Zephaniah 3

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

Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to 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 obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; 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 [are] roaring lions; her judges [are] evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones 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] treacherous persons: her priests have polluted 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 just LORD [is] in the midst of her; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth 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 the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, 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, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, however I punished them: 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 ye upon 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 my indignation, [even] all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall 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 will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.

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 suppliants, [even] the daughter of my dispersed, shall 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 shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, in which thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of 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.

I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.

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 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.

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

Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the 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 hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thy enemy: the King of Israel, [even] the LORD, [is] in the midst of thee: thou shalt 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.

In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: [and to] Zion, Let not thy 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 thy God in the midst of thee [is] mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee 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 gather [them that are] sorrowful for the solemn assembly, [who] are of thee, [to whom] the reproach of it [was] a burden.

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 undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.

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 will I bring you [again], even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.