“You are just in these judgments,^(J) O Holy One,^(K)
    you who are and who were;^(L)
6 for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets,^(M)
    and you have given them blood to drink^(N) as they deserve.”

“Yes, Lord God Almighty,^(P)
    true and just are your judgments.”^(Q)

² “Who is this that obscures my plans^(C)
    with words without knowledge?^(D)
3 Brace yourself like a man;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.^(E)

⁴ “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?^(F)
    Tell me, if you understand.^(G)
5 Who marked off its dimensions?^(H) Surely you know!
    Who stretched a measuring line^(I) across it?
⁶ On what were its footings set,^(J)
    or who laid its cornerstone^(K)—
⁷ while the morning stars^(L) sang together^(M)
    and all the angels^[a](N) shouted for joy?^(O)

⁸ “Who shut up the sea behind doors^(P)
    when it burst forth from the womb,^(Q)
9 when I made the clouds its garment
    and wrapped it in thick darkness,^(R)
10 when I fixed limits for it^(S)
    and set its doors and bars in place,^(T)
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;^(U)
    here is where your proud waves halt’?^(V)

¹² “Have you ever given orders to the morning,^(W)
    or shown the dawn its place,^(X)
13 that it might take the earth by the edges
    and shake the wicked^(Y) out of it?^(Z)
14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;^(AA)
    its features stand out like those of a garment.
¹⁵ The wicked are denied their light,^(AB)
    and their upraised arm is broken.^(AC)

¹⁶ “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
    or walked in the recesses of the deep?^(AD)
17 Have the gates of death^(AE) been shown to you?
    Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?^(AF)
18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?^(AG)
    Tell me, if you know all this.^(AH)

¹⁹ “What is the way to the abode of light?
    And where does darkness reside?^(AI)
20 Can you take them to their places?
    Do you know the paths^(AJ) to their dwellings?
²¹ Surely you know, for you were already born!^(AK)
    You have lived so many years!

“When I destroy all mankind
    on the face of the earth,”^(F)
declares the Lord,^(G)
4 “I will stretch out my hand^(H) against Judah
    and against all who live in Jerusalem.
I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place,^(I)
    the very names of the idolatrous priests^(J)—
⁵ those who bow down on the roofs
    to worship the starry host,^(K)
those who bow down and swear by the Lord
    and who also swear by Molek,^[b](L)
6 those who turn back from following^(M) the Lord
    and neither seek^(N) the Lord nor inquire^(O) of him.”

⁷ Be silent^(P) before the Sovereign Lord,
    for the day of the Lord^(Q) is near.
The Lord has prepared a sacrifice;^(R)
    he has consecrated those he has invited.

⁸ “On the day of the Lord’s sacrifice
    I will punish^(S) the officials
    and the king’s sons^(T)
and all those clad
    in foreign clothes.
⁹ On that day I will punish
    all who avoid stepping on the threshold,^[c](U)
who fill the temple of their gods
    with violence and deceit.^(V)

¹⁰ “On that day,^(W)”
    declares the Lord,
“a cry will go up from the Fish Gate,^(X)
    wailing^(Y) from the New Quarter,
    and a loud crash from the hills.
¹¹ Wail,^(Z) you who live in the market district^[d];
    all your merchants will be wiped out,
    all who trade with^[e] silver will be destroyed.^(AA)
12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps
    and punish those who are complacent,^(AB)
    who are like wine left on its dregs,^(AC)
who think, ‘The Lord will do nothing,^(AD)
    either good or bad.’^(AE)
13 Their wealth will be plundered,^(AF)
    their houses demolished.
Though they build houses,
    they will not live in them;
though they plant vineyards,
    they will not drink the wine.”^(AG)

¹⁴ The great day of the Lord^(AH) is near^(AI)—
    near and coming quickly.
The cry on the day of the Lord is bitter;
    the Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry.
¹⁵ That day will be a day of wrath—
    a day of distress and anguish,
        a day of trouble and ruin,
    a day of darkness^(AJ) and gloom,
        a day of clouds and blackness^(AK)—
¹⁶     a day of trumpet and battle cry^(AL)
against the fortified cities
    and against the corner towers.^(AM)

¹⁷ “I will bring such distress^(AN) on all people
    that they will grope about like those who are blind,^(AO)
    because they have sinned against the Lord.
Their blood will be poured out^(AP) like dust
    and their entrails like dung.^(AQ)
18 Neither their silver nor their gold
    will be able to save them
    on the day of the Lord’s wrath.”^(AR)

In the fire of his jealousy^(AS)
    the whole earth will be consumed,^(AT)
for he will make a sudden end
    of all who live on the earth.^(AU)

¹⁰ This is what they will get in return for their pride,^(BX)
    for insulting^(BY) and mocking
    the people of the Lord Almighty.^(BZ)
11 The Lord will be awesome^(CA) to them
    when he destroys all the gods^(CB) of the earth.^(CC)
Distant nations will bow down to him,^(CD)
    all of them in their own lands.