Zephaniah 3

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

Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing city!

2 She hearkened not to any voice; she accepted no correction; in the Lord she did not trust; to her God she drew not near.

She did not obey the voice. She did not receive correction. She did not trust in the LORD. She did not draw near to her God.

3 Her princes in her midst are roaring lions: her judges are evening wolves, they leave not a bone for the morning.

Her princes within her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day.

4 Her prophets are thoughtless men of treachery: her priests have profaned the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.

Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.

5 The just Lord is in her midst, he will not do wrong; morning after morning doth he bring his justice to the light [of day], it never faileth; but the unjust knoweth no shame.

The LORD, within her, is righteous. He will do no wrong. Every morning he brings his justice to light. He does not fail, but the unjust know no shame.

6 I have cut off nations; destroyed are their battlements; I have laid in ruins their streets, so that none passeth through; their cities are wasted, without a man, without an inhabitant.

I have cut off nations. Their battlements are desolate. I have made their streets waste, so that no one passes by. Their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant.

7 I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt accept correction; so that her dwelling should not be cut off, all that I had decreed to bring over her; but they rose up early, they acted corruptly in all their doings.

I said, “Just fear me. Receive correction,” so that her dwelling will not be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her. But they rose early and corrupted all their doings.

8 Therefore wait but for me, saith the Lord, for the day that I rise up to the prey; for my judgment [cometh] to gather the nations, for me to assemble the kingdoms, to pour over them my indignation, all the fierceness of my anger; for through the fire of my jealousy shall all the earth be devoured.

“Therefore wait for me”, says 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 on them my indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth will be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

9 Yea then will I change unto the people a pure language, that they may all call on the name of the Lord, to serve him with one accord.

For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on the LORD’s name, to serve him shoulder to shoulder.

10 From beyond the rivers of Cush shall they bring my suppliants, even the assembly of my dispersed, as an offering unto me.

From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshipers, even the daughter of my dispersed people, will bring my offering.

11 On that day shalt thou not be ashamed because of all thy doings, whereby thou hast transgressed against me; for then will I remove out of the midst of thee those that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt never more be haughty again on my holy mount.

In that day you will not be disappointed for all your doings in which you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away out from among you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no more be arrogant in my holy mountain.

12 And I will leave remaining in the midst of thee a humble and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.

But I will leave among you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in the LORD’s name.

13 The remnant of Israel shall not do injustice, nor speak lies; and there shall not be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue; for they shall feed and lie down, with none to make them afraid.

The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity nor speak lies, neither will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, for they will feed and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.”

14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; rejoice and be glad with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.

15 The Lord hath removed thy punishment, he hath cleared away thy enemy: the king of Israel, the Lord, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not see evil any more.

The LORD has taken away your judgments. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Israel, the LORD, is among you. You will not be afraid of evil any more.

16 On that day shall it be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: [to] Zion, Let not thy hands become weak.

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

17 The Lord thy God is in the midst of thee, the mighty one who will save; he will be glad over thee with rejoicing; he will be silent in his love, he will exult over thee with song.

The LORD, your God, is among you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.

18 Those that mourn far away from the festive assembly do I gather, those that were separated from thee, [that have borne] for thee the burden of reproach.

I will remove those who grieve about the appointed feasts from you. They are a burden and a reproach to you.

19 Behold, I will deal [severely] with all that afflict thee at that time: and I will save her that halteth, and her that was driven off will I gather; and I will render them a praise and a famous name on all the earth where they have been put to shame.

Behold, at that time I will deal with all those who afflict you; and I will save those who are lame and gather those who were driven away. I will give them praise and honor, whose shame has been in all the earth.

20 At that time will I bring you back, even in the time that I gather you; for I will make you for a name and for a praise among all people of the earth, when I bring back again your captives before your eyes, saith the Lord.

At that time I will bring you in, and at that time I will gather you; for I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the LORD.