2 People and priest shall fare alike:servant and master,Maid and mistress,buyer and seller,Lender and borrower,creditor and debtor.
3 The earth shall be utterly laid waste, utterly stripped,for the Lord has decreed this word.
4 The earth mourns and fades,the world languishes and fades;both heaven and earth languish.
5 The earth is polluted because of its inhabitants,for they have transgressed laws, violated statutes,broken the ancient covenant.
6 Therefore a curse devours the earth,and its inhabitants pay for their guilt;Therefore they who dwell on earth have dwindled,and only a few are left.
7 The new wine mourns, the vine languishes,all the merry-hearted groan.
8 Stilled are the cheerful timbrels,ended the shouts of the jubilant,stilled the cheerful harp.