12. The Lord said:It isn't too late.You can still return to mewith all your heart.Start crying and mourning!Go without eating.
13. Don't rip your clothesto show your sorrow.Instead, turn back to mewith broken hearts.I am merciful, kind, and caring.I don't easily lose my temper,and I don't like to punish.
14. I am the Lord your God.Perhaps I will change my mindand treat you with mercy.Then you will be blessedwith enough grain and winefor offering sacrifices to me.
15. Sound the trumpet on Zion!Call the people together.Show your sorrowby going without food.
16. Make sure that everyoneis fit to worship me.Bring adults, children, babies,and even bring newlywedsfrom their festivities.
17. Tell my servants, the priests,to cry inside the templeand to offer this prayernear the altar:“Save your people, Lord God!Don't let foreign nationsmake jokes about us.Don't let them laugh and ask,‘Where is your God?’ ”
18. The Lord was deeply concernedabout his landand had pity on his people.
19. In answer to their prayershe said,“I will give you enough grain,wine, and olive oilto satisfy your needs.No longer will I let yoube insulted by the nations.
20. An army attacked from the north,but I will chase itinto a scorching desert.There it will rot and stinkfrom the Dead Seato the Mediterranean.”The Lord works wonders
21. and does great things.So tell the soil to celebrate
22. and wild animalsto stop being afraid.Grasslands are green again;fruit trees and fig treesare loaded with fruit.Grapevines are coveredwith grapes.
23. People of Zion,celebrate in honourof the Lord your God!He is generous and has sentthe autumn and spring rainsin the proper seasons.
24. Grain will coveryour threshing places;jars will overflowwith wine and olive oil.
25. I, the Lord your God,will make up for the lossescaused by those swarmsand swarms of locustsI sent to attack you.
26. My people, you will eatuntil you are satisfied.Then you will praise mefor the wonderful thingsI have done.Never again will yoube put to shame.
27. Israel, you will knowthat I stand at your side.I am the Lord your God—there are no other gods.Never again will yoube put to shame.
28. Later, I will give my Spiritto everyone.Your sons and daughterswill prophesy.Your old menwill have dreams,and your young menwill see visions.
29. In those days I will even givemy Spirit to my servants,both men and women.
30. I will work wondersin the sky aboveand on the earth below.There will be blood and fireand clouds of smoke.