Zephaniah 3

1 Woe to her that is filthie and polluted, to the robbing citie.

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

2 She heard not the voyce: she receiued not correction: she trusted not in the Lord: she drew not neere to her God.

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.

3 Her princes within her are as roaring lyons: her iudges are as wolues in the euening, which leaue not the bones till the morow.

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

4 Her prophets are light, and wicked persons: her priests haue polluted the Sanctuarie: they haue wrested the Lawe.

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

5 The iust Lord is in the middes thereof: he will doe none iniquitie: euery morning doeth hee bring his iudgement to light, he faileth not: but the wicked will not learne to be ashamed.

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.

6 I haue cut off the nations: their towres are desolate: I haue made their streetes waste, that none shall passe by: their cities are destroyed without man and without inhabitant.

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.

7 I said, Surely thou wilt feare me: thou wilt receiue instruction: so their dwelling shoulde not be destroyed howsoeuer I visited them, but they rose earely and corrupted all their workes.

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.

8 Therefore wait ye vpon me, saith the Lord, vntill the day that I rise vp to the praye: for I am determined to gather the nations, and that I will assemble the kingdomes to powre vpon them mine indignation, euen all my fierce wrath: for all the earth shall be deuoured with the fire of my ielousie.

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.

9 Surely then will I turne to the people a pure language, that they may all call vpon the Name of the Lord, to serue him with one cosent.

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.

10 From beyonde the riuers of Ethiopia, the daughter of my dispersed, praying vnto me, shall bring me an offering.

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

11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy workes, wherein thou hast transgressed against mee: for then I will take away out of the middes of thee them that reioyce of thy pride, and thou shalt no more be proude of mine holy Mountaine.

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.

12 Then will I leaue in the middes of thee an humble and poore people: and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord.

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

13 The remnant of Israel shall do none iniquitie, nor speake lies: neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shalbe fed, and lie downe, and none shall make them afraide.

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.

14 Reioyce, O daughter Zion: be ye ioyfull, O Israel: be glad and reioyce with all thine heart, O daughter Ierusalem.

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

15 The Lord hath taken away thy iudgements: hee hath cast out thine enemie: the King of Israel, euen the Lord is in the middes of thee: thou shalt see no more euill.

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.

16 In that day it shalbe said to Ierusalem, Feare thou not, O Zion: let not thine handes be faint.

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

17 The Lord thy God in the middes of thee is mightie: hee will saue, hee will reioyce ouer thee with ioye: he will quiet himselfe in his loue: he will reioyce ouer thee with ioy.

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.

18 After a certaine time will I gather the afflicted that were of thee, and them that bare the reproch for it.

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.

19 Beholde, at that time I will bruise all that afflict thee, and I will saue her that halteth, and gather her that was cast out, and I will get them praise and fame in all the landes of their shame.

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,

20 At that time wil I bring you againe, and then wil I gather you: for I wil giue you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turne backe your captiuitie before your eyes, saith the Lord.

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.