Zephaniah 2

1 Be ashamed within yourselves, be ashamed,

Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that has no shame;

2 before you become as the drifting chaff, before the anger of the Lord comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s wrath comes upon you.

before the decree bring forth, before the day passes as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah comes upon you, before the day of Jehovah's anger comes upon you.

3 Seek the Lord all you meek of the earth, you who obey his law; Seek righteousness, seek meekness; perhaps you may be hidden in the day of the Lord’s wrath.

Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth who have kept his ordinances. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. It may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger.

4 For Gaza will be forsaken; Ashkelon a desolation; Ashdod – by noon will they rout her and Ekron be torn up!

For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They shall drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up.

5 Woe to those who live by the sea coast, people of the Cherethites! The word of the Lord is against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines! I will destroy you so that you will be without inhabitants,

Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of Jehovah is against you, O Canaan, the land of the Philistines. I will destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.

6 and you will become shepherds’ cots and folds for flocks.

And the seacoast shall be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks.

7 The sea coast will belong to the survivors of the house of Judah. They will pasture their flocks there. In the house of Ashkelon they will lie down at evening. The Lord their God will be with them and restore their fortunes.

And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah. They shall feed their flocks upon it. In the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down in the evening. For Jehovah their God will visit them, and bring back their captivity.

8 I have heard the taunts of Moab, and the revilings of the Ammonites, how they have taunted my people, and spoken boastfully concerning their border.

I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the sons of Ammon, with which they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.

9 Therefore as I live, says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Moab will be like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a pile of nettles and saltpits, and a desolation, forever. The residue of my people will plunder them, and the survivors of my nation will inherit them.

Therefore as I live, says Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the sons of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The residue of my people shall make a prey of them, and the remnant of my nation shall inherit them.

10 This will they have for their pride, because they have taunted and spoken boastfully against the people of the Lord of hosts.

They shall have this for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Jehovah of hosts.

11 The Lord will terrify them; he will reduce all the gods of the earth; then all the peoples of the nations will worship him, each in their own land.

Jehovah will be terrible to them, for he will famish all the gods of the earth. And men shall worship him, everyone from his place, even all the isles of the nations.

12 You, also, Ethiopians, slain by his sword are you!

Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.

13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria; And he will make Nineveh a desolation, dry as the wilderness.

And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like the wilderness.

14 Herds will lie down in it, every beast of the earth, Desert owl and screech owl will lodge in its capitals. The owl will hoot in the window, the raven on the doorstep, all stripped bare of cedar.

And herds shall lie down in the midst of her. All the beasts of the nations, both the pelican and the porcupine shall lodge in the capitals of it. Their voice shall sing in the windows. Desolation shall be in the thresholds. For he has laid bare the cedar work.

15 This is the exultant city which sat secure. The city who said to herself, I am and there is none else! How has she become a desolation! A lair of beasts! Every passerby hisses at her, shakes their hand.

This is the joyous city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none besides me. How she has become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! Everyone who passes by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.