Zephaniah 3
1 Alas for her that is rebellious, and polluted, the city that oppresseth!
Woe to her that is rebellious and polluted, 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 listeneth to no voice, She receiveth not admonition; She trusteth not in Jehovah, She draweth 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 reserve nothing for the morning.
4 Her prophets, are reckless, treacherous men! her priests, have profaned the holy, done violence to law.
Her prophets are vainglorious, Men of treachery; Her priests pollute the sanctuary, They violate 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.
But Jehovah is just in the midst of her; He doeth no iniquity. Every morning bringeth he his righteousness to light; he faileth not; Yet the wicked knoweth not 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 nations; their towers are destroyed; I have laid waste their streets so that none passeth through; Their cities are made desolate, without a man, without an 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.
Then I said, “Surely thou wilt fear me; thou wilt receive admonition, That thy habitation may not be cut off, As I have commanded concerning thee.” But they were diligent to commit iniquity In 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 for me, saith Jehovah. Until the day when I rise up to the prey. For my purpose is to gather the nations, to assemble the kingdoms, To pour upon them my indignation, Even all the heat of my wrath. For with the fire of mine anger shall all the earth be devoured.
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.
Then will I again bestow upon the nations pure lips, So that they shall all of them call upon the name of Jehovah, And 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, the sons of my dispersed ones, 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 thou shalt not be ashamed For all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me; For I will take away from the midst of thee thy proud exulters, And thou shalt no more exalt thyself upon 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 leave in the midst of thee a humble and lowly people, Who trust in the name of Jehovah.
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 residue of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak falsehood; Neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; Therefore shall they 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! Rejoice and exult with all thy 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.
Jehovah hath taken away thy punishments; He hath removed thine enemies. The king of Israel, Jehovah, is in the midst of thee; Thou shalt see evil no 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 shall it be said to Jerusalem, Fear not! And to Zion, Let not thy hands hang down!
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.
Jehovah thy God will be in the midst of thee; The mighty one will save thee. He will rejoice over thee with gladness; He will pardon thee in his love; He will exult over thee 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 mourn, far from the solemn assembly, They were far from thee; the reproach was a burden upon thee.
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 destroy all that afflict thee; And I will save the halting, and gather the scattered, And I will make them a praise and a name 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 I will bring you back, And at that time I will gather you; For I will make you a name and a praise among all the nations of the earth, When I bring back your captives before your eyes, saith Jehovah.
