Joel 1 | » |
1 Joel son of Pethuel received this message from the Lord:
2 Leaders, listen to this message! Listen to me, all you people who live in the land. Has anything like this happened before during your lifetime? No. Did anything like this happen during your fathers' lifetime? No.
3 You will tell these things to your children, and your children will tell their children, and your grandchildren will tell the people of the next generation.
4 What the cutting locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten. And what the swarming locust has left, the hopping locust has eaten. And what the hopping locust has left, the destroying locust has eaten!
5 Drunks, wake up and cry! All of you who drink wine, cry because your sweet wine is finished. You will not taste it again.
6 A powerful nation came to attack my land. Its soldiers were too many to count. Its weapons were as sharp as a lion's teeth and as powerful as a lion's jaw.
7 It destroyed my grapevine. Its good vines withered and died. It destroyed my fig tree, stripped off the bark and threw it away.
8 Cry like the young woman who was ready to be married, and her husband-to-be was killed.
9 Priests, servants of the Lord, cry because there will be no more grain and drink offerings in the Lord's Temple.
10 The fields are ruined. Even the ground is crying because the grain is destroyed; the new wine is dried up, and the olive oil is gone.
11 Be sad, farmers! Cry loudly, for the grapes, for the wheat and for the barley, because the harvest in the field is ruined.
12 The vines have become dry, and the fig tree is dying. All the trees in the field— the pomegranate, the palm, and the apple—have withered. And happiness among the people is dead.
13 Priests, put on your sackcloth and cry loudly. Servants of the altar, cry loudly. Servants of my God, you will sleep in your sackcloth because there will be no more grain and drink offerings in God's Temple.
14 Tell the people that there will be a special time of fasting. Call them together for a special meeting. Bring the leaders and everyone living in the land together at the Temple of the Lord your God, and pray to the Lord.
15 Be sad because the Lord's special day is near. At that time punishment will come like an attack from God All-Powerful.
16 Our food is gone. Joy and happiness are gone from the Temple of our God.
17 We planted seeds, but the seeds became dry and dead lying in the soil. Our plants are dry and dead. Our barns are empty and falling down.
18 The animals are hungry and groaning. The herds of cattle wander around confused because they have no grass to eat. The sheep are dying.
19 Lord, I am calling to you for help. Fire has changed our green fields into a desert. Flames have burned all the trees in the field.
20 Wild animals also need your help. The streams are dry— there is no water! Fire has changed our green fields into a desert.
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV) is a Bible translation specifically designed to be accessible and comprehensible for people with limited reading skills or those for whom English is a second language. Originally published in 1987 by the World Bible Translation Center, the ERV was initially developed to serve the deaf community, using a simplified vocabulary and straightforward sentence structures. The goal of the ERV is to make the scriptures understandable to a wide range of readers, ensuring that everyone can grasp the essential messages of the Bible without being hindered by complex language or archaic terms.
One of the defining characteristics of the ERV is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators employed a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, focusing on conveying the meaning of the original texts in plain, everyday English. This approach ensures that readers can easily comprehend the Bible’s teachings and narratives, making it a valuable resource for children, new Christians, and those with limited literacy skills. The ERV avoids technical theological terms and instead uses language that is commonly spoken, making it accessible for personal study and public reading alike.
The ERV also pays careful attention to the cultural and contextual nuances of the original manuscripts. The translators sought to present the Bible’s messages in a way that is relevant and meaningful to contemporary readers while maintaining faithfulness to the original texts. This cultural sensitivity helps bridge the gap between ancient scriptures and modern readers, allowing them to connect more deeply with the biblical stories and teachings. Additionally, the ERV includes helpful footnotes and cross-references that provide further explanation and context, enhancing the reader’s understanding of the text.
Despite its strengths, the ERV has faced some criticism from those who prefer more traditional or literal translations. Critics argue that the simplified language and thought-for-thought approach can sometimes result in a loss of depth and richness found in the original texts. Some theologians believe that the ERV’s emphasis on accessibility may lead to oversimplification of complex theological concepts. Nonetheless, the Easy-To-Read Version remains a highly valuable translation for its target audience, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that helps people of all backgrounds engage with and understand the scriptures.