Sophonias 3

1 This is the scornful city that dwells securely, that says in her heart, I am, and there is no longer any [to be] after me: how is she become desolate, a habitation of wild beasts! every one that passes through her shall hiss, and shake his hands. Alas the glorious and ransomed city.

Woe to the rebellious and unclean city of oppression,

2 The dove listened not to the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord, and she drew not near to her God.

She has not obeyed the voice, she has not accepted instruction, In the Lord she has not trusted, to her God she has not drawn near.

3 Her princes within her were as roaring lions, her judges as the wolves of Arabia; they remained not till the morrow.

Her rulers in her midst are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves, who leave nothing over until the morning,

4 Her prophets are light [and] scornful men: her priests profane the holy things, and sinfully transgress the law.

Her prophets are braggarts, faithless men. Her priests profane what is holy and do violence to the law.

5 But the just Lord is in the midst of her, and he will never do an unjust thing: morning by morning he will bring out his judgment to the light, and it is not hidden, and he knows not injustice by extortion, nor injustice in strife.

The Lord is righteous in her midst, he does no wrong, Morning by morning he establishes his decree, Light is not lacking, an oversight is unknown. But the unjust know no shame.

6 I have brought down the proud with destruction; their corners are destroyed: I will make their ways completely waste, so that none shall go through: their cities are come to an end, by reason of no man living or dwelling [in them].

‘I have cut off nations, their turrets are destroyed; I have laid waste their broad streets, so that none passes over them. Desolate are their cities without people, without inhabitants.’

7 I said, But do you fear me, and receive instruction, and you shall not be cut off from the face of the land [for] all the vengeance I have brought upon her: prepare you, rise early: all their produce is spoilt.

I said: ‘Surely the city will fear me, she will accept instruction. Nothing will vanish from her eyes that I have impressed upon her; But the more zealously have they made all their deeds corrupt.’

8 Therefore wait upon me, says the Lord, until the day when I rise up for a witness: because my judgment [shall be] on the gatherings of the nations, to draw to me kings, to pour out upon them all [my] fierce anger: for the whole earth shall be consumed with the fire of my jealousy.

Wait for me, is the Lord’s message, until the day when I stand up as a witness, for it is my fixed purpose to gather the nations, to collect the kingdoms, to pour upon them my wrath and my hot anger; for by the fire of my fury will all the earth be consumed.

9 For then will I turn to the peoples a tongue for her generation, that all may call on the name of the Lord, to serve him under one yoke.

For then I will purify the lips of all peoples, so that they will all call on the Lord’s name, to serve him with one accord.

10 From the boundaries of the rivers of Ethiopia will I receive my dispersed ones; they shall offer sacrifices to me.

From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers will bring me offerings.

11 In that day you shall not be ashamed of all your practices, wherein you have transgressed against me: for then will I take away from you your disdainful pride, and you shall no more magnify yourself upon my holy mountain.

On that day you will no longer be ashamed of all your deeds by which you rebelled against me. For I will rid you of your proudly arrogant ones, and you will never again be haughty on my holy mountain.

12 And I will leave in you a meek and lowly people;

But I will leave in your midst a people humble and poor, and the remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the Lord.

13 and the remnant of Israel shall fear the name of the Lord, and shall do no iniquity, neither shall they speak vanity; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed, and lie down, and there shall be none to terrify them.

They will not do evil, nor speak falsehood, and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth; but they will pasture and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.

14 Rejoice, O daughter of Sion; cry aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem; rejoice and delight yourself with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

Cry out with joy, daughter of Zion, shout aloud, Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.

15 The Lord has taken away your iniquities, he has ransomed you from the hand of your enemies: the Lord, the King of Israel, is in the midst of you: you shall not see evil any more.

The Lord has put away your adversaries, he has turned away your foes; the Lord is king in your midst, you will fear evil no more.

16 At that time the Lord shall say to Jerusalem, Be of good courage, Sion; let not your hands be slack.

In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: Fear not! Zion, let not your hands grow weak!

17 The Lord your God is in you; the Mighty One shall save you: he shall bring joy upon you, and shall refresh you with his love; and he shall rejoice over you with delight as in a day of feasting.

The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious hero. He will rejoice over you with joy, he will renew his love, he will exult over you with singing,

18 And I will gather your afflicted ones. Alas! who has taken up a reproach against her?

as on a day of festival. I will take away from you your disgrace, and put away from you your reproach.

19 Behold, I [will] work in you for your sake at that time, says the Lord: and I will save her that was oppressed, and receive her that was rejected; and I will make them a praise, and honored in all the earth.

I will destroy at that time all who afflict you. I will deliver the lame, and gather the outcast, I will make them an object of renown and fame in all the earth.

20 And [their enemies] shall be ashamed at that time, when I shall deal well with you, and at the time when I shall receive you: for I will make you honored and a praise among all the nations of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before you, says the Lord.

I will do good to you, at the time when I gather you. For I will make you an object of fame and renown among all the peoples of the earth; when I bring back your captivity before your eyes. This says the Lord.