Zephaniah 2

1 Gather your selues, euen gather you, O nation not worthie to be loued,

Rally yourselves together and gather, unashamed nation—

2 Before the decree come foorth, and ye be as chaffe that passeth in a day, and before the fierce wrath of the Lord come vpon you, and before the day of the Lords anger come vpon you.

before the decree takes effect and that day passes like the chaff, before the fierce anger of Yahweh's wrath comes upon you, before the day of the wrath of Yahweh comes upon you.

3 Seeke yee the Lord all the meeke of the earth, which haue wrought his iudgement: seeke righteousnesse, seeke lowlinesse, if so bee that ye may be hid in the day of the Lords wrath.

Seek Yahweh, all you humble people on earth who obey his decrees! Seek righteousness. Seek humility, and perhaps you will be protected in the day of Yahweh's wrath.

4 For Azzah shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon desolate: they shall driue out Ashdod at the noone day, and Ekron shalbe rooted vp.

For Gaza will be abandoned, and Ashkelon will turn into a devastation. They will drive out Ashdod at noon, and they will uproot Ekron!

5 Wo vnto the inhabitants of the sea coast. the nation of the Cherethims, the worde of the Lord is against you: O Canaan, the lande of the Philistims, I will euen destroye thee without an inhabitant.

Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, the nation of the Kerethites! Yahweh has spoken against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines. I will destroy you until no inhabitant remains.

6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cotages for shepheardes and sheepefoldes.

So the seacoast will become pastures for shepherds and for sheep pens.

7 And that coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Iudah, to feede thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lodge toward night: for the Lord their God shall visite them, and turne away their captiuitie.

The coastal region will belong to the remnant of the house of Judah, who will shepherd their flocks there. Their people will lie down in the evening in the houses of Ashkelon, for Yahweh their God will care for them and restore their fortunes.

8 I haue heard the reproch of Moab, and the rebukes of the children of Ammon, whereby they vpbraided my people, and magnified themselues against their borders.

“I have heard the taunts of Moab and the reviling of the people of Ammon when they taunted my people and violated their borders.

9 Therefore, as I liue, saith the Lord of hostes, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall bee as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorah, euen the breeding of nettels and salt pittes, and a perpetuall desolation: the residue of my folke shall spoyle them, and the remnant of my people shall possesse them.

Therefore, as I live—this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel— Moab will become like Sodom, and the people of Ammon like Gomorrah; a place of nettles and a salt pit, deserted forever. But the remnant of my people will plunder them, and the remainder of my nation will take possession of them.”

10 This shall they haue for their pride, because they haue reproched and magnified themselues against the Lord of hostes people.

This will happen to Moab and Ammon because of their pride, since they taunted and mocked the people of Yahweh of hosts.

11 The Lord will be terrible vnto them: for he wil consume all the gods of the earth, and euery man shall worship him from his place, euen all the yles of the heathen.

Then they will fear Yahweh, for he will taunt all the gods of the earth. Everyone will worship him, everyone from his own place, from every seashore.

12 Ye Morians also shalbe slaine by my sword with them.

You Cushites also will be pierced by my sword,

13 And he wil stretch out his hand against the North, and destroy Asshur, and will make Nineueh desolate, and waste like a wildernesse.

and God's hand will attack the north and destroy Assyria, so that Nineveh will become an abandoned devastation, as dry as the desert.

14 And flockes shall lie in the middes of her, and all the beastes of the nations, and the pelicane, and the owle shall abide in the vpper postes of it: the voyce of birdes shall sing in the windowes, and desolations shalbe vpon the postes: for the cedars are vncouered.

Then herds will lie down there, every animal of the nations, both the desert owl and the screech owl will rest in the top of her columns. A call will sing out from the windows; rubble will be in the doorways; her carved cedar beams will be exposed.

15 This is the reioycing citie that dwelt carelesse, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none besides me: how is she made waste, and the lodging of the beastes! euery one that passeth by her, shall hisse and wagge his hand.

This is the exultant city that lived without fear, that said in her heart, “I am, and nothing is my equal.” How she has become a horror, a place for beasts to lie down in. Everyone that passes by her will hiss and shake his fist at her.