Zephaniah 3

1 Woe to the rebellious and unclean city of oppression,

Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing city!

2 She has not obeyed the voice, she has not accepted instruction, In the Lord she has not trusted, to her God she has not drawn near.

She didn’t obey the voice. She didn’t receive correction. She didn’t trust in the LORD. She didn’t draw near to her God.

3 Her rulers in her midst are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves, who leave nothing over until the morning,

Her princes within her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day.

4 Her prophets are braggarts, faithless men. Her priests profane what is holy and do violence to the law.

Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.

5 The Lord is righteous in her midst, he does no wrong, Morning by morning he establishes his decree, Light is not lacking, an oversight is unknown. But the unjust know no shame.

The LORD, within her, is righteous. He will do no wrong. Every morning he brings his justice to light. He doesn’t fail, but the unjust know no shame.

6 ‘I have cut off nations, their turrets are destroyed; I have laid waste their broad streets, so that none passes over them. Desolate are their cities without people, without inhabitants.’

I have cut off nations. Their battlements are desolate. I have made their streets waste, so that no one passes by. Their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant.

7 I said: ‘Surely the city will fear me, she will accept instruction. Nothing will vanish from her eyes that I have impressed upon her; But the more zealously have they made all their deeds corrupt.’

I said, “Just fear me. Receive correction,” so that her dwelling won’t be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her. But they rose early and corrupted all their doings.

8 Wait for me, is the Lord’s message, until the day when I stand up as a witness, for it is my fixed purpose to gather the nations, to collect the kingdoms, to pour upon them my wrath and my hot anger; for by the fire of my fury will all the earth be consumed.

“Therefore wait for me”, says the LORD, “until the day that I rise up to the prey, for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms to pour on them my indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth will be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

9 For then I will purify the lips of all peoples, so that they will all call on the Lord’s name, to serve him with one accord.

For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on the LORD’s name, to serve him shoulder to shoulder.

10 From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers will bring me offerings.

From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshipers, even the daughter of my dispersed people, will bring my offering.

11 On that day you will no longer be ashamed of all your deeds by which you rebelled against me. For I will rid you of your proudly arrogant ones, and you will never again be haughty on my holy mountain.

In that day you will not be disappointed for all your doings in which you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away out from among you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no more be arrogant in my holy mountain.

12 But I will leave in your midst a people humble and poor, and the remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the Lord.

But I will leave among you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in the LORD’s name.

13 They will not do evil, nor speak falsehood, and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth; but they will pasture and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.

The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity nor speak lies, neither will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, for they will feed and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.”

14 Cry out with joy, daughter of Zion, shout aloud, Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.

Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.

15 The Lord has put away your adversaries, he has turned away your foes; the Lord is king in your midst, you will fear evil no more.

The LORD has taken away your judgments. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Israel, the LORD, is among you. You will not be afraid of evil any more.

16 In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: Fear not! Zion, let not your hands grow weak!

In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Zion. Don’t let your hands be weak.”

17 The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious hero. He will rejoice over you with joy, he will renew his love, he will exult over you with singing,

The LORD, your God, is among you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.

18 as on a day of festival. I will take away from you your disgrace, and put away from you your reproach.

I will remove those who grieve about the appointed feasts from you. They are a burden and a reproach to you.

19 I will destroy at that time all who afflict you. I will deliver the lame, and gather the outcast, I will make them an object of renown and fame in all the earth.

Behold, at that time I will deal with all those who afflict you; and I will save those who are lame and gather those who were driven away. I will give them praise and honor, whose shame has been in all the earth.

20 I will do good to you, at the time when I gather you. For I will make you an object of fame and renown among all the peoples of the earth; when I bring back your captivity before your eyes. This says the Lord.

At that time I will bring you in, and at that time I will gather you; for I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the LORD.