Zephaniah 3

1 Woe to the rebellious city! The violent city is defiled.

Sorrow to her who is uncontrolled and unclean, the cruel town!

2 She has not listened to the voice of God, nor accepted correction from Yahweh. She does not trust in Yahweh and will not approach her God.

She gave no attention to the voice, she had no use for teaching, she put no faith in the Lord, she did not come near to her God.

3 Her princes are roaring lions in her midst. Her judges are evening wolves who leave nothing to be gnawed upon in the morning.

Her rulers are like loud-voiced lions in her; her judges are wolves of the evening, crushing up the bones before the morning.

4 Her prophets are insolent and treasonous men. Her priests have profaned what is holy and have done violence to the law.

Her prophets are good-for-nothing persons, full of deceit: her priests have made the holy place unclean and have gone violently against the law.

5 Yahweh is righteous in her midst. He can do no wrong. Morning by morning he will dispense his justice! It will not be hidden in the light, yet unrighteous people know no shame.

The Lord in her is upright; he will not do evil; every morning he lets his righteousness be seen, he is unchanging; but the evil-doer has no sense of shame.

6 “I have destroyed nations; their fortresses are ruined. I have made their streets ruins, so that no one passes over them. Their cities are destroyed so that there is no man inhabiting them.

I have had the nations cut off, their towers are broken down; I have made their streets a waste so that no one goes through them: destruction has overtaken their towns, so that there is no man living in them.

7 I said, 'Surely you will fear me. Accept correction and do not be cut off from your homes by all that I have planned to do to you.' But they were eager to begin each morning by corrupting all their deeds.

I said, Certainly you will go in fear of me, and come under my training, so that whatever I may send on her may not be cut off before her eyes: but they got up early and made all their works evil.

8 Therefore wait for me—this is Yahweh's declaration—until the day that I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms, to pour out on them my anger—all of my burning wrath; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth will be consumed.

For this reason, go on waiting for me, says the Lord, till the day when I come up as a witness: for my purpose is to send for the nations and to get the kingdoms together, so that I may let loose on them my passion, even all my burning wrath: for all the earth will be burned up in the fire of my bitter passion.

9 But then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call upon the name of Yahweh to serve him shoulder to shoulder.

For then I will give the people a clean language, so that they may all make prayer to the Lord and be his servants with one mind.

10 From beyond the river of Cush my worshipers—my scattered people—will bring offerings due me.

From over the rivers of Ethiopia, and from the sides of the north, they will come to me with an offering.

11 In that day you will not be put to shame for all your deeds that you committed against me, since at that time I will remove from among you those who celebrated your pride, and because you will no longer act arrogantly on my holy mountain.

In that day you will have no shame on account of all the things in which you did evil against me: for then I will take away from among you those who were lifted up in pride, and you will no longer be lifted up with pride in my holy mountain.

12 But I will leave among you a lowly and poor people, and they will find refuge in the name of Yahweh.

But I will still have among you a quiet and poor people, and they will put their faith in the name of the Lord.

13 The remnant of Israel will no longer commit injustice or speak lies, and no deceitful tongue will be found in their mouth; so they will graze and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.”

The rest of Israel will do no evil and say no false words; the tongue of deceit will not be seen in their mouth: for they will take their food and their rest, and no one will be a cause of fear to them.

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

Make melody, O daughter of Zion; give a loud cry, O Israel; be glad and let your heart be full of joy, O daughter of Jerusalem.

15 Yahweh has taken away your punishment; he has driven out your enemies! Yahweh is the king of Israel among you. You will never again fear evil!

The Lord has taken away those who were judging you, he has sent your haters far away: the King of Israel, even the Lord, is among you: you will have no more fear of evil.

16 In that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, Zion. Do not let your hands falter.

In that day it will be said to Jerusalem, Have no fear: O Zion, let not your hands be feeble.

17 Yahweh your God is among you, a mighty one to save you. He will celebrate over you with joy; he will be silent over you in his love; he will be glad over you with a shout for joy.

The Lord your God is among you, as a strong saviour: he will be glad over you with joy, he will make his love new again, he will make a song of joy over you as in the time of a holy feast.

18 I will gather those who grieve, those who cannot attend the appointed feasts, so you will no longer bear any shame for it.

I will take away your troubles, lifting up your shame from off you.

19 Behold, I am about to deal with all your oppressors. At that time, I will rescue the lame and gather up the outcast. I will make them as praise, and I will change their shame into renown in all the earth.

See, at that time I will put an end to all who have been troubling you: I will give salvation to her whose steps are uncertain, and get together her who has been sent in flight; and I will make them a cause of praise and an honoured name in all the earth, when I let their fate be changed.

20 At that time I will lead you; at that time I will gather you together. I will make all the nations of the earth respect and praise you, when you see that I restored you,” says Yahweh.

At that time I will make you come in, at that time I will get you together: for I will make you a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth when I let your fate be changed before your eyes, says the Lord.