Bible in Basic English
The earth has been made unclean by those living in it; because the laws have not been kept by them, the orders have been changed, and the eternal agreement has been broken.
For this cause the earth is given up to the curse, and those in it are judged as sinners: for this cause those living on the earth are burned up, and the rest are small in number.
The new wine is thin, the vine is feeble, and all the glad-hearted make sounds of grief.
The pleasing sound of all instruments of music has come to an end, and the voices of those who are glad.
There is no more drinking of wine with a song; strong drink will be bitter to those who take it.
The town is waste and broken down: every house is shut up, so that no man may come in.
There is a crying in the streets because of the wine; there is an end of all delight, the joy of the land is gone.
In the town all is waste, and in the public place is destruction.
For it will be in the heart of the earth among the peoples, like the shaking of an olive-tree, as the last of the grapes after the getting-in is done.
But those will be making sounds of joy; they will be crying loudly from the sea for the glory of the Lord.
Give praise to the Lord in the east, to the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the sea-lands.
From the farthest part of the earth comes the sound of songs, glory to the upright. But I said, I am wasting away, wasting away, the curse is on me! The false ones go on in their false way, yes, they go on acting falsely.
Fear, and death, and the net, are come on you, O people of the earth.
And it will be that he who goes in flight from the sound of fear will be overtaken by death; and he who gets free from death will be taken in the net: for the windows on high are open, and the bases of the earth are shaking.
The earth is completely broken, it is parted in two, it is violently moved.
The earth will be moving uncertainly, like a man overcome by drink; it will be shaking like a tent; and the weight of its sin will be on it, crushing it down so that it will not get up again.
And in that day the Lord will send punishment on the army of the high ones on high, and on the kings of the earth on the earth.
And they will be got together, like prisoners in the prison-house; and after a long time they will have their punishment.
Then the moon will be veiled, and the sun put to shame; for the Lord of armies will be ruling in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his judges he will let his glory be seen.
— Isaiah 24:5-1964, Bible in Basic English
“The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh. The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth. They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it. The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in. There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction. When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done. They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry aloud from the sea. Wherefore glorify ye the Lord in the fires, even the name of the Lord God of Israel in the isles of the sea. From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously. Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth. And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake. The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously. ”
“The earth is defiled by its inhabitants, for they have violated laws, disregarded the regulation, and broken the permanent treaty. So a treaty curse devours the earth; its inhabitants pay for their guilt. This is why the inhabitants of the earth disappear, and are reduced to just a handful of people. The new wine dries up, the vines shrivel up, all those who like to celebrate groan. The happy sound of the tambourines stops, the revelry of those who celebrate comes to a halt, the happy sound of the harp ceases. They no longer sing and drink wine; the beer tastes bitter to those who drink it. The ruined town is shattered; all of the houses are shut up tight. They howl in the streets because of what happened to the wine; all joy turns to sorrow; celebrations disappear from the earth. The city is left in ruins; the gate is reduced to rubble. This is what will happen throughout the earth, among the nations. It will be like when they beat an olive tree, and just a few olives are left at the end of the harvest. They lift their voices and shout joyfully; they praise the majesty of the LORD in the west. So in the east extol the LORD, along the seacoasts extol the fame of the LORD God of Israel. From the ends of the earth we hear songs– the Just One is majestic. But I say,“I’m wasting away! I’m wasting away! I’m doomed! Deceivers deceive, deceivers thoroughly deceive!” Terror, pit, and snare are ready to overtake you inhabitants of the earth! The one who runs away from the sound of the terror will fall into the pit; the one who climbs out of the pit, will be trapped by the snare. For the floodgates of the heavens are opened up and the foundations of the earth shake. The earth is broken in pieces, the earth is ripped to shreds, the earth shakes violently. The earth will stagger around like a drunk; it will sway back and forth like a hut in a windstorm. Its sin will weigh it down, and it will fall and never get up again. The Lord Will Become King At that time the LORD will punish the heavenly forces in the heavens and the earthly kings on the earth. They will be imprisoned in a pit, locked up in a prison, and after staying there for a long time, they will be punished. The full moon will be covered up, the bright sun will be darkened; for the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will rule on Mount Zion in Jerusalem in the presence of his assembly, in majestic splendor.”
And it will be the same for the people as for the priest; for the servant as for his master; and for the woman-servant as for her owner; the same for the one offering goods for a price as for him who takes them; the same for him who gives money at interest and for him who takes it; the same for him who lets others have the use of his property as for those who make use of it.
The earth will be completely waste and without men; for this is the word of the Lord.
The earth is sorrowing and wasting away, the world is full of grief and wasting away, the high ones of the earth come to nothing.
The earth has been made unclean by those living in it; because the laws have not been kept by them, the orders have been changed, and the eternal agreement has been broken.
For this cause the earth is given up to the curse, and those in it are judged as sinners: for this cause those living on the earth are burned up, and the rest are small in number.
The new wine is thin, the vine is feeble, and all the glad-hearted make sounds of grief.
The pleasing sound of all instruments of music has come to an end, and the voices of those who are glad.
There is no more drinking of wine with a song; strong drink will be bitter to those who take it.
The town is waste and broken down: every house is shut up, so that no man may come in.
There is a crying in the streets because of the wine; there is an end of all delight, the joy of the land is gone.
In the town all is waste, and in the public place is destruction.
For it will be in the heart of the earth among the peoples, like the shaking of an olive-tree, as the last of the grapes after the getting-in is done.
But those will be making sounds of joy; they will be crying loudly from the sea for the glory of the Lord.
Give praise to the Lord in the east, to the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the sea-lands.
From the farthest part of the earth comes the sound of songs, glory to the upright. But I said, I am wasting away, wasting away, the curse is on me! The false ones go on in their false way, yes, they go on acting falsely.
Fear, and death, and the net, are come on you, O people of the earth.
And it will be that he who goes in flight from the sound of fear will be overtaken by death; and he who gets free from death will be taken in the net: for the windows on high are open, and the bases of the earth are shaking.
The earth is completely broken, it is parted in two, it is violently moved.
The earth will be moving uncertainly, like a man overcome by drink; it will be shaking like a tent; and the weight of its sin will be on it, crushing it down so that it will not get up again.
And in that day the Lord will send punishment on the army of the high ones on high, and on the kings of the earth on the earth.
And they will be got together, like prisoners in the prison-house; and after a long time they will have their punishment.
Then the moon will be veiled, and the sun put to shame; for the Lord of armies will be ruling in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his judges he will let his glory be seen.