15-17. Blow the ram’s horn trumpet in Zion!Declare a day of repentance, a holy fast day.Call a public meeting.Get everyone there. Consecrate the congregation.Make sure the elders come,but bring in the children, too, even the nursing babies,Even men and women on their honeymoon—interrupt them and get them there.Between Sanctuary entrance and altar,let the priests, God’s servants, weep tears of repentance.Let them intercede: “Have mercy, God, on your people!Don’t abandon your heritage to contempt.Don’t let the pagans take over and rule themand sneer, ‘And so where is this God of theirs?’”
18-20. At that, God went into action to get his land back.He took pity on his people.God answered and spoke to his people,“Look, listen—I’m sending a gift:Grain and wine and olive oil.The fast is over—eat your fill!I won’t expose you any longerto contempt among the pagans.I’ll head off the final enemy coming out of the northand dump them in a wasteland.Half of them will end up in the Dead Sea,the other half in the Mediterranean.There they’ll rot, a stench to high heaven.The bigger the enemy, the stronger the stench!”
21-24. Fear not, Earth! Be glad and celebrate!God has done great things.Fear not, wild animals!The fields and meadows are greening up.The trees are bearing fruit again:a bumper crop of fig trees and vines!Children of Zion, celebrate!Be glad in your God.He’s giving you a teacherto train you how to live right—Teaching, like rain out of heaven, showers of wordsto refresh and nourish your soul, just as he used to do.And plenty of food for your body—silos full of grain,casks of wine and barrels of olive oil.