Chapter 1
The Invasion of Locusts
1
[This is] the word of the LORD that came to Joel son of Pethuel:
𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤁𐤍 𐤐𐤕𐤅𐤀𐤋
דְּבַר־ יְהוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָ֔ה אֶל־ יוֹאֵ֖ל בֶּן־ פְּתוּאֵֽל׃ də·ḇar- Yah·weh ’ă·šer hā·yāh ’el- yō·w·’êl ben- pə·ṯū·’êl — WLC · 1
2
Hear this, O elders; and give ear, all who dwell in the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your fathers?
𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤅 𐤆𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤆𐤒𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤄𐤀𐤆𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤊𐤋 𐤉𐤅𐤔𐤁𐤉 𐤄𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤆𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤄𐤉𐤕𐤄 𐤁𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤊𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤌 𐤁𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤀𐤁𐤕𐤉𐤊𐤌
שִׁמְעוּ־ זֹאת֙ הַזְּקֵנִ֔ים וְהַֽאֲזִ֔ינוּ כֹּ֖ל יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ זֹּאת֙ הֶהָ֤יְתָה בִּֽימֵיכֶ֔ם וְאִ֖ם בִּימֵ֥י אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃ šim·‘ū- zōṯ haz·zə·qê·nîm wə·ha·’ă·zî·nū kōl yō·wō·šə·ḇê hā·’ā·reṣ zōṯ he·hā·yə·ṯāh bî·mê·ḵem wə·’im bî·mê ’ă·ḇō·ṯê·ḵem — WLC · 2
3
Tell it to your children; let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation.
𐤎𐤐𐤓𐤅 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤄 𐤋𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤊𐤌 𐤅𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤊𐤌 𐤋𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤅𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤀𐤇𐤓 𐤋𐤃𐤅𐤓
סַפֵּ֑רוּ עָלֶ֖יהָ לִבְנֵיכֶ֣ם וּבְנֵיכֶם֙ לִבְנֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם אַחֵֽר׃ לְד֥וֹר sap·pê·rū ‘ā·le·hā liḇ·nê·ḵem ū·ḇə·nê·ḵem liḇ·nê·hem ū·ḇə·nê·hem ’a·ḥêr lə·ḏō·wr — WLC · 3
4
What the devouring locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten; what the swarming locust has left, the young locust has eaten; and what the young locust has left, the destroying locust has eaten.
𐤄𐤂𐤆𐤌 𐤉𐤕𐤓 𐤄𐤀𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤀𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤀𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤓 𐤄𐤉𐤋𐤒 𐤀𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤉𐤋𐤒 𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤓 𐤄𐤇𐤎𐤉𐤋 𐤀𐤊𐤋
הַגָּזָם֙ יֶ֤תֶר הָֽאַרְבֶּ֔ה אָכַ֣ל הָאַרְבֶּ֖ה וְיֶ֥תֶר הַיָּ֑לֶק אָכַ֣ל הַיֶּ֔לֶק וְיֶ֣תֶר הֶחָסִֽיל׃ אָכַ֖ל hag·gā·zām ye·ṯer hā·’ar·beh ’ā·ḵal hā·’ar·beh wə·ye·ṯer hay·yā·leq ’ā·ḵal hay·ye·leq wə·ye·ṯer he·ḥā·sîl ’ā·ḵal — WLC · 4
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Wake up, you drunkards, and weep; wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine, for it has been cut off from your mouth.
𐤄𐤒𐤉𐤑𐤅 𐤔𐤊𐤅𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤁𐤊𐤅 𐤅𐤄𐤉𐤋𐤋𐤅 𐤊𐤋 𐤔𐤕𐤉 𐤉𐤉𐤍 𐤏𐤋 𐤏𐤎𐤉𐤎 𐤊𐤉 𐤍𐤊𐤓𐤕 𐤌𐤐𐤉𐤊𐤌
הָקִ֤יצוּ שִׁכּוֹרִים֙ וּבְכ֔וּ וְהֵילִ֖לוּ כָּל־ שֹׁ֣תֵי יָ֑יִן עַל־ עָסִ֕יס כִּ֥י נִכְרַ֖ת מִפִּיכֶֽם׃ hā·qî·ṣū šik·kō·w·rîm ū·ḇə·ḵū wə·hê·li·lū kāl- šō·ṯê yā·yin ‘al- ‘ā·sîs kî niḵ·raṯ mip·pî·ḵem — WLC · 5
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For a nation has invaded… My land, powerful and without number; its teeth [are] the teeth of a lion, and its fangs [are the fangs] of a lioness
𐤊𐤉 𐤂𐤅𐤉 𐤏𐤋𐤄 𐤏𐤋 𐤀𐤓𐤑𐤉 𐤏𐤑𐤅𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤌𐤎𐤐𐤓 𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤔𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤓𐤉𐤄 𐤅𐤌𐤕𐤋𐤏𐤅𐤕 𐤋𐤁𐤉𐤀 𐤋𐤅
כִּֽי־ גוֹי֙ עָלָ֣ה עַל־ אַרְצִ֔י עָצ֖וּם וְאֵ֣ין מִסְפָּ֑ר שִׁנָּיו֙ שִׁנֵּ֣י אַרְיֵ֔ה וּֽמְתַלְּע֥וֹת לָבִ֖יא לֽוֹ׃ kî- ḡō·w ‘ā·lāh ‘al- ’ar·ṣî ‘ā·ṣūm wə·’ên mis·pār šin·nāw šin·nê ’ar·yêh ū·mə·ṯal·lə·‘ō·wṯ lā·ḇî lōw — WLC · 6
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It has laid waste My grapevine and splintered My fig tree. It has stripped off the bark… and thrown it away; the branches have turned white.
𐤔𐤌 𐤋𐤔𐤌𐤄 𐤂𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤋𐤒𐤑𐤐𐤄 𐤅𐤕𐤀𐤍𐤕𐤉 𐤇𐤔𐤐 𐤇𐤔𐤐𐤄 𐤅𐤄𐤔𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤔𐤓𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤄 𐤄𐤋𐤁𐤉𐤍𐤅
שָׂ֤ם לְשַׁמָּ֔ה גַּפְנִי֙ לִקְצָפָ֑ה וּתְאֵנָתִ֖י חָשֹׂ֤ף חֲשָׂפָהּ֙ וְהִשְׁלִ֔יךְ שָׂרִיגֶֽיהָ׃ הִלְבִּ֖ינוּ śām lə·šam·māh gap̄·nî liq·ṣā·p̄āh ū·ṯə·’ê·nā·ṯî ḥā·śōp̄ ḥă·śā·p̄āh wə·hiš·lîḵ śā·rî·ḡe·hā hil·bî·nū — WLC · 7
A Call to Mourning
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Wail like a virgin dressed in sackcloth, grieving for the husband of her youth.
𐤀𐤋𐤉 𐤊𐤁𐤕𐤅𐤋𐤄 𐤇𐤂𐤓𐤕 𐤔𐤒 𐤏𐤋 𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤍𐤏𐤅𐤓𐤉𐤄
אֱלִ֕י כִּבְתוּלָ֥ה חֲגֻֽרַת־ שַׂ֖ק עַל־ בַּ֥עַל נְעוּרֶֽיהָ׃ ’ĕ·lî kiḇ·ṯū·lāh ḥă·ḡu·raṯ- śaq ‘al- ba·‘al nə·‘ū·re·hā — WLC · 8
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Grain and drink offerings… have been cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests are in mourning, those who minister before the LORD.
𐤌𐤍𐤇𐤄 𐤅𐤍𐤎𐤊 𐤄𐤊𐤓𐤕 𐤌𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤄𐤊𐤄𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤁𐤋𐤅 𐤌𐤔𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄
מִנְחָ֛ה וָנֶ֖סֶךְ הָכְרַ֥ת מִבֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים אָֽבְלוּ֙ מְשָׁרְתֵ֖י יְהוָֽה׃ min·ḥāh wā·ne·seḵ hā·ḵə·raṯ mib·bêṯ Yah·weh hak·kō·hă·nîm ’ā·ḇə·lū mə·šā·rə·ṯê Yah·weh — WLC · 9
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The field is ruined; the land mourns. For the grain is destroyed, the new wine… is dried up, [and] the oil fails.
𐤔𐤃𐤄 𐤔𐤃𐤃 𐤀𐤃𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤁𐤋𐤄 𐤊𐤉 𐤃𐤂𐤍 𐤔𐤃𐤃 𐤕𐤉𐤓𐤅𐤔 𐤀𐤌𐤋𐤋 𐤄𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤔 𐤉𐤑𐤄𐤓
שָׂדֶ֔ה שֻׁדַּ֣ד אֲדָמָ֑ה אָבְלָ֖ה כִּ֚י דָּגָ֔ן שֻׁדַּ֣ד תִּיר֖וֹשׁ אֻמְלַ֥ל הוֹבִ֥ישׁ יִצְהָֽר׃ śā·ḏeh šud·daḏ ’ă·ḏā·māh ’ā·ḇə·lāh kî dā·ḡān šud·daḏ tî·rō·wōš ’um·lal hō·w·ḇîš yiṣ·hār — WLC · 10
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Be dismayed, O farmers, wail, O vinedressers, over the wheat and barley, because the harvest of the field has perished.
𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤔𐤅 𐤀𐤊𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤉𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤅 𐤊𐤓𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤋 𐤇𐤈𐤄 𐤅𐤏𐤋 𐤔𐤏𐤓𐤄 𐤊𐤉 𐤒𐤑𐤉𐤓 𐤔𐤃𐤄 𐤀𐤁𐤃
הֹבִ֣ישׁוּ אִכָּרִ֗ים הֵילִ֙ילוּ֙ כֹּֽרְמִ֔ים עַל־ חִטָּ֖ה וְעַל־ שְׂעֹרָ֑ה כִּ֥י קְצִ֥יר שָׂדֶֽה׃ אָבַ֖ד hō·ḇî·šū ’ik·kā·rîm hê·lî·lū kō·rə·mîm ‘al- ḥiṭ·ṭāh wə·‘al- śə·‘ō·rāh kî qə·ṣîr śā·ḏeh ’ā·ḇaḏ — WLC · 11
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The grapevine is dried up, and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate,… palm, and apple— all the trees of the orchard— are withered. Surely the joy of vvv mankind has dried up.
𐤄𐤂𐤐𐤍 𐤄𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤔𐤄 𐤅𐤄𐤕𐤀𐤍𐤄 𐤀𐤌𐤋𐤋𐤄 𐤓𐤌𐤅𐤍 𐤂𐤌 𐤕𐤌𐤓 𐤅𐤕𐤐𐤅𐤇 𐤊𐤋 𐤏𐤑𐤉 𐤄𐤔𐤃𐤄 𐤉𐤁𐤔𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤔𐤔𐤅𐤍 𐤌𐤍 𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤃𐤌𐤎 𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤔
הַגֶּ֣פֶן הוֹבִ֔ישָׁה וְהַתְּאֵנָ֖ה אֻמְלָ֑לָה רִמּ֞וֹן גַּם־ תָּמָ֣ר וְתַפּ֗וּחַ כָּל־ עֲצֵ֤י הַשָּׂדֶה֙ יָבֵ֔שׁוּ כִּֽי־ שָׂשׂ֖וֹן מִן־ בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃ס הֹבִ֥ישׁ hag·ge·p̄en hō·w·ḇî·šāh wə·hat·tə·’ê·nāh ’um·lā·lāh rim·mō·wn gam- tā·mār wə·ṯap·pū·aḥ kāl- ‘ă·ṣê haś·śā·ḏeh yā·ḇê·šū kî- śā·śō·wn min- bə·nê ’ā·ḏām hō·ḇîš — WLC · 12
A Call to Repentance
13
Put on [sackcloth] and lament, O priests; wail, O ministers of the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, O ministers of my God, because the grain and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God.
𐤇𐤂𐤓𐤅 𐤅𐤎𐤐𐤃𐤅 𐤄𐤊𐤄𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤉𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤅 𐤌𐤔𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤌𐤆𐤁𐤇 𐤁𐤀𐤅 𐤋𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤁𐤔𐤒𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤔𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉 𐤊𐤉 𐤌𐤍𐤇𐤄 𐤅𐤍𐤎𐤊 𐤍𐤌𐤍𐤏 𐤌𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤊𐤌
חִגְר֨וּ וְסִפְד֜וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים הֵילִ֙ילוּ֙ מְשָׁרְתֵ֣י מִזְבֵּ֔חַ בֹּ֚אוּ לִ֣ינוּ בַשַּׂקִּ֔ים מְשָׁרְתֵ֖י אֱלֹהָ֑י כִּ֥י מִנְחָ֥ה וָנָֽסֶךְ׃ נִמְנַ֛ע מִבֵּ֥ית אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם ḥiḡ·rū wə·sip̄·ḏū hak·kō·hă·nîm hê·lî·lū mə·šā·rə·ṯê miz·bê·aḥ bō·’ū lî·nū ḇaś·śaq·qîm mə·šā·rə·ṯê ’ĕ·lō·hāy kî min·ḥāh wā·nā·seḵ nim·na‘ mib·bêṯ ’ĕ·lō·hê·ḵem — WLC · 13
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Consecrate a fast; proclaim a solemn assembly! Gather the elders and all the residents of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.
𐤒𐤃𐤔𐤅 𐤑𐤅𐤌 𐤒𐤓𐤀𐤅 𐤏𐤑𐤓𐤄 𐤀𐤎𐤐𐤅 𐤆𐤒𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤊𐤋 𐤉𐤔𐤁𐤉 𐤄𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤊𐤌 𐤅𐤆𐤏𐤒𐤅 𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄
קַדְּשׁוּ־ צוֹם֙ קִרְא֣וּ עֲצָרָ֔ה אִסְפ֣וּ זְקֵנִ֗ים כֹּ֚ל יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ בֵּ֖ית יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם וְזַעֲק֖וּ אֶל־ יְהוָֽה׃ qad·də·šū- ṣō·wm qir·’ū ‘ă·ṣā·rāh ’is·p̄ū zə·qê·nîm kōl yō·šə·ḇê hā·’ā·reṣ bêṯ Yah·weh ’ĕ·lō·hê·ḵem wə·za·‘ă·qū ’el- Yah·weh — WLC · 14
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Alas for the day! For the Day of the LORD is near, and it will come as destruction from the Almighty.
𐤀𐤄𐤄 𐤋𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤒𐤓𐤅𐤁 𐤉𐤁𐤅𐤀 𐤅𐤊𐤔𐤃 𐤌𐤔𐤃𐤉
אֲהָ֖הּ לַיּ֑וֹם כִּ֤י י֣וֹם יְהוָ֔ה קָרוֹב֙ יָבֽוֹא׃ וּכְשֹׁ֖ד מִשַׁדַּ֥י ’ă·hāh lay·yō·wm kî yō·wm Yah·weh qā·rō·wḇ yā·ḇō·w ū·ḵə·šōḏ mi·šad·day — WLC · 15
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Has not the food been cut off before our very eyes— joy and gladness from the house of our God?
𐤄𐤋𐤅𐤀 𐤀𐤊𐤋 𐤍𐤊𐤓𐤕 𐤍𐤂𐤃 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤔𐤌𐤇𐤄 𐤅𐤂𐤉𐤋 𐤌𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤍𐤅
הֲל֛וֹא אֹ֣כֶל נִכְרָ֑ת נֶ֥גֶד עֵינֵ֖ינוּ שִׂמְחָ֥ה וָגִֽיל׃ מִבֵּ֥ית אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ hă·lō·w ’ō·ḵel niḵ·rāṯ ne·ḡeḏ ‘ê·nê·nū śim·ḥāh wā·ḡîl mib·bêṯ ’ĕ·lō·hê·nū — WLC · 16
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The seeds lie shriveled beneath the clods; the storehouses are in ruins; the granaries are broken down, for the grain has withered away.
𐤐𐤓𐤃𐤅𐤕 𐤏𐤁𐤔𐤅 𐤕𐤇𐤕 𐤌𐤂𐤓𐤐𐤕𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤀𐤑𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤍𐤔𐤌𐤅 𐤌𐤌𐤂𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤍𐤄𐤓𐤎𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤃𐤂𐤍 𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤔
פְרֻד֗וֹת עָבְשׁ֣וּ תַּ֚חַת מֶגְרְפֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם אֹֽצָר֔וֹת נָשַׁ֙מּוּ֙ מַמְּגֻר֑וֹת נֶהֶרְס֖וּ כִּ֥י דָּגָֽן׃ הֹבִ֖ישׁ p̄ə·ru·ḏō·wṯ ‘ā·ḇə·šū ta·ḥaṯ meḡ·rə·p̄ō·ṯê·hem ’ō·ṣā·rō·wṯ nā·šam·mū mam·mə·ḡu·rō·wṯ ne·her·sū kî dā·ḡān hō·ḇîš — WLC · 17
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How the cattle groan! The herds… wander in confusion because they have no pasture… Even the flocks of sheep are suffering.
𐤌𐤄 𐤁𐤄𐤌𐤄 𐤍𐤀𐤍𐤇𐤄 𐤏𐤃𐤓𐤉 𐤁𐤒𐤓 𐤍𐤁𐤊𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤌𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤋𐤄𐤌 𐤂𐤌 𐤏𐤃𐤓𐤉 𐤄𐤑𐤀𐤍 𐤍𐤀𐤔𐤌𐤅
מַה־ בְהֵמָ֗ה נֶּאֶנְחָ֣ה עֶדְרֵ֣י בָקָ֔ר נָבֹ֙כוּ֙ כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין מִרְעֶ֖ה לָהֶ֑ם גַּם־ עֶדְרֵ֥י הַצֹּ֖אן נֶאְשָֽׁמוּ׃ mah- ḇə·hê·māh ne·’en·ḥāh ‘eḏ·rê ḇā·qār nā·ḇō·ḵū kî ’ên mir·‘eh lā·hem gam- ‘eḏ·rê haṣ·ṣōn ne’·šā·mū — WLC · 18
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To You, O LORD, I call, for fire has consumed the open pastures and flames have scorched all the trees of the field.
𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤀𐤒𐤓𐤀 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤔 𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤄 𐤌𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤍𐤀𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤋𐤄𐤁𐤄 𐤋𐤄𐤈𐤄 𐤊𐤋 𐤏𐤑𐤉 𐤄𐤔𐤃𐤄
אֵלֶ֥יךָ יְהוָ֖ה אֶקְרָ֑א כִּ֣י אֵ֗שׁ אָֽכְלָה֙ מִדְבָּ֔ר נְא֣וֹת וְלֶ֣הָבָ֔ה לִהֲטָ֖ה כָּל־ עֲצֵ֥י הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃ ’ê·le·ḵā Yah·weh ’eq·rā kî ’êš ’ā·ḵə·lāh miḏ·bār nə·’ō·wṯ wə·le·hā·ḇāh li·hă·ṭāh kāl- ‘ă·ṣê haś·śā·ḏeh — WLC · 19
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Even the beasts of the field pant for You, for the streams of water have dried up, and fire has consumed the open pastures.
𐤂𐤌 𐤁𐤄𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤔𐤃𐤄 𐤕𐤏𐤓𐤅𐤂 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤐𐤉𐤒𐤉 𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤁𐤔𐤅 𐤅𐤀𐤔 𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤄 𐤄𐤌𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤐 𐤍𐤀𐤅𐤕
גַּם־ בַּהֲמ֥וֹת שָׂדֶ֖ה תַּעֲר֣וֹג אֵלֶ֑יךָ כִּ֤י אֲפִ֣יקֵי מָ֔יִם יָֽבְשׁוּ֙ וְאֵ֕שׁ אָכְלָ֖ה הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃פ נְא֥וֹת gam- ba·hă·mō·wṯ śā·ḏeh ta·‘ă·rō·wḡ ’ê·le·ḵā kî ’ă·p̄î·qê mā·yim yā·ḇə·šū wə·’êš ’ā·ḵə·lāh ham·miḏ·bār nə·’ō·wṯ — WLC · 20