Zephaniah 3
1 Sorrow to her who is uncontrolled and unclean, the cruel town!
Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing city!
2 She gave no attention to the voice, she had no use for teaching, she put no faith in the Lord, she did not come near to her God.
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 are like loud-voiced lions in her; her judges are wolves of the evening, crushing up the bones before 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 good-for-nothing persons, full of deceit: her priests have made the holy place unclean and have gone violently against 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 in her is upright; he will not do evil; every morning he lets his righteousness be seen, he is unchanging; but the evil-doer has no sense of 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 had the nations cut off, their towers are broken down; I have made their streets a waste so that no one goes through them: destruction has overtaken their towns, so that there is no man living in them.
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, Certainly you will go in fear of me, and come under my training, so that whatever I may send on her may not be cut off before her eyes: but they got up early and made all their works evil.
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 For this reason, go on waiting for me, says the Lord, till the day when I come up as a witness: for my purpose is to send for the nations and to get the kingdoms together, so that I may let loose on them my passion, even all my burning wrath: for all the earth will be burned up in the fire of my bitter passion.
“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 give the people a clean language, so that they may all make prayer to the Lord and be his servants with one mind.
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 over the rivers of Ethiopia, and from the sides of the north, they will come to me with an offering.
From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshippers, even the daughter of my dispersed people, will bring my offering.
11 In that day you will have no shame on account of all the things in which you did evil against me: for then I will take away from among you those who were lifted up in pride, and you will no longer be lifted up with pride in 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 amongst you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no more be arrogant in my holy mountain.
12 But I will still have among you a quiet and poor people, and they will put their faith in the name of the Lord.
But I will leave amongst you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in the LORD’s name.
13 The rest of Israel will do no evil and say no false words; the tongue of deceit will not be seen in their mouth: for they will take their food and their rest, and no one will be a cause of fear to them.
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 Make melody, O daughter of Zion; give a loud cry, O Israel; be glad and let your heart be full of joy, O daughter of Jerusalem.
Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.
15 The Lord has taken away those who were judging you, he has sent your haters far away: the King of Israel, even the Lord, is among you: you will have no more fear of evil.
The LORD has taken away your judgements. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Israel, the LORD, is amongst you. You will not be afraid of evil any more.
16 In that day it will be said to Jerusalem, Have no fear: O Zion, let not your hands be feeble.
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 among you, as a strong saviour: he will be glad over you with joy, he will make his love new again, he will make a song of joy over you as in the time of a holy feast.
The LORD, your God, is amongst 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 I will take away your troubles, lifting up your shame from off you.
I will remove those who grieve about the appointed feasts from you. They are a burden and a reproach to you.
19 See, at that time I will put an end to all who have been troubling you: I will give salvation to her whose steps are uncertain, and get together her who has been sent in flight; and I will make them a cause of praise and an honoured name in all the earth, when I let their fate be changed.
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 honour, whose shame has been in all the earth.
20 At that time I will make you come in, at that time I will get you together: for I will make you a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth when I let your fate be changed before your eyes, says the Lord.
At that time I will bring you in, and at that time I will gather you; for I will give you honour and praise amongst all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the LORD.
