1. You disgraceful nation,gather around,
2. before it's too late.The Lord has set a timewhen his fierce angerwill strike like a stormand sweep you away.
3. If you humbly obey the Lord,then come and worship him.If you do right and are humble,perhaps you will be safeon that day when the Lordturns loose his anger.
4. Gaza and Ashkelonwill be desertedand left in ruins.Ashdod will be emptiedin broad daylight,and Ekron uprooted.
5. To you people of Philistiawho live along the coast,the Lord has this to say:“I am now your enemy,and I'll wipe you out!”
6. Your coast will be changedinto pasture landand sheep pens.
7. The Lord God hasn't forgottenthose survivors in Judah,and he will help them—his people will take your landto use for pasture.And when evening comes,they will restin houses at Ashkelon.
8-9. The Lord All-Powerful,the God of Israel, said:I've heard Moab and Ammoninsult my peopleand threaten their nation.And so, I swear by my very lifethat Moab and Ammon will end uplike Sodom and Gomorrah—covered with thorn bushesand salt pits for ever.Then my people who survivewill take their land.
10. This is how Moab and Ammonwill at last be repaidfor their pride—and for sneering at the nationthat belongs to me,the Lord All-Powerful.
11. I will fiercely attack.Then every god on this earthwill shrink to nothing,and everyone of every nationwill bow down to me,right where they are.
12. People of Ethiopia,the sword of the Lordwill slaughter you!
13. The Lord will reach to the northto crush Assyriaand overthrow Nineveh.
14. Herds of wild animalswill live in its rubble;all kinds of desert owlswill perch on its stonesand hoot in the windows.Noisy ravens will be heardinside its buildings,stripped bare of cedar.
15. This is the glorious citythat felt secure and said,“I am the only one!”Now it's merely ruins,a home for wild animals.Every passer-by simply sneersand makes vulgar signs.