Zephaniah 1

1 The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

The word of the LORD 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 consume all [things] from off the land, saith the LORD.

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

3 I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.

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 the LORD.

4 I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, [and] the name of the Chemarims 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 worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship [and] that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham;

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

6 And them that are turned back from the LORD; and [those] that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.

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

7 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD [is] at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.

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

8 And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD’s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.

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

9 In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters’ houses 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 it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, [that there shall be] the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.

On that day, says the LORD, 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 merchant people are cut down; all they that bear 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 candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD 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, "The LORD will not do good, nor will he do harm."

13 Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit [them; ] and they shall plant vineyards, but 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 the LORD [is] near, [it is] near, and hasteth greatly, [even] the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

The great day of the LORD is near. Near and approaching very rapidly. The cry on the day of the LORD 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 wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick 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 towers.

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, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.

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

18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'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.