1. Look! The Lord will devastate the earth and destroy it,will twist its face and scatter its inhabitants.
2. It will be the same for the people and for the priest;for the slave and for his master;for the female servant and for her mistress;for the buyer and for the seller;for the lender and for the borrower;for the creditor and for the debtor.
3. The earth will be devastated, totally devastated;it will be destroyed, completely destroyedbecause the Lord has said it would be so.
4. The earth dries up and wilts;the world withers and wilts;the heavens wither away with the earth.
5. The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants,for they have disobeyed instruction,swept aside law,and broken the ancient covenant.
6. Therefore, a curse devours the earth; its inhabitants suffer for their guilt.Therefore, the earth’s inhabitants dwindle; very few are left.