2 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 land shall be utterly emptied,and utterly despoiled,for the Lord has spoken this word.
4 The earth mourns and fades away,the world languishes and fades away,the haughty people of the earth languish.
5 The earth also is defiled by its inhabitantsbecause they have transgressed the laws,violated the ordinances,broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore, the curse devours the earth,and those who dwell in it are held guilty.Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned,and few men are left.
7 The new wine fails, the vine languishes,all the merry-hearted sigh.
8 The joy of tambourines ceases,the noise of those who rejoice ends,the joy of the harp ceases.