Zefania 3
1 “Baba na du si yɔ fũu kple ŋutasesẽ, aglãdzedze kple ɖiƒoƒo.
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].
2 Mesea ame aɖeke ƒe gbe o, eye melɔ̃na be woagbe nya na ye hã o. Mexɔ Yehowa dzi se o, eye metena ɖe eƒe Mawu la ŋu hã o.
[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.
3 Eƒe kplɔlawo le abe dzata dɔwui si le gbe tem la ene. Woƒe ʋɔnudrɔ̃lawo le abe amegaxi si lé nu le zã me, eye wòɖui vɔ keŋ hafi ŋu ke la ene.
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].
4 Eƒe nyagblɔɖilawo doa wo ɖokuiwo ɖe dzi, eye wonye ame vɔ̃ɖiwo. Eƒe nunɔlawo do gu kɔkɔeƒe la, eye wodo vlo Mawu ƒe seawo.
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].
5 Ke Yehowae nye dzɔdzɔetɔ le wo dome, eye mewɔa nu gbegblẽ aɖeke o. Ŋdi sia ŋdi la, eɖea eƒe dzɔdzɔenyenye ɖe go, eye ŋkeke aɖeke medanɛ ƒu o. Gake nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo menya ŋukpe o.
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].
6 “Metsrɔ̃ dukɔ geɖewo, megbã woƒe mɔ sesẽwo, mena woƒe ablɔwo dzi ɖi gbɔlo, eye ame aɖeke megatoa wo dzi o. Woƒe duwo gbã, eye ame ɖeka pɛ gɔ̃ hã masusɔ o.
[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].
7 Megblɔ na du la be, ‘Azɔ la, àvɔ̃m vavã, eye nàxɔ nye ɖɔɖɔɖo!’ Ekema womagatsrɔ̃ eƒe nɔƒe alo nye tohehe magava edzi o, gake wogatsi dzi ɖe nu vɔ̃ wɔwɔ ŋu,
[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.
8 eya ta mikpɔ nye asi nu,” Yehowae gblɔe, “elabena ŋkeke li gbɔna, matsi tsitre aɖi ɖase. Meɖoe be maƒo dukɔwo katã kple fiaɖuƒewo nu ƒu, eye makɔ nye dɔmedzoe kple nye dziku helĩhelĩ ɖe wo dzi. Ale nye ŋuʋaʋã ƒe dzo afia anyigba la katã.
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.
9 “Ɣe ma ɣi la, makɔ nye amewo ƒe nuyiwo ŋu, ale wo katã woayɔ Yehowa ƒe ŋkɔ, eye woasubɔe kple nusɔsɔe.
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].
10 Tso Kus tɔsisi la godo ke, nye subɔlawo kple nye ame siwo ka hlẽ la, atsɔ woƒe nunanawo vɛ nam.
[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.
11 Le ɣe ma ɣi la, ŋu magakpe mi le miaƒe nu vɔ̃ siwo katã miewɔ ɖe ŋunye la ta o, elabena maɖe ame siwo katã kpɔa dzidzɔ le ɖokuidodoɖedzi ŋuti la ɖa le dua me, ale be dadala aɖeke maganɔ nye to kɔkɔe la dzi o.
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.
12 Ke magblẽ ame siwo nye ame fafawo kple ɖokuibɔbɔɖeanyilawo, ame siwo xɔ nye, Yehowa ƒe ŋkɔ dzi se la ɖe mia dome.
Those who are still alive in Israel will be poor and humble; they will be people who trust in me [MTY].
13 Israel ƒe ame mamlɛawo magawɔ vɔ̃ o, womada alakpa o, eye womakpɔ amebeble le woƒe nu me o. Woaɖu nu, amlɔ anyi, eye ame aɖeke mado ŋɔdzi na wo o.”
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.”
14 O Zion vinyɔnu, dzi ha, O Israel, do ɣli, kpɔ dzidzɔ, eye wò dzi nayɔ fũu kple aseyetsotso, O Yerusalem vinyɔnuvi!
You people who live in Jerusalem [DOU] and [other places in] Israel, sing and shout loudly! Be glad, and rejoice [DOU] greatly,
15 Yehowa ɖe wò tohehewo ɖa, eye wòna wò futɔwo gbugbɔɖemegbe. Yehowa, Israel ƒe fia la li kpli wò, eya ta vɔ̃wɔame aɖeke mado ŋɔdzi na wò o.
[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.
16 Gbe ma gbe la, woagblɔ na Yerusalem be, “Mègavɔ̃ o, O Zion, eye mègana wò alɔ nagbɔdzɔ o.
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,
17 Yehowa wò Mawu la li kpli wò, kalẽtɔ si ate ŋu axɔ na wò lae wònye. Akpɔ dzidzɔ gã aɖe ɖe ŋuwò, atsɔ eƒe lɔlɔ̃ afa akɔ na wò, eye wòado dzidzɔ na wò kple hadzidzi.”
[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.”
18 “Maɖe konyifafa siwo nɔa miaƒe takpegbewo la ɖa le mia ŋu, elabena wonyea agba kple mokaka na mi.
[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.
19 Le ɣe ma ɣi la, matu nu kple ame siwo katã te mi ɖe anyi la, makpe ɖe ataŋeŋetɔwo ŋu, eye maƒo ame siwo ka hlẽ la nu ƒu. Matsɔ kafukafu kple bubu ana wo le anyigba ɖe sia ɖe si dzi wodo ŋukpe wo le.
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.
20 Ɣe ma yi la, maƒo mia nu ƒu; ɣe ma yi me la, makplɔ mi va aƒee. Matsɔ bubu kple kafukafu ana mi le anyigbadzidukɔwo katã dome, nenye be megbugbɔ mi ɖo te le miawo ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkuwo me.” Yehowae gblɔe.
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.”
