13 Dress in sackcloth and lament,(A) you priests;(B)
wail,(C) you ministers of the altar.
Come and spend the night in sackcloth,(D)
you ministers of my God,
because grain and drink offerings
are withheld from the house of your God.
14 Announce a sacred fast;(E)
proclaim a solemn assembly!
Gather the elders(F)
and all the residents of the land
at the house of the Lord your God,(G)
and cry out to the Lord.(H)

The Day of the Lord

15 Woe because of that day!(I)
For the day of the Lord is near
and will come as devastation from the Almighty.(J)
16 Hasn’t the food been cut off
before our eyes,(K)
joy and gladness(L)
from the house of our God?
17 The seeds lie shriveled in their casings.[a](M)
The storehouses are in ruin,
and the granaries are broken down,
because the grain has withered away.
18 How the animals groan!(N)
The herds of cattle wander in confusion
since they have no pasture.
Even the flocks of sheep and goats suffer punishment.
19 I call to you, Lord,(O)
for fire has consumed
the pastures of the wilderness,(P)
and flames have devoured
all the trees of the orchard.
20 Even the wild animals cry out to[b] you,(Q)
for the river beds are dried up,(R)
and fire has consumed
the pastures of the wilderness.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:17 Or clods; Hb obscure
  2. 1:20 Or animals pant for; Hb obscure

13 Dress yourselves in burlap and weep, you priests!
    Wail, you who serve before the altar!
Come, spend the night in burlap,
    you ministers of my God.
For there is no grain or wine
    to offer at the Temple of your God.
14 Announce a time of fasting;
    call the people together for a solemn meeting.
Bring the leaders
    and all the people of the land
into the Temple of the Lord your God,
    and cry out to him there.
15 The day of the Lord is near,
    the day when destruction comes from the Almighty.
    How terrible that day will be!

16 Our food disappears before our very eyes.
    No joyful celebrations are held in the house of our God.
17 The seeds die in the parched ground,
    and the grain crops fail.
The barns stand empty,
    and granaries are abandoned.
18 How the animals moan with hunger!
    The herds of cattle wander about confused,
because they have no pasture.
    The flocks of sheep and goats bleat in misery.

19 Lord, help us!
The fire has consumed the wilderness pastures,
    and flames have burned up all the trees.
20 Even the wild animals cry out to you
    because the streams have dried up,
    and fire has consumed the wilderness pastures.

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