Isaiah 24:1-9 ▼

1 Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty and maketh it waste, And turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; As with the servant, 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 emptied, and clean despoiled; For the LORD hath spoken this word.

4 The earth fainteth and fadeth away, The world faileth and fadeth away, The lofty people of the earth do fail.

5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; Because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statute, Broken the everlasting covenant.

6 Therefore hath a curse devoured the earth, And they that dwell therein are found guilty; Therefore the inhabitants of the earth waste away, And men are left few.

7 The new wine faileth, the vine fadeth; All the merry-hearted do sigh.

8 The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, The noise of them that rejoice endeth, The joy of the harp ceaseth.

9 They drink not wine with a song; Strong drink is bitter to them that drink it.