< Sefanias 3 >

1 Usæl han, den tråssuge og ureine, valdsbyen!
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 Han høyrer ikkje på røysti åt nokon, tek ikkje tukt. På Herren lit han ikkje, til sin Gud vil han ikkje koma.
[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 Hovdingarne der inne er burande løver, domarane hans er som ulvar um kvelden; dei sparar inkje til morgondagen.
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 Profetarne hans er skrythalsar, trulause menner, prestarne vanhelgar det heilage, gjer vald mot lovi.
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 Herren er rettferdig der inne, gjer ikkje urett. Kvar morgon let han sin dom koma fram i ljoset, det glepp ikkje. Men den urettferdige kjenner ikkje skam.
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 Eg hev øydt ut folkeslag, deira murtindar vart nedbrotne. Eg gjorde gatorne deira aude, so ingen ferdast på deim; byarne deira vart herja, so dei er utan folk, utan ibuar.
[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 Eg sagde: Berre du vil ottast meg, taka tukt, so skal bustaden din ikkje verta øydelagd med alt det som eg hev gjeve deg i varetekt. Like vel var dei uppsette på å lata alle sine gjerningar vera illverk.
[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 Difor, bia på meg, segjer Herren, til den dagen eg ris upp til herfang. For det er min dom at eg samlar folki og stemner saman kongeriki, renner ut harmen min yver deim, all min brennande vreide; for elden av min brennhug skal øyda heile jordi.
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 For då vil eg gjeva folki nye, reine lippor, so dei kann kalla på Herrens namn og samheldigt tena honom.
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 Frå landet burtanfor elvarne i Ætiopia skal dei føra mine tilbedarar, mitt spreidde folk bera fram offer til meg.
[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 På den dagen tarv du ikkje skjemmast ved alle gjerningarne dine, som du synda imot meg med; for då vil eg rydja burt frå deg deim som jublar so stolt i deg, og du skal ikkje meir gjera deg stor på mitt heilage fjell.
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 Men eg vil leiva i deg eit audmjukt og armt folk, og dei skal lita på Herrens namn.
Those who are still alive in Israel will be poor and humble; they will be people who trust in me [MTY].
13 Israels leivning skal ikkje gjera urett, dei skal ikkje tala lygn, og det skal ikkje finnast svikfull tunga i deira munn. Ja, dei skal beita og liggja i ro, utan at nokon skræmer deim.
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 Jubla, dotter Sion! Lyft upp fagnadrop, Israel! Gled deg og frygda deg av alt ditt hjarta, dotter Jerusalem.
You people who live in Jerusalem [DOU] and [other places in] Israel, sing and shout loudly! Be glad, and rejoice [DOU] greatly,
15 Herren hev vend straffedomarne ifrå deg, rudt fienden din or vegen. Herren, Israels konge, er hjå deg. Du tarv ikkje meir ottast noko vondt.
[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 På den dagen skal det segjast til Jerusalem: «Ottast ikkje, Sion, lat ikkje henderne siga!
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 Herren din Gud er hjå deg, ei kjempa som kann frelsa. Han gled seg yver deg med fagnad, han tegjer i sin kjærleik; han jublar i frygd yver deg.»
[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 Eg samlar deim som med sorg hev vore utestengde frå høgtidsstemnorne; dei er frå deg. Vanæra tyngjer på deim.
[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 Sjå, på den tidi vil eg taka på trælkarane dine, og eg vil frelsa dei halte og sanka saman dei burtdrivne og gjera deim til æra og gjetord yver heile jordi, der dei fyrr var vanæra.
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 På den tid let eg dykk koma heim att, på den tid sankar eg dykk, og eg vil gjera dykk til gjetord og æra millom alle folki på jordi, når eg vender lagnaden dykkar for augo på dykk, segjer Herren.
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.”

< Sefanias 3 >