Zephaniah 3

1 Alas for her that is rebellious, and polluted, the city that oppresseth!

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

2 She hath hearkened to no voice, accepted no correction; in Yahweh, hath not trusted, to her God, hath not drawn 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 rulers in her midst, are roaring lions, —her judges, evening wolves, they have left nothing until 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 reckless, treacherous men! her priests, have profaned the holy, done violence to law.

Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.

5 Yahweh, the Righteous One, is in her midst, he dealeth not perversely, —Morning by morning, his justice, bringeth he forth the light, He is not found lacking, but the perverse man knoweth no shame.

The just LORD is in the middle thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning does he bring his judgment to light, he fails not; but the unjust knows no shame.

6 I have cut off nations, deserted are their towers, have made desolate their streets, that none passeth through; ruined are their cities, for want of men of note, from lack of any dweller!

I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passes by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.

7 I said, Surely thou wilt reverence, Me, wilt accept correction, lest her abode, should be cut of, howsoever I had punished her; but, in truth, they soon corrupted all their deeds.

I said, Surely you will fear me, you will receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.

8 Wherefore, wait for me, urgeth Yahweh, until the day when I rise up as witness, for, my decision, is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out on them mine indignation, all the glow of mine anger, for, in the fire of my jealousy, shall be devoured the whole earth.

Therefore wait you on 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 shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

9 Surely, then, will I turn unto the peoples a lip made pure, —that they all may call on the name of Yahweh, may serve him with one consent.

For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call on the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.

10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, [shall come] my suppliants, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bear along a gift for me.

From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring my offering.

11 In that day, wilt thou not turn pale for all thy deeds, wherein thou hast transgressed against me? For, then, will I take away out of thy midst thy proudly exulting ones, and thou shalt not again be haughty any more in my holy mountain:

In that day shall you not be ashamed for all your doings, wherein you have transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the middle of you them that rejoice in your pride, and you shall no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.

12 So will I leave remaining in thy midst, a people oppressed and poor, —who will seek refuge in the name of Yahweh:

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

13 The remnant of Israel—will not do perversity, nor speak falsehood, neither shall there be found in their mouth a tongue of deceit, —surely, 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 out, O daughter of Zion, shout aloud, O Israel, —rejoice and exult with all thy heart, O daughter Jerusalem:

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

15 Yahweh, hath set aside, thy judgments, hath turned back thy foe, —The king of Israel, Yahweh, is in thy midst, thou shalt not fear calamity, any more.

The LORD has taken away your judgments, he has cast out your enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the middle of you: you shall not see evil any more.

16 In that day, shall it be said—to Jerusalem, Do not fear, —O Zion, Let not thy hands hang down:

In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear you not: and to Zion, Let not your hands be slack.

17 Yahweh, thy God, in the midst of thee, as a mighty one, will save, —will be glad over thee with rejoicing, will be silent in his love, will exult over thee with shouts of triumph.

The LORD your God in the middle of you is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over you with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over you with singing.

18 The sad exiles from the appointed meeting, have I gathered, from thee, had they been! [but were] a burden on thee—a reproach!

I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of you, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.

19 Behold me! dealing with all thine oppressors, at that time, —and I will save her that is lame, and, her that hath been an outcast, will I carry, and I will make them to be a Praise and a Name, in the whole earth that hath witnessed their shame.

Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict you: and I will save her that halts, 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 in, even at the time when I gather you, —Yea I will grant you to become a Name and a Praise, among all the peoples of the earth, when I cause them of your captivities to return before your eyes, saith Yahweh.

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, said the LORD.