Zephaniah Chapter 3    

 ¹ Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled,

 the oppressing city!

 

 ² She has not listened to the Voice!

 She accepts no correction!

 She did not trust in Yahweh;

 she did not approach her God.

 

 ³ Her leaders in the midst of her are roaring lions.

 Her judges are wolves at evening.

 They leave not a bone to gnaw on for the morning.

 

 ⁴ Her prophets are arrogant

 and treacherous people;

 her priests have profaned the holy place;

 they have done violence to the law.

 

 ⁵ Yahweh, who resides in the midst of her, is righteous.

 He will do no injustice.

 Morning by morning he brings his justice to light;

 he will not fail.

 But an unjust person knows no shame.

 

 
⁶ “I have cut off nations;

 their corner towers are in ruins.

 I have made their streets waste,

 so that no one passes by.

 Their cities are destroyed

 so that there is no person; they are without an inhabitant.

 

 ⁷ I said, ‘Surely you will fear me;

 you will accept correction, so that her dwelling place

 will not be completely cut off

 because of all that I have visited upon her.’

 But they rose early

 and corrupted all that they did.

 

 ⁸ “Therefore wait for me,”

 says Yahweh,

 “wait for the Day that I rise up to testify,

 for my decision is to gather the nations,

 to assemble the kingdoms,

 to pour on them my indignation,

 even all my fierce anger,

 for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth will be devoured.

 

 
⁹ For then I will change the speech to a pure language,

 so that they may all call

 on the name of Yahweh

 to serve him shoulder to shoulder.

 

 ¹⁰ From beyond the rivers of Cush,

 my worshipers, even the daughter of my scattered people,

 will bring my offering.

 

 ¹¹ In that day you will not be put to shame

 for all you have done

 in which you have transgressed against me.

 For then I will remove from your midst

 your people who rejoice in their pride,

 and you will not be haughty any more

 in my holy mountain.

 

 ¹² But I will leave among you

 a humble and lowly people,

 and they will take refuge in the name of Yahweh.

 

 ¹³ The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity,

 nor speak lies;

 nor will a deceitful tongue

 be found in their mouth,

 for they will feed and lie down,

 and no one will make them afraid.”

 

 
¹⁴ Sing, daughter of Zion!

 Shout, Israel!

 Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,

 daughter of Jerusalem.

 

 ¹⁵ Yahweh has taken away the judgments against you.

 He has turned back your enemy.

 The King of Israel, Yahweh, is in your midst.

 You will not be afraid of evil any more.

 

 ¹⁶ In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem,

 “Do not be afraid, Zion.

 Do not let your hands fall limp.

 

 ¹⁷ Yahweh your God is in your midst,

 a mighty one who will save.

 He will rejoice over you with joy.

 He will calm you with his love.

 He will rejoice over you with singing.

 

 
¹⁸ I will gather together those who grieve

 about the appointed feasts;

 they came from you,

 and the reproach of exile

 is a burden to you.

 

 ¹⁹ Behold, at that time

 I will deal with all those who afflict you,

 and I will rescue those who are lame,

 and gather those who were scattered.

 And I will change their shame into praise and a name in all the earth.

 

 ²⁰ At that time I will bring you in,

 even at the time when I gather you together,

 indeed, I will make you to be a name and a praise

 among all the peoples of the earth

 when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,”

 says Yahweh.