< Zefania 1 >

1 Ma e wach mar Jehova Nyasaye mane obiro ne Zefania wuod Kushi, ma wuod Gedalia, ma wuod Amaria, ma wuod Hezekia e kinde loch Josia wuod Amon ruodh Juda.
[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 “Abiro tieko gik moko duto mantie e piny mi lal nono,” Jehova Nyasaye owacho.
Yahweh says, “I will (sweep away/destroy) everything [HYP] that is on the earth.
3 “Abiro tieko dhano kaachiel gi le, bende abiro tieko winy mafuyo e kor polo, kaachiel gi rech manie nam. Jomaricho biro pie pidhe pidhe, e ndalo manatiek dhano e wangʼ piny,” Jehova Nyasaye owacho.
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 “Abiro kumo jo-Juda kaachiel gi ji duto modak Jerusalem. Abiro tieko jo-Baal duto mane odongʼ ka, mi agol oko nying joma luwo nyiseche mopa kaachiel gi jodologi.
“[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 Bende abiro tieko ji duto makulore ewi tat udi kalamo chiengʼ, dwe gi sulwe. Ji duto makulore ka kwongʼore gi nying Jehova Nyasaye, to bangʼe gikwongʼore gi nying Molek nyasach jo-Amon.
[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 Ji duto moseweyo luwo Jehova Nyasaye, kendo ok gimany Jehova Nyasaye kata mana penje wach.”
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 Lingʼuru e nyim Jehova Nyasaye Manyalo Gik Moko Duto; nikech odiechiengʼ mar Jehova Nyasaye chiegni. Jehova Nyasaye oseloso misango, kendo osepwodho joma oseluongo.
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 “E odiechiengʼ mitimoe misango mar Jehova Nyasaye abiro kumo joka ruoth, yawuot ruoth, kaachiel gi ji duto morwakore gi lewni mag jopinje mamoko.
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 Chiengʼno, anakum ji duto mamiel e laru mar dino cham, kendo mapongʼo hekalu mar nyiseche manono gi timbe mahundu kod wuond.”
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 Jehova Nyasaye wacho niya, “Chiengʼno, ywak noywagre koa e rangach miluongo ni Dhoranga Rech, nduru noa e bath dala koma nyien, kendo koko nogore matek koa e gode.
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 Gouru nduru un joma odak e mier moluoro chiro, johala mau madongo duto ibiro yweyo oko, kendo ji duto maloko ohand pesa notiek pep.
[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 E ndalono abiro menyo Jerusalem gi teche ka akumo joma odak kanyo madhi nyime gi timo timbe maricho, ma gin joma chalo mana gi divai mawach; ka giparo ni, ‘Jehova Nyasaye ok notim gimoro amora maber kata marach.’
[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 Mwandugi noyaki kendo utegi nomuki. Gibiro gero udi, to ok ginidagie, bende gibiro pitho puothe mzabibu to ok gini madh divai moa kuomgi.”
[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 “Odiechiengʼ maduongʼ mar Jehova Nyasaye chiegni, adier ochiegni kendo obiro piyo. Chik iti! Ywagruok e odiechieng Jehova Nyasaye nobed malit, kendo jolweny bende nogo koko kanyo.
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 Odiechiengʼno nobed odiechieng mirima, enobed odiechieng mwodo lak kod rem malit, bende enobed odiechieng chandruok gi kethruok, enobed odiechiengʼ mopongʼ gi boche polo moimore, kendo odiechiengʼ mopongʼ gi rumbi kod mudho.
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 To bende enobed odiechieng turumbete kod sigich mar lweny nowinjre e mier madongo mochiel motegno, kod ute mabeyo mag rito dala.
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 “Abiro kelo luoro kod achiedh-nade kuom oganda kendo gibiro wuotho mana ka muofni, nikech gisetimo richo e nyim Jehova Nyasaye. Rembgi nochwer piny kendo nyimbiye igi nopukre oko ka ngʼwe.
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 To kata mana fedha mathoth kod dhahabu ma gin-go ok noresgi, odiechiengʼ mar mirimb Jehova Nyasaye. Chiengʼ ma Jehova Nyasaye ngʼadoe bura, nyiego mager ma en-go nowangʼ piny duto, mitiek pep.” Kamano e kaka notiek gik moko duto modak e piny mana kadiemo wangʼ.
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.

< Zefania 1 >