1. Behold, the Lord will empty the earth and make it desolate,and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.
2. And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest;as with the slave, so with his master;as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller;as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor.
3. The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered; for the Lord has spoken this word.
4. The earth mourns and withers;the world languishes and withers;the highest people of the earth languish.
5. The earth lies defiledunder its inhabitants;for they have transgressed the laws,violated the statutes,broken the everlasting covenant.
6. Therefore a curse devours the earth,and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt;therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched,and few men are left.