Zefania 1
1 Shoko raJehovha rakasvika kuna Zefania, mwanakomana waKushi, mwanakomana waGedharia, mwanakomana waAmaria, mwanakomana waHezekia, pamazuva okutonga kwaJosia mwanakomana waAmoni mambo weJudha richiti:
[I am] Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the grandson of Gedaliah, and the great-grandson of Amariah, whose father was [King] Hezekiah. Yahweh gave this message to me during the time when [King] Amon’s son Josiah was the King of Judah.
2 “Ndichatsvaira zvose kubva pamusoro penyika,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
Yahweh says, “I will (sweep away/destroy) everything [HYP] that is on the earth.
3 “Ndichatsvaira zvose vanhu nemhuka; ndichatsvaira shiri dzedenga nehove dzegungwa. Vakaipa vachasara nemirwi yamarara chete, kana ndabvisa munhu pamusoro penyika,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
I will sweep away people and animals. I will sweep away birds and fish. I will get rid of wicked people; there will be no more [wicked] [HYP] people on the earth.”
4 Ndichatambanudza ruoko rwangu kuti ndirwise Judha uye ndicharwisa vose vanogara muJerusarema. Ndichaparadza kubva panzvimbo ino vose vakasara vaBhaari, mazita avaprista vechihedheni vanonamata zvifananidzo,
“[These are some of the things that I will do]: I will punish the people who live in Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah. I will destroy everything that has been used in the worship of Baal. I will cause [people] to no longer remember the names of the pagan priests or the [other] priests [who have turned away from me].
5 vaya vanopfugama pamusoro pedzimba kuti vanamate nyeredzi dzedenga, vaya vanopfugama vachipika naJehovha uye vanopikawo naMoreki,
[I will get rid of] those who go up on the roofs [of their houses] and worship the sun and moon and stars, those who claim that they worship me but [also] worship [their god] Molech.
6 vaya vanotsauka kubva pakutevera Jehovha uye vasingatsvaki Jehovha kana kubvunza kwaari.
I will get rid of all those who previously worshiped me but no longer do, those who no [longer] seek my [help or ask me to tell them what they should do.”]
7 Nyararai pamberi paIshe Jehovha, nokuti zuva raJehovha rava pedyo. Jehovha agadzirira chibayiro; akavaita vatsvene, vaya vaakakoka.
Be silent in front of Yahweh the Lord, because it will soon be the time/day when Yahweh [will judge and punish people]. Yahweh has prepared to get rid of [the people of Judah]; they will be like [MET] animals that are slaughtered for sacrifices, and he has chosen [their enemies] to be the ones who will get rid of them.
8 Pazuva rechibayiro chaJehovha, ndicharova machinda navanakomana vamambo, navaya vose vakapfeka nguo dzavatorwa.
Yahweh says, “On that day when I will get rid of [the people of Judah], [I will punish] their officials and the king’s sons, and [I will punish] all those who worship foreign gods [MTY].
9 Pazuva iro ndicharanga vose vanonyenyeredza kuti vasatsika paburiro, vanozadza temberi yavamwari vavo nechisimba nounyengeri.
I will punish those who [show that they revere their god Dagan] by avoiding stepping on the threshold [of his temple], and those who do violent things and tell lies in the temples of their gods.”
10 “Pazuva iro,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha, “kuchema kuchanzwikwa kubva kuSuo reHove, kuungudza kubva kuRutivi Rutsva rweguta, nokukoromoka kukuru kubva kuzvikomo.
Yahweh [also] says, “On that day, people will cry [out] at the Fish Gate [of Jerusalem]. People will wail in the newer part of the city, and [people will hear] a loud crash [of buildings collapsing] in the hills.
11 Ungudzai imi munogara munharaunda yomusika, vashambadzi venyu vose vachaparadzwa, vose vanotengesa nesirivha vachaparadzwa.
[So, all you] people who live in the market area [of Jerusalem] should wail, because all those who sell goods and weigh out silver will be slaughtered.
12 Panguva iyoyo ndichanzvera Jerusarema nomwenje; uye ndicharanga vaya vagere zvavo, vakaita sewaini yakasiyiwa mumasese ayo, vanofunga kuti, ‘Jehovha hapana zvaangaita, zvakanaka kana zvakaipa.’
[It will be as though] I will light lanterns to search in [dark places in] Jerusalem for those who have become very satisfied with their behavior and complacent [about their sins]. They think that [I], Yahweh, will do nothing to them, neither good things nor bad things.
13 Upfumi hwavo huchapambwa, dzimba dzavo dzichaputswa, vachavaka dzimba, asi havangagari madziri; vachasima minda yemizambiringa, asi havanganwi waini yacho.
[But I say that] their valuable possessions will be plundered/stolen [by their enemies], and their houses will be destroyed. They will build [new] homes, but they will not live in them; they will plant vineyards, but they will never drink [any] wine [made from grapes that grow there].”
14 “Zuva guru raJehovha rava pedyo, pedyo, uye riri kuuya nokukurumidza. Teererai! Kuchema pazuva raJehovha kucharwadza, kuchema kwemhere ipapo.
It will soon be the day/time when Yahweh [will punish people]. It will be here quickly. It will be a time [when people cry] bitterly, a time when [even] brave soldiers will cry loudly.
15 Zuva iro richava rokutsamwa, zuva rokudzungaira nokumanikidzwa, zuva rokutambudzika nokuparadzwa, zuva rerima nokusuwa, zuva ramakore nezarima.
It will be a time when [God shows that he is] very angry, a time when [people experience much] distress/suffering and trouble. [It will be] a time [when many things are] ruined and destroyed [DOU]. It will be a time when it is very gloomy and dark [DOU], when the clouds are very black.
16 Zuva rehwamanda nemhere yehondo yokurwisa maguta akakomberedzwa namasvingo, nokurwisa shongwe dzomumakona.
It will be a time when [soldiers] will blow trumpets [to call other soldiers] to battle. [Your enemies] will tear down the walls around your cities and the high towers [at the corners of those walls].
17 Ndichauyisa kudzungaira pavanhu uye vachafamba samapofu, nokuti vakatadzira Jehovha. Ropa ravo richadururwa seguruva, uye nyama yavo sendove.
Because you sinned against Yahweh, he will cause you to experience great distress; you will walk [around groping] like [SIM] blind people do. Your blood will flow [from your bodies] like [SIM] water, and your corpses will lie on the ground and rot [SIM].
18 Sirivha yavo kana goridhe ravo hazvingagoni kuvaponesa, pazuva rokutsamwa kwaJehovha. Mumoto wegodo rake nyika yose ichaparadzwa, nokuti achauyisa magumo pakarepo kuna vose vanogara panyika.”
At the time that [Yahweh shows that he] is very angry [with you], you will not be able to save yourselves by [giving] silver or gold [to your enemies]. Because Yahweh (is very jealous/does not want people to worship any other god), he will send a fire to burn up the entire world, and he will suddenly get rid of all the [wicked] people who live on the earth.
