Zefanaya 3
1 Ahụhụ dịrị obodo ahụ ndị mmegbu, na ndị na-enupu isi, na ndị rụrụ arụ jupụtara nʼime ya.
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 Ọ naghị ege onye ọbụla ntị, ọ dịghị anabata ịdọ aka na ntị. Ọ dịghị atụkwasị Onyenwe anyị obi, ọ dịkwaghị abịakwute Chineke ya nso.
[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 Ndịisi nọ nʼetiti ya dịka ọdụm na-agbọ ụja, ndị ọkaikpe ya dịka nkịta ọhịa na-achụ nta anyasị, nke ihe ọ chụtara na nta adịghị anọ tutu chi abọọ.
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 Ndị amụma ya bụ ndị ndu rụrụ arụ, ha bụkwa ndị aghụghọ. Ndị nchụaja ya na-emerụ ebe nsọ na-ejikwa ike emebi iwu.
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 Ma Onyenwe anyị, onye nọ nʼetiti ya bụ onye ezi omume. Ọ nakwaghị eme ihe ọjọọ. Ụtụtụ niile ka ọ na-eme ka ikpe ziri ezi ya pụta ìhè; ụbọchị ọbụla ọ naghị ahapụ igosi ya, ma ndị ajọ omume enweghị ihere.
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 “Egbuchapụla m mba niile dị iche iche, kwatukwaa ebe ha niile e wusiri ike. Ahapụla m okporoụzọ ha ka ọ bụrụ ihe a gbahapụrụ agbahapụ, ọ dịkwaghị onye na-esi na ha agabiga. A laala obodo ha niile nʼiyi, ọ dịkwaghị onye fọdụrụ, ọ bụladị otu onye.
[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 Asịrị m, banyere Jerusalem, ‘Nʼezie, ị ga-atụ egwu m, ma nabatakwa ntụziaka.’ Mgbe ahụ, agaghị ebibi ebe mgbaba ya, ma ọ bụkwanụ ntaramahụhụ m niile agaghị abịakwasịkwa ya. Ma otu ọ dị, ọ nụrụ ha ọkụ nʼobi ịga nʼihu mee omume rụrụ arụ nʼihe niile bụ nke ha mere.
[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 Nʼihi nke a, cherenụ m,” otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri, “nʼụbọchị ahụ m ga-ebili ịgba akaebe. Mkpebi m bụ ịchịkọta mba niile dị iche iche, na ịkpọkọta alaeze niile, ịwụkwasị ha oke iwe m, ọ bụladị ọnụma niile nke iwe m. Ọkụ, nke iwe si nʼekworo m, ka a ga-eji rechapụ ụwa niile.
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 “Mgbe ahụ, aga m anụcha egbugbere ọnụ ndị niile dị iche iche mee ka ọ bụrụ ihe dị ọcha, ka ha niile nwee ike ịkpọku aha Onyenwe anyị, ma jikọta aka fekwaa ya ofufe.
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 Site nʼofe osimiri niile nke Kush, bụ ndị m a chụsasịrị achụsasị, ndị na-akpọ isiala nye m, ga-ewetara m onyinye dị iche iche.
[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 Nʼụbọchị ahụ, gị bụ Jerusalem, agaghị eme ka ihere mee gị, nʼihi omume njehie niile i jere megide m, nʼihi na aga m esite nʼetiti gị wezuga ndị gị niile na-aṅụrị ọṅụ na mpako ha. A gaghị ahụkwa ndị na-afụli onwe ha elu nʼugwu nsọ m.
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 Ma aga m eme ka ndị dị nwayọọ nʼobi, na ndị dị umeala nʼobi fọdụ nʼetiti ndị Izrel, ha ga-agbabakwa nʼaha Onyenwe anyị.
Those who are still alive in Israel will be poor and humble; they will be people who trust in me [MTY].
13 Ha agaghị emekwa ihe ọjọọ, ha agaghị ekwu okwu ụgha. Ire na-ekwu okwu aghụghọ agaghị adịkwa nʼọnụ ha. Ha ga-akpa nri ma dinakwa ala, ọ dịkwaghị onye ga-eme ka ha tụọ egwu.”
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 Bụọ abụ, gị nwaada Zayọn; tie mkpu, gị Izrel. Ṅụrịa ọṅụ, e, jiri obi gị niile ṅụrịa ọṅụ, gị nwaada Jerusalem.
You people who live in Jerusalem [DOU] and [other places in] Israel, sing and shout loudly! Be glad, and rejoice [DOU] greatly,
15 Nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị ewezugala ahụhụ dịrị gị, chụghachikwa ndị iro gị azụ. Onyenwe anyị, onye bụ Eze Izrel, nọ nʼetiti gị. Ị gaghị atụkwa egwu ihe ọjọọ ọzọ.
[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 Nʼụbọchị ahụ, ihe a ga-agwa Jerusalem ga-abụ, “Atụla egwu, gị Zayọn, ekwela ka aka gị daa mba.
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 Onyenwe anyị bụ Chineke gị nọ nʼetiti gị, ọ bụ Dike nʼagha nke na-enye mmeri. Ọ ga-eji ọṅụ nwee mmasị na ahụ gị; nʼihi ịhụnanya ya, ọ gaghị abakwara gị mba, kama ọ ga-eji oke iti mkpu abụ ṅụrịa ọṅụ nʼebe ị nọ.”
[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 “Nʼụbọchị mmemme a kara aka, aga m ewepụrụ gị ọdachi iru ụjụ, nke bụ ibu arụ na ihe ịta ụta dịrị gị.
[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 Nʼoge ahụ, aga m emesi ndị ahụ niile na-emegbu gị ike. Aga m azọpụta ndị ụkwụ rụrụ, chịkọtakwa ndị niile e mere ka ha gaa biri nʼala ndị ọzọ. Aga m agbanwe ihere ha ka ọ bụrụ ihe otuto nʼihe na-ewu ewu nʼụwa ebe ha natara ihere.
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 Nʼoge ahụ, aga m akpọlata unu nʼụlọ; mgbe m ga-akpọkọta unu ọnụ. Aga m eme ka unu na-ewu ewu ka unu nwekwaa otuto nʼetiti mmadụ niile bi nʼụwa, mgbe m ga-eweghachi ihe ọma unu nʼihu anya unu.” Ka Onyenwe anyị kwuru.
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.”
