, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, and the cankerworm have eaten, even my great army, which I sent against you.

ThomsonAnd you shall eat plentifully and be satisfied, and shall praise the name of the Lord your God, who hath dealt wonderfully with you; and My people shall never be put to shame.

BrentonAnd ye shall eat abundantly, and be satisfied, and shall praise the name of the Lord your God for the things which he has wrought wonderfully with you: and my people shall not be ashamed for ever.

ThomsonAnd you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I the Lord am your God and besides Me there is no other; and My people shall never be put to shame.

BrentonAnd ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and that there is none else beside me; and my people shall no more be ashamed for ever.