Zephaniah 3
1Woe to the provocatrix and the redeemed city, the dove.
2She has not heeded the voice, nor has she accepted discipline. She has not trusted in the Lord; she did not draw near to her God.
3Her leaders are in her midst like roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves; they leave nothing for the morning.
4Her prophets are crazed; men without faith. Her priests have polluted what is holy; they have acted unjustly against the law.
5The just Lord is in their midst; he will not do iniquity. In the morning, in the morning, he will bring his judgment into the light, and it will not be hidden. But the impious one has not known shame.
6I have dispersed the nations, and their towers have been torn down. I have made their ways deserts, until there were none who passed through. Their cities have become desolate, with no man remaining, nor any inhabitant.
7I said: Nevertheless, you will fear me; you will accept discipline. And her dwelling place will not perish, despite all the things about which I have visited her. Yet truly, they arose with the dawn and corrupted all their thoughts.
8Because of this, expect me, says the Lord, in the day of my resurrection in the future, for my judgment is to gather together the Gentiles, and to collect the kingdoms, and to pour out over them my indignation, all the fury of my anger. For by the fire of my zeal, all the earth will be devoured.
9For then I will restore to the people a chosen lip, so that all may invoke the name of the Lord and may serve him with one shoulder.
10From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, my supplicants, the sons of my diaspora, will carry a gift to me.
11In that day, you will not be ashamed over all of your inventions, by which you have transgressed against me. For then I will take away from your midst your arrogant boasters, and you will no longer be exalted on my holy mountain.
12And I will bequeath into your midst a poor and needy people, and they will hope in the name of the Lord.
13The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity, nor speak lies, and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth. For they will pasture and will recline, and there will be no one to strike them with terror.
14Give praise, daughter of Zion. Shout joyfully, Israel. Rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.
15The Lord has taken away your judgment; he has turned aside your foes. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall no longer fear evil.
16In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Do not be afraid,” and to Zion, “Do not let your hands be weakened.”
17The Lord your God is the strength in your midst; he will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness. In his love, he will be silent. He will exult over you with praise.
18The triflers who withdrew from the law, I will gather together, because they were from you, so that you may no longer suffer disgrace over them.
19Behold, I will execute all who have afflicted you in that time, and I will save those who are lame, and I will gather together her who had been cast out. And I will place them in praise and in renown, in all the land where they had been put to shame,
20in that time, when I will lead to you, and in the time when I will gather for you. For I will deliver you into renown and into praise, among all the peoples of the earth, when I will have converted your captivity before your very eyes, says the Lord.
1Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!
2She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God.
3Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
4Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
5The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.
6I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.
7I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.
8Therefore wait ye upon me, saith 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 upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
9For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.
10From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.
11In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.
12I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.
13The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
14Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
15The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
16In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
17The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
18I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.
19Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
20At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord.