< Zefania 3 >

1 Hankàñe amy maleotse naho tìvay, i rova mamorekekey.
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 Tsy hinao’e i fiarañanañañey, tsy rinambe’e i lafay, tsy niatoa’e t’Iehovà; tsy niharinea’e t’i Andrianañahare.
[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 Liona mitroñe o roandria ama’eo amboa-hako o mpizaka’eo; ndra loli’e tsy apo’ iareo am-para’ te maray.
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 Ondaty jagarigary naho mpikitroke o mpitoki’eo, fa tiniva’ o mpisoro’eo i miavakey, naho nivalike amy Hàke.
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 Vantañe añivo’e ao t’Iehovà, ie tsy mandilatse; aboa’e an-kazavàñe boa-maraiñe tsy milesa ty hatò’e; fe tsy mete salatse ty mengoke.
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 Toe naitoako o fifeheañeo, bangiñe o rova’eo; nampikoaheko o lala’eo am-para’ te tsy amam-pañavelo ty ey; rotsake o rova’eo, po-sehanga’e, leo raike tsy mimoneñe ao.
[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 Nanao ty hoe iraho: Va’e hañeveñe amako irehe? handrambesa’o lafa, soa tsy haitoañe o akiba’oo; amy ze he’e nametsahako ama’ey! fe nalisa iereo, naniva ze fonga sata’iareo.
[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 Aa le liñiso iraho, hoe t’Iehovà, ampara’ i andro hanjehazehako anahareoy, fa hoe ty safiriko: hatontoko o kilakila’ ndatio, havoriko o fifeheañeo hampidoañako ty habosehako miforoforo; ho fonga forototoe’ ty afom-pamarahiako ty tane toy.
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 Eka hampikotritriaheko am’ondatio ty soñi’ iareo, soa te hene hikanjy ty tahina’ Iehovà, hitoroñe Aze am-pitraofañ’ina.
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 Boak’ alafe’ o saka’ i Kosìo añe ty hanesea’ iareo o mpipay Ahikoo; o anak’ ampela’ i nampiparaitahekoio ro ho banabanaeñe amako.
[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 Amy andro zay, tsy hanalatse azo o fitoloña’oo, o niolà’o amakoo, fa hasintako añivo’o ao o mpitreñe am-pirengevohañeo, ie tsy hibohaboha ka amy vohiko miavakey.
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 Le hapoko añivo’o ao t’indaty misotry naho rarake, hitsoloke amy tahina’ Iehovày.
Those who are still alive in Israel will be poor and humble; they will be people who trust in me [MTY].
13 Tsy handilatse tsy handañitse ty sengaha’ Israele; le tsy ho oniñe am-palie’e ao ty famelem-pamañahiañe: fa hikama iereo vaho handre, le tsy ho amam-pañembañe.
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 Misaboa, ry anak’ ampela’ i Tsione: mipazaha ry Israele; mifalea naho mirebeha an-kaampon-troke ry anak’ ampela’ Ierosalaime.
You people who live in Jerusalem [DOU] and [other places in] Israel, sing and shout loudly! Be glad, and rejoice [DOU] greatly,
15 Fa nafaha’ Iehovà o nañozoñañ‘azoo; fa sinoi’e añe o rafelahi’oo; Iehovà ro mpanjaka’ Israele añivo’o ao; tsy hahaonin-karatiañe ka irehe.
[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 Amy sa zay, ho tseizeñe am’ Ierosalaime ty hoe: Ko hembañe; naho amy Tsione: Ko mampigebam-pitàñe.
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 Añivo’o ao t’Iehovà Andrianañahare’o, ie Fanalolahy maharombake hirebek’ ama’o an-kafaleañe, hianjiñe aman-koko; handia taroba aman-tsabo.
[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 Hatontoko o mihontoke o sabadidam-pamantañañeoo, o mpiama’o mivave i injeio.
[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 Inao, ie tsatoke i andro zay songa ho toloñeko o manindry azoo, le ho rombaheko i mikoletray, naho hatontoko i niroaheñey, vaho hafoteko ho engeñe naho tahinañe an-tane atoy ty fisalara’ iareo.
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 Hampolieko amy andro zay nahareo, amy sa anontonako anahareoy, Toe hanoako tahinañe naho engeñe añivo ze hene ondati’ty tane toy, naho ampoliko añatrefam-pihaino’ areo, ty fandrohizañe anahareo, hoe t’Iehovà.
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.”

< Zefania 3 >