< Sophonie 3 >

1 Malheur à la rebelle et à la souillée, à la ville d’oppression!
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 Elle n’a écouté aucune voix, elle n’a point accepté d’avertissement; elle ne s’est pas confiée en Yahweh, elle ne s’est point approchée de son Dieu.
[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 Ses princes au milieu d’elle sont des lions rugissants, ses juges des loups du soir, qui ne gardent rien pour le matin.
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 Ses prophètes sont des fanfarons, des hommes perfides; ses prêtres profanent les choses saintes, ils violent la loi.
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 Yahweh est juste au milieu d’elle, il ne fait rien d’inique; chaque matin il produit son jugement, pour donner la lumière, sans jamais y manquer; mais l’impie ne connaît point de honte!
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 J’ai exterminé des nations; leurs tours ont été détruites; j’ai désolé leurs rues, si bien qu’on n’y passe plus; leurs villes ont été dévastées, si bien qu’il n’y reste personne, aucun habitant.
[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 Je disais: « Au moins tu me craindras, tu accepteras l’avertissement; et sa demeure ne sera pas détruite, selon tout ce que j’ai décidé à son égard. » Mais ils n’ont été que plus empressés à pervertir toutes leurs actions.
[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 C’est pourquoi attendez-moi, – oracle de Yahweh, pour le jour où je me lèverai pour le butin! Car mon arrêt est que j’assemble les nations, que je rassemble les royaumes, pour verser sur eux ma fureur, toute l’ardeur de ma colère. Car par le feu de ma jalousie, toute la terre sera dévorée.
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 Car alors je donnerai aux peuples des lèvres pures, afin qu’ils invoquent tous le nom de Yahweh, et le servent d’un commun accord.
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 D’au delà des fleuves de l’Éthiopie, mes adorateurs, mes dispersés, apporteront mon offrande.
[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 En ce jour-là, tu n’auras plus à rougir de toutes tes actions par lesquelles tu as péché contre moi; car alors j’ôterai du milieu de toi ceux qui se réjouissaient avec arrogance; et tu ne t’enorgueilliras plus désormais, sur ma montagne sainte.
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 je laisserai au milieu de toi un peuple humble et petit, qui se confiera au nom de Yahweh.
Those who are still alive in Israel will be poor and humble; they will be people who trust in me [MTY].
13 Le reste d’Israël ne commettra pas l’iniquité, il ne dira pas de mensonge, et il ne se trouvera plus dans leur bouche de langue trompeuse. Car ils paîtront et se reposeront, sans que personne les trouble.
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 Pousse des cris de joie, fille de Sion! Pousse des cris d’allégresse, Israël! Réjouis-toi et triomphe de tout ton cœur, fille de Jérusalem!
You people who live in Jerusalem [DOU] and [other places in] Israel, sing and shout loudly! Be glad, and rejoice [DOU] greatly,
15 Yahweh a retiré les jugements portés contre toi, il a détourné ton ennemi. Le roi d’Israël, Yahweh, est au milieu de toi; tu ne verras plus le malheur!
[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 En ce jour-là, on dira à Jérusalem: Ne crains point, Sion, que tes mains ne s’affaissent point!
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 Yahweh, ton Dieu, est au milieu de toi, un vaillant sauveur! Il fera éclater sa joie à cause de toi; il se taira dans son amour; il tressaillera à cause de toi avec des cris de joie.
[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 Je rassemblerai ceux qui sont dans la tristesse, privés des fêtes solennelles; car ils étaient des tiens, l’opprobre pèse sur eux.
[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 Voici que j’en finirai, en ce temps-là, avec tous tes oppresseurs; je sauverai celle qui boite, et je recueillerai la rejetée, et je les ferai glorieux et renommés dans tous les pays où ils ont été honnis.
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 En ce temps-là, je vous ramènerai; et, au temps où je vous rassemblerai, je vous ferai renommés et glorieux, chez tous les peuples de la terre, quand je ferai cesser votre captivité à vos yeux, dit Yahweh.
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.”

< Sophonie 3 >