Σοφονίας 3

1 ὦ ἡ ἐπιφανὴς καὶ ἀπολελυτρωμένη ἡ πόλις ἡ περιστερά

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 οὐκ εἰσήκουσεν φωνῆς οὐκ ἐδέξατο παιδείαν ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ οὐκ ἐπεποίθει καὶ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν αὐτῆς οὐκ ἤγγισεν

[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 οἱ ἄρχοντες αὐτῆς ἐν αὐτῇ ὡς λέοντες ὠρυόμενοι οἱ κριταὶ αὐτῆς ὡς λύκοι τῆς Ἀραβίας οὐχ ὑπελίποντο εἰς τὸ πρωί

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 οἱ προφῆται αὐτῆς πνευματοφόροι ἄνδρες καταφρονηταί οἱ ἱερεῖς αὐτῆς βεβηλοῦσιν τὰ ἅγια καὶ ἀσεβοῦσιν νόμον

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 ὁ δὲ κύριος δίκαιος ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς καὶ οὐ μὴ ποιήσῃ ἄδικον πρωὶ πρωὶ δώσει κρίμα αὐτοῦ εἰς φῶς καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκρύβη καὶ οὐκ ἔγνω ἀδικίαν ἐν ἀπαιτήσει καὶ οὐκ εἰς νεῖκος ἀδικίαν

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 ἐν διαφθορᾷ κατέσπασα ὑπερηφάνους ἠφανίσθησαν γωνίαι αὐτῶν ἐξερημώσω τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῶν τὸ παράπαν τοῦ μὴ διοδεύειν ἐξέλιπον αἱ πόλεις αὐτῶν παρὰ τὸ μηδένα ὑπάρχειν μηδὲ κατοικεῖν

[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 εἶπα πλὴν φοβεῖσθέ με καὶ δέξασθε παιδείαν καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐξολεθρευθῆτε ἐξ ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῆς πάντα ὅσα ἐξεδίκησα ἐπ’ αὐτήν ἑτοιμάζου ὄρθρισον διέφθαρται πᾶσα ἡ ἐπιφυλλὶς αὐτῶν

[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 διὰ τοῦτο ὑπόμεινόν με λέγει κύριος εἰς ἡμέραν ἀναστάσεώς μου εἰς μαρτύριον διότι τὸ κρίμα μου εἰς συναγωγὰς ἐθνῶν τοῦ εἰσδέξασθαι βασιλεῖς τοῦ ἐκχέαι ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς πᾶσαν ὀργὴν θυμοῦ μου διότι ἐν πυρὶ ζήλους μου καταναλωθήσεται πᾶσα ἡ γῆ

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 ὅτι τότε μεταστρέψω ἐπὶ λαοὺς γλῶσσαν εἰς γενεὰν αὐτῆς τοῦ ἐπικαλεῖσθαι πάντας τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου τοῦ δουλεύειν αὐτῷ ὑπὸ ζυγὸν ἕνα

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 ἐκ περάτων ποταμῶν Αἰθιοπίας οἴσουσιν θυσίας μοι

[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 ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇς ἐκ πάντων τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων σου ὧν ἠσέβησας εἰς ἐμέ ὅτι τότε περιελῶ ἀπὸ σοῦ τὰ φαυλίσματα τῆς ὕβρεώς σου καὶ οὐκέτι μὴ προσθῇς τοῦ μεγαλαυχῆσαι ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος τὸ ἅγιόν μου

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 καὶ ὑπολείψομαι ἐν σοὶ λαὸν πραῢν καὶ ταπεινόν καὶ εὐλαβηθήσονται ἀπὸ τοῦ ὀνόματος κυρίου

Those who are still alive in Israel will be poor and humble; they will be people who trust in me [MTY].

13 οἱ κατάλοιποι τοῦ Ισραηλ καὶ οὐ ποιήσουσιν ἀδικίαν καὶ οὐ λαλήσουσιν μάταια καὶ οὐ μὴ εὑρεθῇ ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν γλῶσσα δολία διότι αὐτοὶ νεμήσονται καὶ κοιτασθήσονται καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ἐκφοβῶν αὐτούς

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 χαῖρε σφόδρα θύγατερ Σιων κήρυσσε θύγατερ Ιερουσαλημ εὐφραίνου καὶ κατατέρπου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου θύγατερ Ιερουσαλημ

You people who live in Jerusalem [DOU] and [other places in] Israel, sing and shout loudly! Be glad, and rejoice [DOU] greatly,

15 περιεῖλεν κύριος τὰ ἀδικήματά σου λελύτρωταί σε ἐκ χειρὸς ἐχθρῶν σου βασιλεὺς Ισραηλ κύριος ἐν μέσῳ σου οὐκ ὄψῃ κακὰ οὐκέτι

[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 ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ ἐρεῖ κύριος τῇ Ιερουσαλημ θάρσει Σιων μὴ παρείσθωσαν αἱ χεῖρές σου

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 κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἐν σοί δυνατὸς σώσει σε ἐπάξει ἐπὶ σὲ εὐφροσύνην καὶ καινιεῖ σε ἐν τῇ ἀγαπήσει αὐτοῦ καὶ εὐφρανθήσεται ἐπὶ σὲ ἐν τέρψει ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἑορτῆς

[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 καὶ συνάξω τοὺς συντετριμμένους οὐαί τίς ἔλαβεν ἐπ’ αὐτὴν ὀνειδισμόν

[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 ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ποιῶ ἐν σοὶ ἕνεκεν σοῦ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ λέγει κύριος καὶ σώσω τὴν ἐκπεπιεσμένην καὶ τὴν ἀπωσμένην εἰσδέξομαι καὶ θήσομαι αὐτοὺς εἰς καύχημα καὶ ὀνομαστοὺς ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ

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 καὶ καταισχυνθήσονται ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ ὅταν καλῶς ὑμῖν ποιήσω καὶ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ὅταν εἰσδέξωμαι ὑμᾶς διότι δώσω ὑμᾶς ὀνομαστοὺς καὶ εἰς καύχημα ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς λαοῖς τῆς γῆς ἐν τῷ ἐπιστρέφειν με τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν ὑμῶν ἐνώπιον ὑμῶν λέγει κύριος

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.”