Zephaniah 3
1 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].
| הוי מראה ונגאלה--העיר היונה |
2 [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.
| לא שמעה בקול לא לקחה מוסר ביהוה לא בטחה אל אלהיה לא קרבה |
3 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].
| שריה בקרבה אריות שאגים שפטיה זאבי ערב לא גרמו לבקר |
4 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].
| נביאיה פחזים אנשי בגדות כהניה חללו קדש חמסו תורה |
5 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].
| יהוה צדיק בקרבה לא יעשה עולה בבקר בבקר משפטו יתן לאור לא נעדר ולא יודע עול בשת |
6 [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].
| הכרתי גוים נשמו פנותם--החרבתי חוצותם מבלי עובר נצדו עריהם מבלי איש מאין יושב |
7 [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.
| אמרתי אך תיראי אותי תקחי מוסר ולא יכרת מעונה כל אשר פקדתי עליה אכן השכימו השחיתו כל עלילותם |
8 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.
| לכן חכו לי נאם יהוה ליום קומי לעד כי משפטי לאסף גוים לקבצי ממלכות לשפך עליהם זעמי כל חרון אפי--כי באש קנאתי תאכל כל הארץ |
9 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].
| כי אז אהפך אל עמים שפה ברורה לקרא כלם בשם יהוה לעבדו שכם אחד |
10 [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.
| מעבר לנהרי כוש--עתרי בת פוצי יובלון מנחתי |
11 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.
| ביום ההוא לא תבושי מכל עלילתיך אשר פשעת בי כי אז אסיר מקרבך עליזי גאותך ולא תוספי לגבהה עוד בהר קדשי |
12 Those who are still alive in Israel will be poor and humble; they will be people who trust in me [MTY].
| והשארתי בקרבך עם עני ודל וחסו בשם יהוה |
13 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.”
| שארית ישראל לא יעשו עולה ולא ידברו כזב ולא ימצא בפיהם לשון תרמית כי המה ירעו ורבצו ואין מחריד |
14 You people who live in Jerusalem [DOU] and [other places in] Israel, sing and shout loudly! Be glad, and rejoice [DOU] greatly,
| רני בת ציון--הריעו ישראל שמחי ועלזי בכל לב בת ירושלם |
15 [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.
| הסיר יהוה משפטיך פנה איבך מלך ישראל יהוה בקרבך לא תיראי רע עוד |
16 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,
| ביום ההוא יאמר לירושלם אל תיראי ציון אל ירפו ידיך |
17 [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.”
| יהוה אלהיך בקרבך גבור יושיע ישיש עליך בשמחה יחריש באהבתו--יגיל עליך ברנה |
18 [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.
| נוגי ממועד אספתי ממך היו--משאת עליה חרפה |
19 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.
| הנני עשה את כל מעניך בעת ההיא והושעתי את הצלעה והנדחה אקבץ ושמתים לתהלה ולשם בכל הארץ בשתם |
20 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.”
| בעת ההיא אביא אתכם ובעת קבצי אתכם כי אתן אתכם לשם ולתהלה בכל עמי הארץ בשובי את שבותיכם לעיניכם אמר יהוה |
