< Zefania 2 >
1 Miƒo ƒu! Miƒo ƒu! O, dukɔ si ŋu mekpena o,
Come together, yes, gather together, you worthless nation—
2 hafi ɣeyiɣi si woɖo ɖi la naɖo, eye ŋkeke ma nava gbɔ mi abe atsa ene, hafi Yehowa ƒe dziku dziŋɔ la nava dziwò, hafi Yehowa ƒe dɔmedzoeŋkeke la nava dziwò.
before the decree is issued, before you wither and die like a flower, before the burning anger of the Lord falls on you, before the day of the Lord's anger comes on you.
3 Midi Yehowa, mi anyigbadzitɔ siwo katã bɔbɔ mia ɖokui, mi ame siwo wɔa eƒe lɔlɔ̃nu. Midi dzɔdzɔenyenye, midi ɖokuibɔbɔ; ɖewohĩ woatsyɔ nu mia dzi le Yehowa ƒe dzikuŋkeke la dzi.
Look to the Lord, all you people of the land who are humble and who follow his commands. Look to do what is right; look to live in humility. Perhaps you will be protected on the day of the Lord's anger.
4 Gaza azu aƒedo, eye Askelon azu gli gbagbã. Le ŋdɔkutsu me woalɔ Asdod ƒioƒioƒio, eye woaho Ekron kple ke.
Gaza will be abandoned, Ashkelon will become desolate, Ashdod will be emptied by noon, Ekron will be ripped up.
5 Baba na mi Keretitɔwo, mi ame siwo le ƒuta; O Kanaan, Filistitɔwo ƒe anyigba, Yehowa tsɔ nya ɖe mia ŋu be, “Matsrɔ̃ mi keŋkeŋkeŋ, eye ame aɖeke masusɔ o.”
What disaster is coming to you Philistines, you sea-people who live along the coast and in the land of Canaan! The Lord has passed judgment on you. I will destroy you—there will be no survivors.
6 Keretitɔwo ƒe nɔƒe si le ƒuta la, azu alẽkpo kple nɔƒe na alẽkplɔlawo.
Your seacoast will become pastures, with meadows for shepherds and sheep pens for flocks.
7 Anye ame mamlɛ siwo susɔ na Yuda ƒe aƒe la tɔ, afi mae woakpɔ lãnyiƒe le. Le fiẽ me la, woamlɔ Askelontɔwo ƒe aƒewo me. Yehowa, woƒe Mawu la akpɔ wo ta, eye wòagaɖo wo te.
It will belong to those who remain of the people of Judah. They will graze their flocks there, and the shepherds will sleep in the abandoned houses of Ashkelon. For the Lord their God will be with them and make them prosperous again.
8 “Mese Moab ƒe alɔmeɖeɖe kple Amon ƒe viwo ƒe vlododo, ame siwo dzi nye dukɔ, eye woɖo nugbe ɖe woƒe anyigba ŋuti.
I have heard the mocking taunts of the Moabites and the scornful derision of the Ammonites who have insulted my people and made threats against their territory.
9 Yehowa Ŋusẽkatãtɔ, Israel ƒe Mawu la gblɔ be, Zi ale si meli la, woatsrɔ̃ Moab kple Amon abe ale si wotsrɔ̃ Sodom kple Gomora ene, eye woazu ŋuvedzeɖeƒe kple gbegbe; nye ame siwo susɔ la aha wo, eye woaxɔe le wo si.”
Consequently, as I live, declares the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, the Moabites will become like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah. Their land will become a place of weeds and salt pits and ruins forever. Those who remain of my people will plunder them and occupy their land.
10 Woaxɔ woƒe dada ƒe fetu, elabena woɖu fewu le Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la ƒe dukɔ ŋuti.
This is what they will receive for their pride because they mocked and threatened the people of the Lord Almighty.
11 Yehowa ana nu vɔ̃ɖi geɖe nava wo dzi. Atsrɔ̃ woƒe mawuwo katã kple woƒe ŋusẽ ɖa, eye ame sia ame asubɔe le eƒe anyigba dzi le xexea me godoo.
The Lord will make them terribly afraid as he starves to death all the gods of the land. Every nation will worship the Lord wherever they are—all around the world.
12 “Mi Kustɔwo, woatsrɔ̃ miawo hã kple yi.”
You Ethiopians will be killed by the sword.
13 Nenema kee nye anyiehetɔwo hã; atsrɔ̃ Asiria kple eƒe toxɔdu Ninive xɔŋkɔ la gbidigbidi, eye wòanɔ abe dzogbe ene.
The Lord will strike the Assyrians in the north and destroy them. He will make Nineveh desolate, a dry wasteland like the desert.
14 Du xɔŋkɔ sia azu gbeɖuƒe na alẽhawo. Gbemelã kple xe vovovowo atsɔ teƒe sia awɔ wo nɔƒee. Hlɔ̃madewo aɖe do ɖe afi ma, akagawo kple alugewo awɔ atɔ ɖe eƒe fiasãwo me, eye woadzo ɖe eƒe fesrewo nu anɔ xɔxlɔ̃m; eye akpaviãwo adzo ɖe fiasã la ƒe ʋɔtruwo nu. Mlɔeba la, ʋuƒo nyui siwo wotsɔ wɔ xɔa mee la atsi gota ŋdɔ naɖu.
Herds will lie down in the middle of the city. It will become the home for every kind of wild animal. Eagle owls and screech owls will roost on its columns. Their calls will echo through the windows. Rubble will block the doors, and the cedar woodwork will be exposed.
15 Esiawoe nye nu siwo ava dzɔ ɖe du si kpɔ dzidzedze, eye wòle tomefafa me la dzi. Du sia gblɔ na eɖokui be, “Le xexea me katã la, du aɖeke mekpɔ ŋusẽ de nunye o.” Gake azɔ, mikpɔ ɖa, eyae nye du si gbã gudugudu, zu gbegbe na lãwo kple xewo! Azɔ ame sia ame si ava to eŋuti la ado tsiã, aʋuʋu ta, elabena maxɔe ase o.
This is what will happen to this triumphant city that thought it was so secure. “Look at me!” it said proudly to itself. “There is no city as great as me!” But it has become a desolate place—just a home for wild animals. Everyone who passes by will point their finger and laugh in derision.