²⁰ “I will drive the northern horde^(A) far from you,
    pushing it into a parched and barren land;
its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea
    and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea.
And its stench^(B) will go up;
    its smell will rise.”

Surely he has done great things!

¹⁰ “I sent plagues^(A) among you
    as I did to Egypt.^(B)
I killed your young men^(C) with the sword,
    along with your captured horses.
I filled your nostrils with the stench^(D) of your camps,
    yet you have not returned to me,”^(E)
declares the Lord.^(F)

²     a day of darkness^(A) and gloom,^(B)
    a day of clouds^(C) and blackness.^(D)
Like dawn spreading across the mountains
    a large and mighty army^(E) comes,
such as never was in ancient times^(F)
    nor ever will be in ages to come.

³ Before them fire^(G) devours,
    behind them a flame blazes.
Before them the land is like the garden of Eden,^(H)
    behind them, a desert waste^(I)—
    nothing escapes them.
⁴ They have the appearance of horses;^(J)
    they gallop along like cavalry.
⁵ With a noise like that of chariots^(K)
    they leap over the mountaintops,
like a crackling fire^(L) consuming stubble,
    like a mighty army drawn up for battle.

⁶ At the sight of them, nations are in anguish;^(M)
    every face turns pale.^(N)
7 They charge like warriors;^(O)
    they scale walls like soldiers.
They all march in line,^(P)
    not swerving^(Q) from their course.
⁸ They do not jostle each other;
    each marches straight ahead.
They plunge through defenses
    without breaking ranks.
⁹ They rush upon the city;
    they run along the wall.
They climb into the houses;^(R)
    like thieves they enter through the windows.^(S)

¹⁰ Before them the earth shakes,^(T)
    the heavens tremble,^(U)
the sun and moon are darkened,^(V)
    and the stars no longer shine.^(W)
11 The Lord^(X) thunders^(Y)
    at the head of his army;^(Z)
his forces are beyond number,
    and mighty is the army that obeys his command.
The day of the Lord is great;^(AA)
    it is dreadful.
    Who can endure it?^(AB)

⁵ Wake up, you drunkards, and weep!
    Wail, all you drinkers of wine;^(D)
wail because of the new wine,
    for it has been snatched^(E) from your lips.
⁶ A nation has invaded my land,
    a mighty army without number;^(F)
it has the teeth^(G) of a lion,
    the fangs of a lioness.