Zephaniah 3

1 Woe to the rebelling and defiling, || The oppressing city! 2 She has not listened to the voice, || She has not accepted instruction, || In YHWH she has not trusted, || She has not drawn near to her God. 3 Her heads in her midst are roaring lions, || Her judges are wolves as in evening, || They have not gnawn the bone in the morning. 4 Her prophets unstable—men of treachery, || Her priests have defiled the sanctuary, || They have violated the Law. 5 YHWH is righteous in her midst, || He does not do perverseness, || Morning by morning His judgment He gives to the light, || It has not been lacking, || And the perverse do not know shame. 6 “I have cut off nations, || Desolated have been their chief ones, || I have laid waste their out-places without any passing by, || Destroyed have been their cities, || Without man, without inhabitant. 7 I have said: Only, you fear Me, || You accept instruction, || And her habitation is not cut off, || All that I have appointed for her, || But they have risen early, || They have corrupted all their doings. 8 Therefore, wait for Me,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “For the day of My rising for prey, || For My judgment is to gather nations, || To assemble kingdoms, || To pour out on them My indignation, || All the heat of My anger, || For by the fire of My jealousy all the earth is consumed. 9 For then I turn a pure lip to peoples, || To call all of them by the name of YHWH, || To serve Him with one shoulder. 10 From beyond the rivers of Cush, My supplicants, || The daughter of My scattered ones, || Bring My present. 11 In that day you are not ashamed because of any of your actions, || With which you have transgressed against Me, || For then I turn aside from your midst || The exulting ones of your excellence, || And you are to be haughty no longer, || In My holy mountain. 12 And I have left in your midst a people humble and poor, || And they have trusted in the name of YHWH. 13 The remnant of Israel does no perversity, nor speaks lies, || Nor is a deceitful tongue found in their mouth, || For they have delight, and have lain down, || And there is none troubling.” 14 Cry aloud, O daughter of Zion, shout, O Israel, || Rejoice and exult with the whole heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. 15 YHWH has turned aside your judgments, || He has faced your enemy, || The King of Israel, YHWH, is in your midst, || You see evil no more. 16 In that day it is said to Jerusalem, || “Do not fear, O Zion, || Do not let your hands be feeble. 17 Your God YHWH is in your midst, || A mighty one to save, || He rejoices over you with joy, || He works in His love, || He delights over you with singing.” 18 “I have gathered My afflicted from the appointed place, || They have been bearing reproach from you for her sake. 19 Behold, I am dealing with all afflicting you at that time, || And I have saved the halting one, || And I gather the ones driven out, || And have set them for a praise and for a name, || In all the land of their shame. 20 At that time I bring you in, || Even at the time of My assembling you, || For I give you for a name, and for a praise, || Among all peoples of the land, || In My turning back to your captivity before your eyes,” said YHWH!


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