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.

Zephaniah 3

¹Woe to the provoking and redeemed city, the dove.

²She hath not hearkened to the voice, neither hath she received discipline: she hath not trusted in the Lord, she drew not near to her God.

³Her princes are in the midst of her as roaring lions: her judges are evening wolves, they left nothing for the morning.

⁴Her prophets are senseless, men without faith: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have acted unjustly against the law.

⁵The just Lord is in the midst thereof, he will not do iniquity: in the morning, in the morning he will bring his judgment to light, and it shall not be hid: but the wicked man hath not known shame.

⁶I have destroyed the nations, and their towers are beaten down: I have made their ways desert, so that there is none that passeth by: their cities are desolate, there is not a man remaining, nor any inhabitant.

⁷I said: Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive correction: and her dwelling shall not perish, for all things wherein I have visited her: but they rose early, and corrupted all their thoughts.

⁸Wherefore expect me, saith the Lord, in the day of my resurrection that is to come, for my judgment is to assemble the Gentiles, and to gather the kingdoms: and to pour upon them my indignation, all my fierce anger: for with the fire of my jealousy shall all the earth be devoured.

⁹Because then I will restore to the people a chosen lip, that all may call upon the name of the Lord, and may serve him with one shoulder.

¹⁰From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, shall my suppliants, the children of my dispersed people, bring me an offering.

¹¹In that day thou shalt 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 thy proud boasters, and thou shalt no more be lifted up because of my holy mountain.

¹²And I will leave in the midst of thee a poor and needy people: and they shall hope in the name of the Lord.

¹³The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed, and shall lie down, and there shall be none to make them afraid.

¹⁴Give praise, O daughter of Sion: shout, O Israel: be glad, and rejoice with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

¹⁵The Lord hath taken away thy judgment, he hath turned away thy enemies: the king of Israel, the Lord, is in the midst of thee, thou shalt fear evil no more.

¹⁶In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear not: to Sion: Let not thy hands be weakened.

¹⁷The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty, he will save: he will rejoice over thee with gladness, he will be silent in his love, he will be joyful over thee in praise.

¹⁸The triflers that were departed from the law, I will gather together, because they were of thee: that thou mayest no more suffer reproach for them.

¹⁹Behold I will cut off all that have afflicted thee at that time: and I will save her that halteth, and will gather her that was cast out: and I will get them praise, and a name, in all the land where they had been put to confusion.

²⁰At that time, when I will bring you: and at the time that I will gather you: for I will give you a name, and praise among all the people of the earth, when I shall have brought back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord.