Zephaniah 3
1 Terrible things will [also] happen [to Jerusalem], that city whose people have rebelled [against Yahweh] and who have become unacceptable to him [because of the sins that they have committed]. [They act violently toward others] and they (oppress/treat cruelly) [other people].
Tsoka kwa mzinda wa anthu opondereza, owukira ndi odetsedwa!
2 [The people there] do not pay attention to people who tell them [the wrong things that they are doing] and [try to] (correct them/cause them to quit doing those things). [The people in Jerusalem] do not trust in Yahweh or draw near to ask help from their God.
Sumvera aliyense, sulandira chidzudzulo. Sumadalira Yehova, suyandikira pafupi ndi Mulungu wake.
3 Their leaders are [like] [MET] roaring lions; they are [like] [MET] wolves that [attack other animals] during the evening, [and eat everything that they kill], with the result that the next morning there is nothing left [of those animals to eat].
Akuluakulu ake ali ngati mikango yobuma, olamulira ake ndi olusa ngati mimbulu ya nthawi ya madzulo, zimene pofika mmawa sizisiya chilichonse.
4 The prophets in Jerusalem are proud, [and they give messages that are] not to be trusted. Their priests cause the temple to be unholy by doing things that are opposed to the laws [of Moses].
Aneneri ake ndi odzikuza; anthu achinyengo. Ansembe ake amadetsa malo opatulika ndipo amaphwanya lamulo.
5 But Yahweh is [also] in the city; and he never does what is wrong. He treats people justly/fairly; he does that every day, but wicked people are never ashamed [about their doing what is wrong].
Yehova amene ali pakati pawo ndi wolungama; Iye salakwa. Tsiku ndi tsiku amaweruza molungama, ndipo tsiku lililonse salephera, komabe ochita zoyipa sachita manyazi nʼkomwe.
6 [Yahweh says this]: “I have destroyed [many] nations; I have destroyed their strong/high city walls and towers. [Now] I have caused the streets in those cities to be completely deserted [DOU]; the cities are ruined. There are no people [still alive] in the cities; they are all dead [LIT].
“Ndachotseratu mitundu ya anthu; ndagwetsa malinga awo. Ndipo sindinasiye ndi mmodzi yemwe mʼmisewu mwawo, popanda aliyense wodutsa. Mizinda yawo yawonongedwa; palibe aliyense adzatsalemo.
7 [So] I thought [to myself], ‘[Because of what I have done to those other nations], surely the people [of Jerusalem] will revere me [now], and they will accept (my correcting them/my telling them to quit doing what is wrong). [If they do that, I] will not destroy their houses; I will not punish them like I said that I would do.’ But [in spite of knowing how I punished those other nations], they were still eager to get up early each morning and continue to do evil things.
Ndinati, ‘Ndithudi, anthu a mu mzindawu adzandiopa ndi kumvera kudzudzula kwanga!’ Ndipo sindidzawononga nyumba zawo, kapena kuwalanganso. Koma iwo anali okonzeka kuchita mwachinyengo zinthu zonse zimene amachita.
8 Therefore I, Yahweh, say, ‘Wait for the day in which I will testify [in court about your evil things].’ I have decided to gather the people of the kingdoms [of the earth] [DOU] and cause them to know that I am very angry with them. All [over] the earth I will punish and destroy people; my being angry with them because I (am jealous/want people to worship no other god) is [like] [MET] a (raging/very hot) fire.
Choncho mundidikire,” akutero Yehova, “chifukwa cha tsiku limene ndidzaperekera umboni. Ndatsimikiza kusonkhanitsa pamodzi mitundu ya anthu, kusonkhanitsa maufumu ndi kutsanulira ukali wanga pa iwo; mkwiyo wanga wonse woopsa. Dziko lonse lidzatenthedwa ndi moto wa mkwiyo wa nsanje yanga.
9 When that happens, I will cause [all] people [MTY] to be changed and enable them to speak [only] what is (pure/pleasing to me), in order that everyone can worship me [MTY] and unitedly/together serve me [MTY].
“Pamenepo ndidzayeretsa milomo ya anthu a mitundu yonse kuti anthu onsewo ayitane dzina la Yehova ndi kumutumikira Iye pamodzi.
10 [Then] my people who [were forced to go to other countries], those who live along the upper part of the [Nile] River in Ethiopia will come to me and bring offerings to me.
Kuchokera kutsidya kwa mitsinje ya ku Kusi anthu anga ondipembedza, omwazikana, adzandibweretsera zopereka.
11 At that time, you [people in Jerusalem] will no [longer] be ashamed [about what has happened to you], because you no longer will be rebelling against me. I will get rid of all the people among you who are very proud [DOU]. No one on [Zion], my holy hill, will [strut around] proudly.
Tsiku limenelo simudzachita manyazi chifukwa cha zoyipa zonse munandichitira, popeza ndidzachotsa onse mu mzinda uwu amene amakondwera chifukwa cha kunyada kwawo. Simudzakhalanso odzikuza mʼphiri langa lopatulika.
12 Those who are still alive in Israel will be poor and humble; they will be people who trust in me [MTY].
Koma ndidzasiya pakati panu anthu ofatsa ndi odzichepetsa, amene amadalira dzina la Yehova.
13 Those people who are still alive [there] in Israel will not do [things that are] wrong; they will not tell lies or deceive [MTY] people. They will eat and sleep [safely], [because] no one will cause them to be afraid.”
Aisraeli otsala sadzachitanso zolakwika; sadzayankhulanso zonama, ngakhale chinyengo sichidzatuluka mʼkamwa mwawo. Adzadya ndi kugona ndipo palibe amene adzawachititse mantha.”
14 You people who live in Jerusalem [DOU] and [other places in] Israel, sing and shout loudly! Be glad, and rejoice [DOU] greatly,
Imba, iwe mwana wamkazi wa Ziyoni; fuwula mokweza, iwe Israeli! Sangalala ndi kukondwera ndi mtima wako wonse, iwe mwana wamkazi wa Yerusalemu!
15 [because] Yahweh will stop punishing [MTY] you, and he will send away from you [the armies of] your enemies! And Yahweh [himself], the king of [us] Israeli people, will live among us, and never again will we be afraid that [others will] harm us.
Yehova wachotsa chilango chako, wabweza mdani wako. Yehova, Mfumu ya Israeli, ali pakati pako; sudzaopanso chilichonse.
16 At that time, [other people] will say to us people of Jerusalem, “[You people of] [APO] Jerusalem, do not be afraid; do not become afraid or discouraged,
Pa tsiku limenelo adzanena kwa Yerusalemu kuti, “Usaope, iwe Ziyoni; usafowoke.
17 [because] Yahweh your God is [living] among you. He is mighty, and he will rescue/save you. He will be very happy with you; because he loves you, he will cause you to not be afraid; he will sing loudly to rejoice over you.”
Yehova Mulungu wako ali pakati pako, ali ndi mphamvu yopulumutsa. Adzakondwera kwambiri mwa iwe, adzakukhalitsa chete ndi chikondi chake, adzayimba mokondwera chifukwa cha iwe.”
18 [Yahweh says, ] “You people were sad and ashamed because [you were unable to attend] your religious festivals; but I will cause you to no longer be disgraced.
“Ndidzakuchotserani zowawa za pa zikondwerero zoyikika; nʼzolemetsa ndi zochititsa manyazi.
19 Truly, I will [severely] punish all those who (oppressed you/caused you to suffer). I will rescue those who are helpless and those who were forced to go to other countries. I will enable them to be praised and honored in every country to which they were (exiled/forced to go), places where they were disgraced.
Taonani, nthawi imeneyo ndidzathana ndi onse amene anakuponderezani; ndidzapulumutsa olumala ndi kusonkhanitsa amene anamwazika. Ndidzawayamikira ndi kuwachitira ulemu mʼdziko lililonse mmene anachititsidwa manyazi.
20 At that time, I will gather you together and bring you [back] home [to Israel]. I will cause you to (have a good reputation/be honored) and be [greatly] praised among all the nations of the earth. You [MTY] will see me causing you to prosper again. [That will surely happen because I, ] Yahweh, have said it.”
Pa nthawi imeneyo ndidzakusonkhanitsani; pa nthawi imeneyo ndidzakubweretsani ku mudzi kwanu. Ndidzakuyamikirani ndi kukuchitirani ulemu pakati pa mitundu ya anthu a dziko lapansi pamene ndidzabwezeretsa mtendere wanu inu mukuona,” akutero Yehova.
