< Zephaniah 2 >

1 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;
הִֽתְקוֹשְׁשׁוּ וָקוֹשּׁוּ הַגּוֹי לֹא נִכְסָֽף׃
2 Before the decree bringeth forth, before the day passeth as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD cometh upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger cometh upon you.
בְּטֶרֶם לֶדֶת חֹק כְּמֹץ עָבַר יוֹם בְּטֶרֶם ׀ לֹא־יָבוֹא עֲלֵיכֶם חֲרוֹן אַף־יְהוָה בְּטֶרֶם לֹא־יָבוֹא עֲלֵיכֶם יוֹם אַף־יְהוָֽה׃
3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, who have performed his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hidden in the day of the LORD’S anger.
בַּקְּשׁוּ אֶת־יְהוָה כָּל־עַנְוֵי הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר מִשְׁפָּטוֹ פָּעָלוּ בַּקְּשׁוּ־צֶדֶק בַּקְּשׁוּ עֲנָוָה אוּלַי תִּסָּתְרוּ בְּיוֹם אַף־יְהוָֽה׃
4 For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted out.
כִּי עַזָּה עֲזוּבָה תִֽהְיֶה וְאַשְׁקְלוֹן לִשְׁמָמָה אַשְׁדּוֹד בַּֽצָּהֳרַיִם יְגָרְשׁוּהָ וְעֶקְרוֹן תֵּעָקֵֽר׃
5 Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.
הוֹי יֹֽשְׁבֵי חֶבֶל הַיָּם גּוֹי כְּרֵתִים דְּבַר־יְהוָה עֲלֵיכֶם כְּנַעַן אֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים וְהַאֲבַדְתִּיךְ מֵאֵין יוֹשֵֽׁב׃
6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.
וְֽהָיְתָה חֶבֶל הַיָּם נְוֺת כְּרֹת רֹעִים וְגִדְרוֹת צֹֽאן׃
7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed there: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.
וְהָיָה חֶבֶל לִשְׁאֵרִית בֵּית יְהוּדָה עֲלֵיהֶם יִרְעוּן בְּבָתֵּי אַשְׁקְלוֹן בָּעֶרֶב יִרְבָּצוּן כִּי יִפְקְדֵם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיהֶם וְשָׁב שבותם שְׁבִיתָֽם׃
8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, by which they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.
שָׁמַעְתִּי חֶרְפַּת מוֹאָב וְגִדּוּפֵי בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן אֲשֶׁר חֵֽרְפוּ אֶת־עַמִּי וַיַּגְדִּילוּ עַל־גְּבוּלָֽם׃
9 Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the place possessed of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the remainder of my people shall lay them waste, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.
לָכֵן חַי־אָנִי נְאֻם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּֽי־מוֹאָב כִּסְדֹם תִּֽהְיֶה וּבְנֵי עַמּוֹן כַּֽעֲמֹרָה מִמְשַׁק חָרוּל וּמִכְרֵה־מֶלַח וּשְׁמָמָה עַד־עוֹלָם שְׁאֵרִית עַמִּי יְבָזּוּם וְיֶתֶר גוי גּוֹיִי יִנְחָלֽוּם׃
10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.
זֹאת לָהֶם תַּחַת גְּאוֹנָם כִּי חֵֽרְפוּ וַיַּגְדִּלוּ עַל־עַם יְהוָה צְבָאֽוֹת׃
11 The LORD will be terrible to them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.
נוֹרָא יְהוָה עֲלֵיהֶם כִּי רָזָה אֵת כָּל־אֱלֹהֵי הָאָרֶץ וְיִשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־לוֹ אִישׁ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ כֹּל אִיֵּי הַגּוֹיִֽם׃
12 Ye Cushites also, ye shall be slain by my sword.
גַּם־אַתֶּם כּוּשִׁים חַֽלְלֵי חַרְבִּי הֵֽמָּה׃
13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.
וְיֵט יָדוֹ עַל־צָפוֹן וִֽיאַבֵּד אֶת־אַשּׁוּר וְיָשֵׂם אֶת־נִֽינְוֵה לִשְׁמָמָה צִיָּה כַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃
14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in her upper lintels; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he shall uncover the cedar work.
וְרָבְצוּ בְתוֹכָהּ עֲדָרִים כָּל־חַיְתוֹ־גוֹי גַּם־קָאַת גַּם־קִפֹּד בְּכַפְתֹּרֶיהָ יָלִינוּ קוֹל יְשׁוֹרֵר בַּֽחַלּוֹן חֹרֶב בַּסַּף כִּי אַרְזָה עֵרָֽה׃
15 This is the rejoicing city that dwelt in security, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none besides me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and shake his hand.
זֹאת הָעִיר הָעַלִּיזָה הַיּוֹשֶׁבֶת לָבֶטַח הָאֹֽמְרָה בִּלְבָבָהּ אֲנִי וְאַפְסִי עוֹד אֵיךְ ׀ הָיְתָה לְשַׁמָּה מַרְבֵּץ לַֽחַיָּה כֹּל עוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ יִשְׁרֹק יָנִיעַ יָדֽוֹ׃

< Zephaniah 2 >