Joel 2

Sonnez de la trompette en Sion!

Blow the ram’s horn in Zion; sound the alarm on My holy mountain! Let all who dwell in the land tremble, for the Day of the LORD is coming; indeed, it is near—

Jour de ténèbres et d’obscurité,

a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like the dawn overspreading the mountains a great and strong army appears, such as never was of old, nor will ever be in ages to come.

Devant lui est un feu dévorant,

Before them a fire devours, and behind them a flame scorches. The land before them is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland—surely nothing will escape them.

A les voir, on dirait des chevaux,

Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like swift steeds.

A les entendre, on dirait un bruit de chars

With a sound like that of chariots they bound over the mountaintops, like the crackling of fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army deployed for battle.

Devant eux les peuples tremblent,

Nations writhe in horror before them; every face turns pale.

Ils s’élancent comme des guerriers,

They charge like mighty men; they scale the walls like men of war. Each one marches in formation, not swerving from the course.

Ils ne se pressent point les uns les autres,

They do not jostle one another; each proceeds in his path. They burst through the defenses, never breaking ranks.

Ils se répandent dans la ville,

They storm the city; they run along the wall; they climb into houses, entering through windows like thieves.

Devant eux la terre tremble,

Before them the earth quakes; the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness.

L’Éternel fait entendre sa voix devant son armée;

The LORD raises His voice in the presence of His army. Indeed, His camp is very large, for mighty are those who obey His command. For the Day of the LORD is great and very dreadful. Who can endure it?

Maintenant encore, dit l’Éternel,

“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”

Déchirez vos cœurs et non vos vêtements,

So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion (note: Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant.). And He relents from sending disaster.

Qui sait s’il ne reviendra pas et ne se repentira pas,

Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him—grain and drink offerings for the LORD your God.

Sonnez de la trompette en Sion!

Blow the ram’s horn in Zion, consecrate a fast, proclaim a sacred assembly.

Assemblez le peuple, formez une sainte réunion!

Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the aged, gather the children, even those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.

Qu’entre le portique et l’autel

Let the priests who minister before the LORD weep between the portico and the altar, saying, “Spare Your people, O LORD, and do not make Your heritage a reproach, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

L’Éternel est ému de jalousie pour son pays,

Then the LORD became jealous for His land, and He spared His people.

L’Éternel répond, il dit à son peuple:

And the LORD answered His people: “Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and by them you will be satisfied. I will never again make you a reproach among the nations.

J’éloignerai de vous l’ennemi du nord,

The northern army I will drive away from you, banishing it to a barren and desolate land, its front ranks into the Eastern (note: That is, the Mediterranean Sea, also called the Great Sea)an class="annot-tooltip" tabindex="0" data-tooltip="That is, the Dead Sea" title="That is, the Dead Sea">Sea (note: That is, the Dead Sea), and its rear guard into the Western Sea. And its stench will rise; its foul odor will ascend. For He has done great things.

Terre, ne crains pas,

Do not be afraid, O land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things.

Bêtes des champs, ne craignez pas,

Do not be afraid, O beasts of the field, for the open pastures have turned green, the trees bear their fruit, and the fig tree and vine yield their best (note: Literally their strength).

Et vous, enfants de Sion, soyez dans l’allégresse et réjouissez-vous

Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains for your vindication. He sends you showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.

Les aires se rempliront de blé,

The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.

Je vous remplacerai les années

I will repay you for the years eaten by locusts—the swarming locust, the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust (note: The precise identification of the four kinds of insects mentioned here is uncertain.)—My great army that I sent against you.

Vous mangerez et vous vous rassasierez,

You will have plenty to eat, until you are satisfied. You will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you. My people will never again be put to shame.

Et vous saurez que je suis au milieu d’Israël,

Then you will know that I am present in Israel and that I am the LORD your God, and there is no other. My people will never again be put to shame.

Après cela, je répandrai mon esprit sur toute chair;

And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

Même sur les serviteurs et sur les servantes,

Even on My menservants and maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

Je ferai paraître des prodiges dans les cieux et sur la terre,

I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns (note: LXX clouds or billows) of smoke.

Le soleil se changera en ténèbres,

The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and awesome (note: Or dreadful; LXX glorious) Day of the LORD.

Alors quiconque invoquera le nom de l’Éternel sera sauvé;

And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved (note: Cited in Acts 2:17–21 and Romans 10:13); for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has promised, among the remnant called by the LORD.