Zephaniah 1

1 The word of Jehovah that came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

The word of YHWH which came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah.

2 I will utterly take away everything from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah:

I will utterly sweep away everything off of the surface of the earth, says YHWH.

3 I will take away man and beast; I will take away the fowl of the heavens and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks with the wicked, and I will cut off mankind from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah.

I will sweep away people and animals. I will sweep away the birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea, and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble. I will remove humankind from the surface of the earth, says YHWH.

4 And I will stretch forth my hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, the name of the Chemarim with the priests;

I will stretch out my hand against Judah, and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests,

5 and them that bow down to the host of the heavens upon the housetops; and them that bow down to Jehovah, that swear by [him], and swear by Malcham;

those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops, those who worship and swear by YHWH and also swear by Milcom,

6 and them that turn back from after Jehovah, and that do not seek Jehovah, nor inquire for him.

those who have turned back from following YHWH, and those who haven't sought YHWH nor inquired after him.

7 Be silent at the presence of the Lord Jehovah; for the day of Jehovah is at hand; for Jehovah hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath hallowed his guests.

Be silent at the presence of YHWH, for the day of YHWH is at hand. For YHWH has prepared a sacrifice. He has consecrated his guests.

8 And it shall come to pass in the day of Jehovah's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's sons, and all such as are clothed with foreign apparel.

It will happen in the day of YHWH's sacrifice that I will punish the princes, the king's sons, and all those who are clothed with foreign attire.

9 And in that day will I punish all those that leap over the threshold, who fill their master's house with violence and deceit.

In that day, I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their master's house with violence and deceit.

10 And in that day, saith Jehovah, there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish-gate, and a howling from the second [quarter], and a great crashing from the hills.

On that day, says YHWH, there will be the noise of a cry from the Fish Gate, a wailing from the Second Quarter, and a loud crash from the hills.

11 Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh; for all the people of Canaan are cut down, all they that are laden with silver are cut off.

Wail, you inhabitants of the market district, for all the merchants will be destroyed, and all those who weigh out silver will be removed.

12 And it shall come to pass at that time, [that] I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and punish the men that are settled on their lees, that say in their heart, Jehovah will not do good, neither will he do evil.

It will happen at that time that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the people who are complacent, who say in their heart, "YHWH will not do good, nor will he do harm."

13 And their wealth shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation; and they shall build houses, and not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and not drink the wine thereof.

Their wealth will be looted and their houses a desolation. Yes, they will build houses, but won't inhabit them. They will plant vineyards, but won't drink their wine.

14 The great day of Jehovah is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly. The voice of the day of Jehovah: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

The great day of YHWH is near. Near and approaching very rapidly. The cry on the day of YHWH is bitter. In it the warrior shouts his battle cry.

15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of ruin and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and gross darkness,

That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of devastation and ruin, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

16 a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fenced cities and against the high battlements.

a day of the trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities, and against the high corner towers.

17 And I will bring distress upon men, and they shall walk like blind men; for they have sinned against Jehovah; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung:

I will bring distress on the people, that they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against YHWH, and their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.

18 their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them, in the day of Jehovah's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for a full end, yea, a sudden [end], shall he make of all them that dwell in the land.

Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of YHWH's wrath, but the whole land will be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he will bring terrifying destruction on all the inhabitants of the land.