Zephaniah 3

1Woe [to] the rebelling and defiling, || The oppressing city!

2She 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.

3Her heads in her midst [are] roaring lions, || Her judges [are] wolves [as in] evening, || They have not gnawn the bone in the morning.

4Her prophets unstable—men of treachery, || Her priests have defiled the sanctuary, || They have violated the Law.

5YHWH [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.

7I 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.

8Therefore, 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.

9For then I turn a pure lip to peoples, || To call all of them by the Name of YHWH, || To serve Him [with] one shoulder.

10From beyond the rivers of Cush, My supplicants, || The daughter of My scattered ones, || Bring My present.

11In 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.

12And I have left in your midst a people humble and poor, || And they have trusted in the Name of YHWH.

13The 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.”

14Cry aloud, O daughter of Zion, shout, O Israel, || Rejoice and exult with the whole heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

15YHWH has turned aside your judgments, || He has faced your enemy, || The King of Israel, YHWH, [is] in your midst, || You see evil no more.

16In that day it is said to Jerusalem, || “Do not fear, O Zion, || Do not let your hands be feeble.

17Your 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.

19Behold, 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.

20At 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!