Isaiah 24 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Look — Yahweh is about to strip the earth bare, he is about to devastate it, twist its face beyond recognition, and scatter everyone who lives on it.

And it will be the same for everyone — the same for the people as for the priest, the same for the servant as for the master, the same for the maid as for her mistress, the same for the buyer as for the seller, the same for the lender as for the borrower, the same for the creditor as for the debtor.

The earth will be stripped completely bare, completely plundered — because Yahweh has spoken this word.

The earth dries up, it withers. The world wastes away, it withers. The highest people of the earth waste away.

The earth itself is polluted by the people living on it, because they have violated the instructions, twisted the decrees, and broken the ancient agreement that was meant to last forever.

That is why a curse is devouring the earth, and those who live on it bear the consequences. That is why the inhabitants of the earth are burning away, and only a few people are left.

The new wine dries up, the vine withers, and everyone who used to celebrate now groans.

The joyful pounding of drums has stopped. The noise of those celebrating is over. The happy sound of the harp has stopped.

No more drinking wine with singing. Beer turns bitter in the mouths of those who drink it.

The ruined city is shattered. Every house is shut tight — no one can enter.

In the streets they cry out for wine. All joy has grown dark. The happiness of the earth has gone into exile.

What is left of the city is desolation. Its gate is battered into ruins.

This is how it will be across the earth, among all the nations — like an olive tree after the shaking, like the last grapes picked after harvest is over.

Those who survive — they lift their voices, they shout for joy. From the west they sing out about Yahweh's greatness.

So in the east, honor Yahweh! In the coastlands across the sea, honor the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel!

From the edges of the earth we hear songs: "Splendor belongs to the Just One!" But I said, "I'm wasting away, I'm wasting away. It's terrible for me! The treacherous betray! With treachery the treacherous betray!"

Terror, the pit, and the trap are coming for you, inhabitant of the earth!

Whoever runs from the sound of terror will fall into the pit. Whoever climbs out of the pit will be caught in the trap. Because the floodgates of the heavens are opened, and the foundations of the earth are shaking.

The earth is cracking apart, cracking apart. The earth is splitting open, splitting open. The earth is shaking violently, shaking violently.

The earth staggers like a drunk, it sways like a shack in a storm. Its rebellion weighs so heavy on it that it falls and cannot get up again.

On that day, Yahweh will bring judgment on the powers in the heavens above and on the kings of the earth below.

They will be gathered together like prisoners thrown into a pit. They will be locked away in a dungeon and punished after a long time.

Then the moon will be humiliated and the sun will be ashamed, because Yahweh of Armies will reign on Mount Zion, in Jerusalem, and his glory will blaze before the elders.