2 And it shall be as with the people, so with the priest: and as with the servant, so with his master: as with the handmaid, so with her mistress: as with the buyer, so with the seller: as with the lender, so with the borrower: as with him that calleth for his money, so with him that oweth.
3 With desolation shall the earth be laid waste, and it shall be utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word.
4 The earth mourned, and faded away, and is weakened: the world faded away, the height of the people of the earth is weakened.
5 And the earth is infected by the inhabitants thereof: because they have transgressed the laws, they have changed the ordinance, they have broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore shall a curse devour the earth, and the inhabitants thereof shall sin: and therefore they that dwell therein shall be mad, and few men shall be left.
7 The vintage hath mourned, the vine hath languished away, all the merryhearted have sighed.
8 The mirth of timbrels hath ceased, the noise of them that rejoice is ended, the melody of the harp is silent.