Zefaniya 1
1 Yehova anayankhula ndi Zefaniya mwana wa Kusi, mwana wa Gedaliya, mwana wa Amariya, mwana wa Hezekiya pa nthawi ya Yosiya, mwana wa Amoni, mfumu ya Yuda.
[I am] Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the grandson of Gedaliah, and the great-grandson of Amariah, whose father was [King] Hezekiah. Yahweh gave this message to me during the time when [King] Amon’s son Josiah was the King of Judah.
2 “Ndidzawononga kotheratu zinthu zonse pa dziko lapansi,” akutero Yehova.
Yahweh says, “I will (sweep away/destroy) everything [HYP] that is on the earth.
3 “Ndidzawononga anthu pamodzi ndi nyama zomwe; ndidzawononga mbalame zamlengalenga ndi nsomba za mʼnyanja. Ndidzawononga anthu oyipa, ndipo ndidzafafaniza mtundu wa anthu pa dziko lonse lapansi,” akutero Yehova.
I will sweep away people and animals. I will sweep away birds and fish. I will get rid of wicked people; there will be no more [wicked] [HYP] people on the earth.”
4 Ndidzatambasula dzanja langa pa Yuda ndi onse okhala mu Yerusalemu. Ndidzawononga pamalo pano otsalira opembedza Baala, mayina a anthu osapembedza pamodzi ndi ansembe a mafano:
“[These are some of the things that I will do]: I will punish the people who live in Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah. I will destroy everything that has been used in the worship of Baal. I will cause [people] to no longer remember the names of the pagan priests or the [other] priests [who have turned away from me].
5 amene amagwada pa madenga a nyumba zawo kupembedza zolengedwa zamumlengalenga, amene amagwada ndi kulumbira mʼdzina la Yehova, komanso mʼdzina la Moleki,
[I will get rid of] those who go up on the roofs [of their houses] and worship the sun and moon and stars, those who claim that they worship me but [also] worship [their god] Molech.
6 amene abwerera mʼmbuyo osatsata Yehova, osafunafuna kapena kupempha nzeru kwa Yehova.
I will get rid of all those who previously worshiped me but no longer do, those who no [longer] seek my [help or ask me to tell them what they should do.”]
7 Khalani chete pamaso pa Ambuye Yehova, chifukwa tsiku la Yehova layandikira. Yehova wakonzekera kupereka nsembe; wapatula iwo amene wawayitana.
Be silent in front of Yahweh the Lord, because it will soon be the time/day when Yahweh [will judge and punish people]. Yahweh has prepared to get rid of [the people of Judah]; they will be like [MET] animals that are slaughtered for sacrifices, and he has chosen [their enemies] to be the ones who will get rid of them.
8 Pa tsiku la nsembe ya Yehova ndidzalanga akalonga ndi ana aamuna a mfumu ndi onse amene amavala zovala zachilendo.
Yahweh says, “On that day when I will get rid of [the people of Judah], [I will punish] their officials and the king’s sons, and [I will punish] all those who worship foreign gods [MTY].
9 Pa tsiku limenelo ndidzalanga onse amene safuna kuponda pa chiwundo, amene amadzaza nyumba ya ambuye awo ndi chiwawa ndi chinyengo.
I will punish those who [show that they revere their god Dagan] by avoiding stepping on the threshold [of his temple], and those who do violent things and tell lies in the temples of their gods.”
10 “Pa tsiku limenelo,” akutero Yehova, “Kufuwula kwakukulu kudzamveka pa Chipata cha Nsomba, kulira kwa chisoni kuchokera mʼChigawo Chatsopano, ndi phokoso la kugumuka kochokera ku mapiri.
Yahweh [also] says, “On that day, people will cry [out] at the Fish Gate [of Jerusalem]. People will wail in the newer part of the city, and [people will hear] a loud crash [of buildings collapsing] in the hills.
11 Lirani mwachisoni, inu amene mumakhala kumene kuli msika; a malonda anu onse adzapululidwa, ndiponso onse amene ali ndi siliva adzawonongedwa.
[So, all you] people who live in the market area [of Jerusalem] should wail, because all those who sell goods and weigh out silver will be slaughtered.
12 Pa nthawi imeneyo ndidzafufuzafufuza mu Yerusalemu ndi nyale ndi kulanga onse amene sakulabadira, amene ali ngati vinyo wosakhutchumulidwa, amene amaganiza kuti, ‘Yehova sadzachita chilichonse, chabwino kaya choyipa.’
[It will be as though] I will light lanterns to search in [dark places in] Jerusalem for those who have become very satisfied with their behavior and complacent [about their sins]. They think that [I], Yahweh, will do nothing to them, neither good things nor bad things.
13 Chuma chawo chidzafunkhidwa, nyumba zawo zidzagwetsedwa. Adzamanga nyumba, koma osakhalamo; adzadzala minda ya mpesa koma sadzamwako vinyo wake.”
[But I say that] their valuable possessions will be plundered/stolen [by their enemies], and their houses will be destroyed. They will build [new] homes, but they will not live in them; they will plant vineyards, but they will never drink [any] wine [made from grapes that grow there].”
14 Tsiku lalikulu la Yehova layandikira, layandikira ndipo lifika msanga. Tamverani! Kulira kwa pa tsiku la Yehova kudzakhala kowawa, ngakhale munthu wolimba mtima adzalira kwambiri.
It will soon be the day/time when Yahweh [will punish people]. It will be here quickly. It will be a time [when people cry] bitterly, a time when [even] brave soldiers will cry loudly.
15 Tsiku limenelo lidzakhala la ukali, tsiku losautsa ndi lomvetsa chisoni, tsiku la mavuto ndi la chiwonongeko, tsiku la mdima ndi lachisoni, tsiku la mitambo ndi la mdima wandiweyani.
It will be a time when [God shows that he is] very angry, a time when [people experience much] distress/suffering and trouble. [It will be] a time [when many things are] ruined and destroyed [DOU]. It will be a time when it is very gloomy and dark [DOU], when the clouds are very black.
16 Tsiku loliza lipenga ndi la mfuwu wankhondo, tsiku la kugwa kwa mizinda yotetezedwa ndi nsanja za pa ngodya.
It will be a time when [soldiers] will blow trumpets [to call other soldiers] to battle. [Your enemies] will tear down the walls around your cities and the high towers [at the corners of those walls].
17 Ndidzabweretsa msautso pa anthu ndipo adzayenda ngati anthu osaona, chifukwa achimwira Yehova, magazi awo adzamwazika ngati fumbi ndi mnofu wawo ngati ndowe.
Because you sinned against Yahweh, he will cause you to experience great distress; you will walk [around groping] like [SIM] blind people do. Your blood will flow [from your bodies] like [SIM] water, and your corpses will lie on the ground and rot [SIM].
18 Ngakhale siliva wawo kapena golide wawo sadzatha kuwapulumutsa pa tsiku la ukali wa Yehova. Dziko lonse lapansi lidzanyeka mʼmoto wa nsanje yake chifukwa adzakantha modzidzimutsa onse okhala pa dziko lapansi.
At the time that [Yahweh shows that he] is very angry [with you], you will not be able to save yourselves by [giving] silver or gold [to your enemies]. Because Yahweh (is very jealous/does not want people to worship any other god), he will send a fire to burn up the entire world, and he will suddenly get rid of all the [wicked] people who live on the earth.
