صَفَنْيَا 3

١ 1 وَيْلٌ لِلْمُتَمَرِّدَةِ ٱلْمُنَجَّسَةِ، ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ٱلْجَائِرَةِ!

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].

٢ 2 لَمْ تَسْمَعِ ٱلصَّوْتَ. لَمْ تَقْبَلِ ٱلتَّأْدِيبَ. لَمْ تَتَّكِلْ عَلَى ٱلرَّبِّ. لَمْ تَتَقَرَّبْ إِلَى إِلَهِهَا.

[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.

٣ 3 رُؤَسَاؤُهَا فِي وَسَطِهَا أُسُودٌ زَائِرَةٌ. قُضَاتُهَا ذِئَابُ مَسَاءٍ لَا يُبْقُونَ شَيْئًا إِلَى ٱلصَّبَاحِ.

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].

٤ 4 أَنْبِيَاؤُهَا مُتَفَاخِرُونَ أَهْلُ غُدْرَاتٍ. كَهَنَتُهَا نَجَّسُوا ٱلْقُدْسَ، خَالَفُوا ٱلشَّرِيعَةَ.

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].

٥ 5 اَلرَّبُّ عَادِلٌ فِي وَسَطِهَا لَا يَفْعَلُ ظُلْمًا. غَدَاةً غَدَاةً يُبْرِزُ حُكْمَهُ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ. لَا يَتَعَذَّرُ. أَمَّا ٱلظَّالِمُ فَلَا يَعْرِفُ ٱلْخِزْيَ.

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].

٦ 6 «قَطَعْتُ أُمَمًا، خَرَّبْتُ شُرُفَاتِهِمْ، أَقْفَرْتُ أَسْوَاقَهُمْ بِلَا عَابِرٍ. دُمِّرَتْ مُدُنُهُمْ بِلَا إِنْسَانٍ، بِغَيْرِ سَاكِنٍ.

[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].

٧ 7 فَقُلْتُ: إِنَّكِ لِتَخْشَيْنَنِي، تَقْبَلِينَ ٱلتَّأْدِيبَ. فَلَا يَنْقَطِعُ مَسْكَنُهَا حَسَبَ كُلِّ مَا عَيَّنْتُهُ عَلَيْهَا. لَكِنْ بَكَّرُوا وَأَفْسَدُوا جَمِيعَ أَعْمَالِهِمْ.

[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.

٨ 8 «لِذَلِكَ فَٱنْتَظِرُونِي، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، إِلَى يَوْمِ أَقُومُ إِلَى ٱلسَّلْبِ، لِأَنَّ حُكْمِي هُوَ بِجَمْعِ ٱلْأُمَمِ وَحَشْرِ ٱلْمَمَالِكِ، لِأَصُبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ سَخَطِي، كُلَّ حُمُوِّ غَضَبِي. لِأَنَّهُ بِنَارِ غَيْرَتِي تُؤْكَلُ كُلُّ ٱلْأَرْضِ.

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.

٩ 9 لِأَنِّي حِينَئِذٍ أُحَوِّلُ ٱلشُّعُوبَ إِلَى شَفَةٍ نَقِيَّةٍ، لِيَدْعُوا كُلُّهُمْ بِٱسْمِ ٱلرَّبِّ، لِيَعْبُدُوهُ بِكَتِفٍ وَاحِدَةٍ.

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].

١٠ 10 مِنْ عَبْرِ أَنْهَارِ كُوشٍ ٱلْمُتَضَرِّعُونَ إِلَيَّ، مُتَبَدِّدِيَّ، يُقَدِّمُونَ تَقْدِمَتِي.

[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.

١١ 11 فِي ذَلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمِ لَا تَخْزَيْنَ مِنْ كُلِّ أَعْمَالِكِ ٱلَّتِي تَعَدَّيْتِ بِهَا عَلَيَّ. لِأَنِّي حِينَئِذٍ أَنْزِعُ مِنْ وَسَطِكِ مُبْتَهِجِي كِبْرِيَائِكِ، وَلَنْ تَعُودِي بَعْدُ إِلَى ٱلتَّكَبُّرِ فِي جَبَلِ قُدْسِي.

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.

١٢ 12 وَأُبْقِي فِي وَسَطِكِ شَعْبًا بَائِسًا وَمِسْكِينًا، فَيَتَوَكَّلُونَ عَلَى ٱسْمِ ٱلرَّبِّ.

Those who are still alive in Israel will be poor and humble; they will be people who trust in me [MTY].

١٣ 13 بَقِيَّةُ إِسْرَائِيلَ لَا يَفْعَلُونَ إِثْمًا، وَلَا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ بِٱلْكَذِبِ، وَلَا يُوجَدُ فِي أَفْوَاهِهِمْ لِسَانُ غِشٍّ، لِأَنَّهُمْ يَرْعَوْنَ وَيَرْبُضُونَ وَلَا مُخِيفَ».

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.”

١٤ 14 تَرَنَّمِي يَا ٱبْنَةَ صِهْيَوْنَ! ٱهْتُفْ يَا إِسْرَائِيلُ! ٱفْرَحِي وَٱبْتَهِجِي بِكُلِّ قَلْبِكِ يَا ٱبْنَةَ أُورُشَلِيمَ!

You people who live in Jerusalem [DOU] and [other places in] Israel, sing and shout loudly! Be glad, and rejoice [DOU] greatly,

١٥ 15 قَدْ نَزَعَ ٱلرَّبُّ ٱلْأَقْضِيَةَ عَلَيْكِ، أَزَالَ عَدُوَّكِ. مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ ٱلرَّبُّ فِي وَسَطِكِ. لَا تَنْظُرِينَ بَعْدُ شَرًّا.

[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.

١٦ 16 فِي ذَلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمِ يُقَالُ لِأُورُشَلِيمَ: «لَا تَخَافِي يَا صِهْيَوْنُ. لَا تَرْتَخِ يَدَاكِ.

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,

١٧ 17 ٱلرَّبُّ إِلَهُكِ فِي وَسَطِكِ جَبَّارٌ. يُخَلِّصُ. يَبْتَهِجُ بِكِ فَرَحًا. يَسْكُتُ فِي مَحَبَّتِهِ. يَبْتَهِجُ بِكِ بِتَرَنُّمٍ».

[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.”

١٨ 18 «أَجْمَعُ ٱلْمَحْزُونِينَ عَلَى ٱلْمَوْسِمِ. كَانُوا مِنْكِ. حَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا ٱلْعَارَ.

[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.

١٩ 19 هَأَنَذَا فِي ذَلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمِ أُعَامِلُ كُلَّ مُذَلِّلِيكِ، وَأُخَلِّصُ ٱلظَّالِعَةَ، وَأَجْمَعُ ٱلْمَنْفِيَّةَ، وَأَجْعَلُهُمْ تَسْبِيحَةً وَٱسْمًا فِي كُلِّ أَرْضِ خِزْيِهِمْ،

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.

٢٠ 20 فِي ٱلْوَقْتِ ٱلَّذِي فِيهِ آتِي بِكُمْ وَفِي وَقْتِ جَمْعِي إِيَّاكُمْ. لِأَنِّي أُصَيِّرُكُمُ ٱسْمًا وَتَسْبِيحَةً فِي شُعُوبِ ٱلْأَرْضِ كُلِّهَا، حِينَ أَرُدُّ مَسْبِيِّيكُمْ قُدَّامَ أَعْيُنِكُمْ، قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ».

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.”