Zephaniah 3

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

Woe to her that is rebellious and polluted, The oppressing 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.

She listeneth to no voice, She receiveth not admonition; She trusteth not in Jehovah, She draweth 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 are roaring lions; Her judges are evening wolves; They reserve nothing for the morning.

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 vainglorious, Men of treachery; Her priests pollute the sanctuary, They violate 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 Jehovah is just in the midst of her; He doeth no iniquity. Every morning bringeth he his righteousness to light; he faileth not; Yet the wicked knoweth not shame.

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 cut off nations; their towers are destroyed; I have laid waste their streets so that none passeth through; Their cities are made desolate, without a man, without an inhabitant.

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.

Then I said, “Surely thou wilt fear me; thou wilt receive admonition, That thy habitation may not be cut off, As I have commanded concerning thee.” But they were diligent to commit iniquity In all their doings.

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 for me, saith Jehovah. Until the day when I rise up to the prey. For my purpose is to gather the nations, to assemble the kingdoms, To pour upon them my indignation, Even all the heat of my wrath. For with the fire of mine anger shall all the earth be devoured.

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.

Then will I again bestow upon the nations pure lips, So that they shall all of them call upon the name of Jehovah, And serve him with one consent.

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

From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My suppliants, the sons of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering.

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 thou shalt not be ashamed For all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me; For I will take away from the midst of thee thy proud exulters, And thou shalt no more exalt thyself 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.

I will leave in the midst of thee a humble and lowly people, Who trust in the name of Jehovah.

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.

The residue of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak falsehood; Neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; Therefore shall they feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

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

Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all thy 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.

Jehovah hath taken away thy punishments; He hath removed thine enemies. The king of Israel, Jehovah, is in the midst of thee; Thou shalt see evil no 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.”

In that day shall it be said to Jerusalem, Fear not! And to Zion, Let not thy hands hang down!

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.

Jehovah thy God will be in the midst of thee; The mighty one will save thee. He will rejoice over thee with gladness; He will pardon thee in his love; He will exult over thee with singing.

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.

I will gather them that mourn, far from the solemn assembly, They were far from thee; the reproach was a burden upon thee.

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, at that time I will destroy all that afflict thee; And I will save the halting, and gather the scattered, And I will make them a praise and a name In every land where they have been put to shame.

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.

At that time I will bring you back, And at that time I will gather you; For I will make you a name and a praise among all the nations of the earth, When I bring back your captives before your eyes, saith Jehovah.