Zephaniah 3

1 Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!

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

2 She hearkened not to the voice, she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD, she drew not near 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 in the midst of her are roaring lions; her judges are wolves of the desert, they leave not a bone for the morrow.

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

4 Her prophets are wanton and treacherous persons; her priests have profaned that which is holy, they have done violence to the law.

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

5 The LORD who is righteous is in the midst of her, He will not do unrighteousness; every morning doth He bring His right to light, it faileth not; but the unrighteous knoweth no shame.

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 have cut off nations, their corners are desolate; I have made their streets waste, so that none passeth by; their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no 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 fear Me, thou wilt receive correction; so her dwelling shall not be cut off, despite all that I have visited upon her'; but they betimes corrupted all their doings.

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 for Me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them Mine indignation, even all My fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy.

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 For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve Him with one consent.

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 beyond the rivers of Ethiopia shall they bring My suppliants, even the daughter of My dispersed, as Mine 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 doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against Me; for then I will take away out of the midst of thee thy proudly exulting ones, and thou shalt no more be haughty in My holy mountain.

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 And I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall take refuge 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 not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

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 Sing, O daughter of Zion, shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

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 judgments, He hath cast out thine enemy; The King of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not fear evil any more.

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 shall be said to Jerusalem: 'Fear thou not; O Zion, let not thy hands be slack.

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 is in the midst of thee, a Mighty One who will save; He will rejoice over thee with joy, He will be silent in His love, He will joy over thee with singing.'

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 I will gather them that are far from the appointed season, who are of thee, that hast borne the burden of reproach.

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 Behold, at that time I will deal with all them that afflict thee; and I will save her that is lame, and gather her that was driven away; and I will make them to be a praise and a name, whose shame hath been in all the earth.

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 will I bring you in, and at that time will I gather you; for I will make you to be a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I turn your captivity 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.