< Zefania 2 >
1 Miangona, eny, mivoria ianareo Ry firenena tsy manan-kenatra,
You people [of Judah] who ought to be ashamed, gather together [DOU].
2 Dieny tsy mbola mihatra ny didy (Mihelina toy ny akofa ny andro!), Dieny tsy mbola tonga aminareo ny fahatezerana mafin’ i Jehovah, Eny, dieny tsy mbola tonga aminareo ny andro firehetan’ ny fahatezeran’ i Jehovah.
Yahweh is extremely angry with you, [so gather together now], before it is time for him to punish [MTY] you and blow you away like [SIM] [the wind blows away] chaff.
3 Mitadiava an’ i Jehovah, ianareo mpandefitra rehetra amin’ ny tany, Izay efa nanaraka ny fitsipiny: Tadiavo ny fahamarinana, Tadiavo ny fandeferana; Angamba ho voafina ianareo amin’ ny andro fahatezeran’ i Jehovah.
All you people in Judah who are humble, worship Yahweh, and obey what he has commanded. Try to do what is right and to be humble. [If you do that], perhaps Yahweh will protect/spare you on the day when he punishes [MTY] people.
4 Fa hafoy Gaza, Ary ho lao Askelona; Horoahiny mitataovovonana Asdoda, Ary hofongorana Ekrona.
[When Yahweh punishes Philistia], Gaza and Ashkelon [cities] will be deserted/abandoned. Ashdod [city] will be attacked and the people expelled at noon [when people are resting]; the [people of Ekron city] will [also] be driven out.
5 Lozan’ ny mponina any amoron-tsiraka, Dia ny firenen’ ny Keretita! Mihatra aminareo ny tenin’ i Jehovah, Ry Kanana, tanin’ ny Filistina! Haringako tsy hisy mponina eo aminao,
And terrible things will happen to you people of Philistia who live near the sea, because Yahweh has decided [MTY] that he will punish [MTY] you, [also]. He will get rid of all of you; not one person will (survive/remain alive).
6 Ary ny any amoron-tsiraka dia ho tonga tany fiandrasana ondry, izay misy zohy fialofan’ ny mpiandry ondry, Sy ho valan’ ondry aman’ osy,
The land [of Philistia] near the sea will become a pasture, a place for shepherds and their sheep pens.
7 Ary ho tanin’ ny sisa amin’ ny taranak’ i Joda izany, Ka any no hiandrasany ondry; Ny tranon’ i Askelona no handriany amin’ ny hariva; Fa Jehovah Andriamaniny no hamangy azy Ka hampody azy avy amin’ ny fahababoany.
The people of Judah who (survive/are still alive) will possess that land. At night they will sleep in the [deserted] houses in Ashkelon. Yahweh will take care of them; he will enable them to prosper again.
8 Efa reko ny fandatsan’ i Moaba Sy ny fanaratsian’ ny taranak’ i Amona, Izay nandatsany ny oloko Sy nireharehany teny amin’ ny sisin-taniny.
The Commander of the armies of angels, the God to whom [we] Israeli people [belong], says [this]: “I have heard the people of Moab and Ammon when they insulted [DOU] my people, and when they said that they would conquer my people’s country.
9 Koa raha velona koa Aho, hoy Jehovah, Tompon’ ny maro, Andriamanitry ny Isiraely, Dia ho tahaka an’ i Sodoma tokoa Moaba, Ary ny taranak’ i Amona ho tahaka an’ i Gomora, Dia ho alan’ amiana sy lava-tsira ary tany lao mandrakizay; Ny sisa amin’ ny oloko no hamabo azy, ary ny sisa amin’ ny oloko no hahalasa azy.
So now, [as surely] as I live, [I will destroy] Moab and Ammon like [SIM] [I destroyed] Gomorrah [city]. Their land will be a place were there are nettles and salt pits; it will be ruined forever. My Israeli people who survive will take away all their valuable possessions and [also] occupy their land.”
10 Izany no ho valin’ ny avonavony, Satria nandatsa ny olon’ i Jehovah, Tompon’ ny maro, sy nirehareha taminy izy.
The people of Moab and Ammon will get what they deserve for being proud, because they made fun of the people who belong to the Commander of the armies of angels.
11 Hahatsiravina azy Jehovah, Satria hahamosarena ireo andriamanitra rehetra ambonin’ ny tany Izy, Mba hiankohofan’ ny any amoron-tsiraky ny jentilisa rehetra eo anatrehan’ i Jehovah, Samy any amin’ ny fitoerany avy.
Yahweh will cause them to be terrified [when] he destroys all the gods of their countries. Then [even the people who live on] islands throughout the world will worship Yahweh, each in their own countries.
12 Hianareo Etiopiana koa, Ho voatrabaky ny sabatro ianareo.
[Yahweh says that] he will also slaughter the people of Ethiopia.
13 Ary haninjitra ny tànany hamely ny avaratra Izy Ka handringana an’ i Asyria; Ary hahalao an’ i Ninive ho karankaina tahaka ny efitra Izy.
Yahweh will punish [IDM] and destroy Assyria, [that land] northeast of us. He will cause [its capital] Nineveh to become ruined and deserted, a place that will be as dry as the desert.
14 Ary hisy andiany handry ao aminy, Dia fivorian’ ny karazam-biby samy hafa, Ny sama sy ny sokina hitoetra ao amin’ ny kapitaliny; Feo mikiririoka no ho re ao am-baravarankely, Ary fandravana no ho eo an-tokonana, Fa hendahany ny rafitra sedera.
[Flocks of sheep and] herds [of cattle] and many kinds of wild animals will lie down there. Owls and crows will sit on the columns/pillars [of the destroyed buildings], and they will (hoot/cry out) through the windows. There will be rubble in the doorways, and the [valuable] cedar boards will be taken [from the ruined houses].
15 Izany no tanàna niravoravo sady nandry fahizay, Izay nanao anakampo hoe: Izaho no izy, ary tsy misy hafa; Endrey! efa tonga lao izy, eny, fandrian’ ny biby! Izay rehetra mandalo azy dia hisitrisitra sy hanondro tanana.
[The people of] Nineveh were [previously] happy and proud, thinking that they were very safe. They were [always] saying, “Our city is the greatest city; there is no city as great as ours!” But now it will become a ruins, a place where wild animals make their dens. And everyone who passes by there will hiss [and scorn/ridicule that city], and shake their fists [to show that they detest that city very much].