Zephaniah 3

1 Woe to the provocatrix and the redeemed city, the dove.

This is the scornful city that dwells securely, that says in her heart, I am, and there is no longer any [to be] after me: how is she become desolate, a habitation of wild beasts! every one that passes through her shall hiss, and shake his hands. Alas the glorious and ransomed city.

2 She has not heeded the voice, nor has she accepted discipline. She has not trusted in the Lord; she did not draw near to her God.

The dove listened not to the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord, and she drew not near to her God.

3 Her leaders are in her midst like roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves; they leave nothing for the morning.

Her princes within her were as roaring lions, her judges as the wolves of Arabia; they remained not till the morrow.

4 Her prophets are crazed; men without faith. Her priests have polluted what is holy; they have acted unjustly against the law.

Her prophets are light [and] scornful men: her priests profane the holy things, and sinfully transgress the law.

5 The just Lord is in their midst; he will not do iniquity. In the morning, in the morning, he will bring his judgment into the light, and it will not be hidden. But the impious one has not known shame.

But the just Lord is in the midst of her, and he will never do an unjust thing: morning by morning he will bring out his judgement to the light, and it is not hidden, and he knows not injustice by extortion, nor injustice in strife.

6 I have dispersed the nations, and their towers have been torn down. I have made their ways deserts, until there were none who passed through. Their cities have become desolate, with no man remaining, nor any inhabitant.

I have brought down the proud with destruction; their corners are destroyed: I will make their ways completely waste, so that none shall go through: their cities are come to an end, by reason of no man living or dwelling [in them].

7 I said: Nevertheless, you will fear me; you will accept discipline. And her dwelling place will not perish, despite all the things about which I have visited her. Yet truly, they arose with the dawn and corrupted all their thoughts.

I said, But do you fear me, and receive instruction, and you shall not be cut off from the face of the land [for] all the vengeance I have brought upon her: prepare you, rise early: all their produce is spoilt.

8 Because of this, expect me, says the Lord, in the day of my resurrection in the future, for my judgment is to gather together the Gentiles, and to collect the kingdoms, and to pour out over them my indignation, all the fury of my anger. For by the fire of my zeal, all the earth will be devoured.

Therefore wait upon me, says the Lord, until the day when I rise up for a witness: because my judgement [shall be] on the gatherings of the nations, to draw to me kings, to pour out upon them all [my] fierce anger: for the whole earth shall be consumed with the fire of my jealousy.

9 For then I will restore to the people a chosen lip, so that all may invoke the name of the Lord and may serve him with one shoulder.

For then will I turn to the peoples a tongue for her generation, that all may call on the name of the Lord, to serve him under one yoke.

10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, my supplicants, the sons of my diaspora, will carry a gift to me.

From the boundaries of the rivers of Ethiopia will I receive my dispersed ones; they shall offer sacrifices to me.

11 In that day, you will not be ashamed over all of your inventions, by which you have transgressed against me. For then I will take away from your midst your arrogant boasters, and you will no longer be exalted on my holy mountain.

In that day you shall not be ashamed of all your practices, wherein you have transgressed against me: for then will I take away from you your disdainful pride, and you shall no more magnify yourself upon my holy mountain.

12 And I will bequeath into your midst a poor and needy people, and they will hope in the name of the Lord.

And I will leave in you a meek and lowly people;

13 The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity, nor speak lies, and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth. For they will pasture and will recline, and there will be no one to strike them with terror.

and the remnant of Israel shall fear the name of the Lord, and shall do no iniquity, neither shall they speak vanity; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed, and lie down, and there shall be none to terrify them.

14 Give praise, daughter of Zion. Shout joyfully, Israel. Rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.

Rejoice, O daughter of Sion; cry aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem; rejoice and delight yourself with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

15 The Lord has taken away your judgment; he has turned aside your foes. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall no longer fear evil.

The Lord has taken away your iniquities, he has ransomed you from the hand of your enemies: the Lord, the King of Israel, is in the midst of you: you shall not see evil any more.

16 In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Do not be afraid,” and to Zion, “Do not let your hands be weakened.”

At that time the Lord shall say to Jerusalem, Be of good courage, Sion; let not your hands be slack.

17 The Lord your God is the strength in your midst; he will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness. In his love, he will be silent. He will exult over you with praise.

The Lord your God is in you; the Mighty One shall save you: he shall bring joy upon you, and shall refresh you with his love; and he shall rejoice over you with delight as in a day of feasting.

18 The triflers who withdrew from the law, I will gather together, because they were from you, so that you may no longer suffer disgrace over them.

And I will gather your afflicted ones. Alas! who has taken up a reproach against her?

19 Behold, I will execute all who have afflicted you in that time, and I will save those who are lame, and I will gather together her who had been cast out. And I will place them in praise and in renown, in all the land where they had been put to shame,

Behold, I [will] work in you for your sake at that time, says the Lord: and I will save her that was oppressed, and receive her that was rejected; and I will make them a praise, and honoured in all the earth.

20 in that time, when I will lead to you, and in the time when I will gather for you. For I will deliver you into renown and into praise, among all the peoples of the earth, when I will have converted your captivity before your very eyes, says the Lord.

And [their enemies] shall be ashamed at that time, when I shall deal well with you, and at the time when I shall receive you: for I will make you honoured and a praise amongst all the nations of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before you, says the Lord.