14 The great day of the Lord is near and approaching rapidly. It will be a bitter day—even warriors will cry out loud. 15 It will be a day of anger,* a day of trouble and distress, a day of disaster and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, 16 a day of trumpet calls and battle cries against fortified cities and watchtowers. 17 I will bring trouble on humanity, making them walk like blind people because they have sinned against the Lord. Their blood will be spilled like so much dust; their intestines like dung. 18 Their silver and their gold won’t help to save them on the day of the Lord’s anger. The whole earth will be burned up by the fire of his jealous* anger. He will make sure the end of the people of the world is sudden and complete.