Zephaniah 3

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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 judgement to the light, and it is not hidden, and he knows not injustice by extortion, nor injustice in strife.

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 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].

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, 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.

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 upon me, says the Lord, until the day when I rise up for a witness: because my judgement [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.

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 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.

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

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

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 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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 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.

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.

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

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, 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 honoured 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.

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 honoured and a praise amongst all the nations of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before you, says the Lord.