Zephaniah 3

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

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

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

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

3 Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day.

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

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

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

5 YHWH, in the midst of her, is righteous. He will do no wrong. Every morning he brings his justice to light. He doesn't fail, but the unjust know no shame.

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.

6 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.

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.

7 I said, "Just fear me. Receive correction, so that her dwelling won't be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her." But they rose early and corrupted all their doings.

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.

8 "Therefore wait for me," says YHWH, "until the day that I rise up as a witness. 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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

11 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 of the midst of you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no more be haughty in my holy mountain.

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.

12 But I will leave in the midst of you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in the name of YHWH.

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.

13 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."

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

17 YHWH your God is in your midst, 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.

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.

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

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.

19 Look, 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.

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.

20 At that time will I bring you in, and at that time will I 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 YHWH.

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.