Zephaniah 3

1 Woe to her that is filthie and polluted, to the robbing citie.

Woe to the rebellious and unclean city of oppression,

2 She heard not the voyce: she receiued not correction: she trusted not in the Lord: she drew not neere to her God.

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.

3 Her princes within her are as roaring lyons: her iudges are as wolues in the euening, which leaue not the bones till the morow.

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

4 Her prophets are light, and wicked persons: her priests haue polluted the Sanctuarie: they haue wrested the Lawe.

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

5 The iust Lord is in the middes thereof: he will doe none iniquitie: euery morning doeth hee bring his iudgement to light, he faileth not: but the wicked will not learne to be ashamed.

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.

6 I haue cut off the nations: their towres are desolate: I haue made their streetes waste, that none shall passe by: their cities are destroyed without man and without inhabitant.

“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.”

7 I said, Surely thou wilt feare me: thou wilt receiue instruction: so their dwelling shoulde not be destroyed howsoeuer I visited them, but they rose earely and corrupted all their workes.

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.”

8 Therefore wait ye vpon me, saith the Lord, vntill the day that I rise vp to the praye: for I am determined to gather the nations, and that I will assemble the kingdomes to powre vpon them mine indignation, euen all my fierce wrath: for all the earth shall be deuoured with the fire of my ielousie.

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.

9 Surely then will I turne to the people a pure language, that they may all call vpon the Name of the Lord, to serue him with one cosent.

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.

10 From beyonde the riuers of Ethiopia, the daughter of my dispersed, praying vnto me, shall bring me an offering.

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

11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy workes, wherein thou hast transgressed against mee: for then I will take away out of the middes of thee them that reioyce of thy pride, and thou shalt no more be proude of mine holy Mountaine.

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.

12 Then will I leaue in the middes of thee an humble and poore people: and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord.

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.

13 The remnant of Israel shall do none iniquitie, nor speake lies: neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shalbe fed, and lie downe, and none shall make them afraide.

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.

14 Reioyce, O daughter Zion: be ye ioyfull, O Israel: be glad and reioyce with all thine heart, O daughter Ierusalem.

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

15 The Lord hath taken away thy iudgements: hee hath cast out thine enemie: the King of Israel, euen the Lord is in the middes of thee: thou shalt see no more euill.

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.

16 In that day it shalbe said to Ierusalem, Feare thou not, O Zion: let not thine handes be faint.

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

17 The Lord thy God in the middes of thee is mightie: hee will saue, hee will reioyce ouer thee with ioye: he will quiet himselfe in his loue: he will reioyce ouer thee with ioy.

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,

18 After a certaine time will I gather the afflicted that were of thee, and them that bare the reproch for it.

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

19 Beholde, at that time I will bruise all that afflict thee, and I will saue her that halteth, and gather her that was cast out, and I will get them praise and fame in all the landes of their shame.

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.

20 At that time wil I bring you againe, and then wil I gather you: for I wil giue you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turne backe your captiuitie before your eyes, saith the Lord.

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.