צְפַנְיָה 1

1 דְּבַר־יְהוָ֣ה ׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָ֗ה אֶל־צְפַנְיָה֙ בֶּן־כּוּשִׁ֣י בֶן־גְּדַלְיָ֔ה בֶּן־אֲמַרְיָ֖ה בֶּן־חִזְקִיָּ֑ה בִּימֵ֛י יֹאשִׁיָּ֥הוּ בֶן־אָמֹ֖ון מֶ֥לֶךְ יְהוּדָֽה׃

For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. This is the word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah:

2 אָסֹ֨ף אָסֵ֜ף כֹּ֗ל מֵעַ֛ל פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָ֖ה נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

“I will completely sweep away everything from the face of the earth,”

3 אָסֵ֨ף אָדָ֜ם וּבְהֵמָ֗ה אָסֵ֤ף עֹוף־הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וּדְגֵ֣י הַיָּ֔ם וְהַמַּכְשֵׁלֹ֖ות אֶת־הָרְשָׁעִ֑ים וְהִכְרַתִּ֣י אֶת־הָאָדָ֗ם מֵעַ֛ל פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָ֖ה נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

“I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and the idols with their wicked worshipers. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,”

4 וְנָטִ֤יתִי יָדִי֙ עַל־יְהוּדָ֔ה וְעַ֖ל כָּל־יֹושְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְהִכְרַתִּ֞י מִן־הַמָּקֹ֤ום הַזֶּה֙ אֶת־שְׁאָ֣ר הַבַּ֔עַל אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם הַכְּמָרִ֖ים עִם־הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃

“I will stretch out My hand against Judah and against all who dwell in Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the names of the idolatrous and pagan priests—

5 וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁתַּחֲוִ֥ים עַל־הַגַּגֹּ֖ות לִצְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְאֶת־הַמִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙ הַנִּשְׁבָּעִ֣ים לַֽיהוָ֔ה וְהַנִּשְׁבָּעִ֖ים בְּמַלְכָּֽם׃

those who bow on the rooftops to worship the host of heaven, those who bow down and swear by the LORD but also swear by Milcom,

6 וְאֶת־הַנְּסֹוגִ֖ים מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַאֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־בִקְשׁ֥וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א דְרָשֻֽׁהוּ׃

and those who turn back from following the LORD, neither seeking the LORD nor inquiring of Him.”

7 הַ֕ס מִפְּנֵ֖י אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה כִּ֤י קָרֹוב֙ יֹ֣ום יְהוָ֔ה כִּֽי־הֵכִ֧ין יְהוָ֛ה זֶ֖בַח הִקְדִּ֥ישׁ קְרֻאָֽיו׃

Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD, for the Day of the LORD is near. Indeed, the LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has consecrated His guests.

8 וְהָיָ֗ה בְּיֹום֙ זֶ֣בַח יְהוָ֔ה וּפָקַדְתִּ֥י עַל־הַשָּׂרִ֖ים וְעַל־בְּנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְעַ֥ל כָּל־הַלֹּבְשִׁ֖ים מַלְבּ֥וּשׁ נָכְרִֽי׃

“On the Day of the LORD’s sacrifice I will punish the princes, the sons of the king, and all who are dressed in foreign apparel.

9 וּפָקַדְתִּ֗י עַ֧ל כָּל־הַדֹּולֵ֛ג עַל־הַמִּפְתָּ֖ן בַּיֹּ֣ום הַה֑וּא הַֽמְמַלְאִ֛ים בֵּ֥ית אֲדֹנֵיהֶ֖ם חָמָ֥ס וּמִרְמָֽה׃ ס

On that day I will punish all who leap over the threshold, who fill the house of their master with violence and deceit.

10 וְהָיָה֩ בַיֹּ֨ום הַה֜וּא נְאֻם־יְהוָ֗ה קֹ֤ול צְעָקָה֙ מִשַּׁ֣עַר הַדָּגִ֔ים וִֽילָלָ֖ה מִן־הַמִּשְׁנֶ֑ה וְשֶׁ֥בֶר גָּדֹ֖ול מֵהַגְּבָעֹֽות׃

On that day,” declares the LORD, “a cry will go up from the Fish Gate, a wail from the Second District, and a loud crashing from the hills.

11 הֵילִ֖ילוּ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הַמַּכְתֵּ֑שׁ כִּ֤י נִדְמָה֙ כָּל־עַ֣ם כְּנַ֔עַן נִכְרְת֖וּ כָּל־נְטִ֥ילֵי כָֽסֶף׃

Wail, O dwellers of the Hollow, for all your merchants will be silenced; all who weigh out silver will be cut off.

12 וְהָיָה֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא אֲחַפֵּ֥שׂ אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם בַּנֵּרֹ֑ות וּפָקַדְתִּ֣י עַל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הַקֹּֽפְאִים֙ עַל־שִׁמְרֵיהֶ֔ם הָאֹֽמְרִים֙ בִּלְבָבָ֔ם לֹֽא־יֵיטִ֥יב יְהוָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א יָרֵֽעַ׃

And at that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish the men settled in complacency, who say to themselves, ‘The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.’

13 וְהָיָ֤ה חֵילָם֙ לִמְשִׁסָּ֔ה וּבָתֵּיהֶ֖ם לִשְׁמָמָ֑ה וּבָנ֤וּ בָתִּים֙ וְלֹ֣א יֵשֵׁ֔בוּ וְנָטְע֣וּ כְרָמִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁתּ֖וּ אֶת־יֵינָֽם׃

Their wealth will be plundered and their houses laid waste. They will build houses but not inhabit them, and plant vineyards but never drink their wine.

14 קָרֹ֤וב יֹום־יְהוָה֙ הַגָּדֹ֔ול קָרֹ֖וב וּמַהֵ֣ר מְאֹ֑ד קֹ֚ול יֹ֣ום יְהוָ֔ה מַ֥ר צֹרֵ֖חַ שָׁ֥ם גִּבֹּֽור׃

The great Day of the LORD is near— near and coming quickly. Listen, the Day of the LORD! Then the cry of the mighty will be bitter.

15 יֹ֥ום עֶבְרָ֖ה הַיֹּ֣ום הַה֑וּא יֹ֧ום צָרָ֣ה וּמְצוּקָ֗ה יֹ֤ום שֹׁאָה֙ וּמְשֹׁואָ֔ה יֹ֥ום חֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙ וַאֲפֵלָ֔ה יֹ֥ום עָנָ֖ן וַעֲרָפֶֽל׃

That day will be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness,

16 יֹ֥ום שֹׁופָ֖ר וּתְרוּעָ֑ה עַ֚ל הֶעָרִ֣ים הַבְּצֻרֹ֔ות וְעַ֖ל הַפִּנֹּ֥ות הַגְּבֹהֹֽות׃

a day of horn blast and battle cry against the fortified cities, and against the high corner towers.

17 וַהֲצֵרֹ֣תִי לָאָדָ֗ם וְהָֽלְכוּ֙ כַּֽעִוְרִ֔ים כִּ֥י לַֽיהוָ֖ה חָטָ֑אוּ וְשֻׁפַּ֤ךְ דָּמָם֙ כֶּֽעָפָ֔ר וּלְחֻמָ֖ם כַּגְּלָלִֽים׃

I will bring such distress on mankind that they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung.

18 גַּם־כַּסְפָּ֨ם גַּם־זְהָבָ֜ם לֹֽא־יוּכַ֣ל לְהַצִּילָ֗ם בְּיֹום֙ עֶבְרַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה וּבְאֵשׁ֙ קִנְאָתֹ֔ו תֵּאָכֵ֖ל כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־כָלָ֤ה אַךְ־נִבְהָלָה֙ יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה אֵ֥ת כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֖י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ ס

Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth.