Суд над Иерусалимом

Горе городу[a] притеснителей,
    мятежному и оскверненному!
Он никого не слушает
    и ничему не учится;
на Господа не уповает,
    не приближается к своему Богу.
Его приближенные – рыкающие львы,
    его правители – волки вечерние,
    что к утру не оставят ни кости.
Пророки его ничтожны и вероломны,
    а священники оскверняют святыни
    и попирают Закон.
Праведен Господь, пребывающий в этом городе;
    не делает Он неправедное.
Каждое утро Он вершит суд,
    без устали вершит его на заре,
но неправедным стыд неведом.

Восстановление после суда

– Я истребил народы
    и разрушил их крепости;
опустошил их улицы –
    никто по ним не проходит.
Города их разорены,
    не осталось в них жителей, нет никого.
Я сказал: «Город будет бояться Меня
    и примет Мое наставление.
Тогда не искоренилось бы его жилище,
    и наказание Мое не пало бы на него».
Но они старались еще усерднее
    делать одно лишь зло.
Поэтому ждите Меня, – возвещает Господь, –
    до дня, когда Я поднимусь,
чтобы свидетельствовать[b] против этого народа,
    так как решил Я созвать народы,
собрать все царства
    и ярость Свою излить на них,
весь пылающий гнев Свой.
    В пламени Моей ревности
сгорит вся земля.

Тогда Я очищу уста народов,
    чтобы все они призывали Господа
    и Ему сообща служили.
10 Из-за рек Куша
    Мои почитатели, разбросанный Мой народ,
    принесут Мне дары.
11 В тот день ты не будешь стыдиться того,
    чем против Меня грешил,
потому что Я выведу из тебя всех,
    кто горд и высокомерен,
и не будешь больше превозноситься
    на святой горе Моей.
12 Я оставлю среди тебя
    кроткий и простой народ,
    который будет в имени Господа искать прибежища.
13 Уцелевшие из народа Израиля не будут делать неправедное;
    они не будут лгать,
и в устах их не будет обмана.
    Как овцы, они будут пастись и ложиться на отдых,
и некого им будет бояться.

14 Пой, дочь Сиона,
    восклицай, Израиль!
Веселись и радуйся от всего сердца,
    дочь Иерусалима!
15 Господь отменил твой приговор
    и прогнал твоего врага.
С тобой Господь, Царь Израиля:
    не будешь больше бояться беды.
16 Скажут в тот день Иерусалиму:
    «Не бойся, Сион,
    пусть твои руки не ослабевают!
17 С тобой – Господь, твой Бог,
    могучий Воин, Который в силах спасать.
Он о тебе возрадуется,
    любовью тебя успокоит[c]
и о тебе будет с песнями ликовать».

18 – От тоскующих по праздничным дням
    Я отведу печаль,
    которая для вас как позор и бремя[d].
19 В то время Я накажу всех,
    кто тебя притеснял.
Я хромое спасу
    и соберу изгнанников,
наделю их славой и честью
    во всех краях, где были они в бесславии.
20 В то время Я соберу вас
    и приведу вас домой.
Я наделю вас честью и славой
    среди всех народов земли,
когда на ваших же глазах
    Я верну вам благополучие[e], –
            говорит Господь.

Footnotes

  1. 3:1 То есть Иерусалиму.
  2. 3:8 Или: «чтобы разграбить этот народ».
  3. 3:17 Или: «обновит».
  4. 3:18 Или: «Тоскующих по праздничным дням Я соберу – тех, кто был как дань врагу и позор Иерусалиму».
  5. 3:20 Или: «верну ваших пленников».
Book name not found: Софония for the version: 1550 Stephanus New Testament.

Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!

She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God.

Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.

Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.

The 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.

I 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.

I 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.

Therefore 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.

For 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.

10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.

11 In 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.

12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.

13 The 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.

14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

15 The 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.

16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.

17 The 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.

18 I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.

19 Behold, 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.

20 At 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.

Jerusalem

Woe to the city of oppressors,(A)
    rebellious(B) and defiled!(C)
She obeys(D) no one,
    she accepts no correction.(E)
She does not trust(F) in the Lord,
    she does not draw near(G) to her God.
Her officials within her
    are roaring lions;(H)
her rulers are evening wolves,(I)
    who leave nothing for the morning.(J)
Her prophets are unprincipled;
    they are treacherous people.(K)
Her priests profane the sanctuary
    and do violence to the law.(L)
The Lord within her is righteous;(M)
    he does no wrong.(N)
Morning by morning(O) he dispenses his justice,
    and every new day he does not fail,(P)
    yet the unrighteous know no shame.(Q)

Jerusalem Remains Unrepentant

“I have destroyed nations;
    their strongholds are demolished.
I have left their streets deserted,
    with no one passing through.
Their cities are laid waste;(R)
    they are deserted and empty.
Of Jerusalem I thought,
    ‘Surely you will fear me
    and accept correction!’(S)
Then her place of refuge[a] would not be destroyed,
    nor all my punishments come upon[b] her.
But they were still eager
    to act corruptly(T) in all they did.
Therefore wait(U) for me,”
    declares the Lord,
    “for the day I will stand up to testify.[c]
I have decided to assemble(V) the nations,(W)
    to gather the kingdoms
and to pour out my wrath(X) on them—
    all my fierce anger.(Y)
The whole world will be consumed(Z)
    by the fire of my jealous anger.

Restoration of Israel’s Remnant

“Then I will purify the lips of the peoples,
    that all of them may call(AA) on the name of the Lord(AB)
    and serve(AC) him shoulder to shoulder.
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush[d](AD)
    my worshipers, my scattered people,
    will bring me offerings.(AE)
11 On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame(AF)
    for all the wrongs you have done to me,(AG)
because I will remove from you
    your arrogant boasters.(AH)
Never again will you be haughty
    on my holy hill.(AI)
12 But I will leave within you
    the meek(AJ) and humble.
The remnant of Israel
    will trust(AK) in the name of the Lord.
13 They(AL) will do no wrong;(AM)
    they will tell no lies.(AN)
A deceitful tongue
    will not be found in their mouths.(AO)
They will eat and lie down(AP)
    and no one will make them afraid.(AQ)

14 Sing, Daughter Zion;(AR)
    shout aloud,(AS) Israel!
Be glad and rejoice(AT) with all your heart,
    Daughter Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your punishment,
    he has turned back your enemy.
The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;(AU)
    never again will you fear(AV) any harm.(AW)
16 On that day
    they will say to Jerusalem,
“Do not fear, Zion;
    do not let your hands hang limp.(AX)
17 The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.(AY)
He will take great delight(AZ) in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,(BA)
    but will rejoice over you with singing.”(BB)

18 “I will remove from you
    all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals,
    which is a burden and reproach for you.
19 At that time I will deal
    with all who oppressed(BC) you.
I will rescue the lame;
    I will gather the exiles.(BD)
I will give them praise(BE) and honor
    in every land where they have suffered shame.
20 At that time I will gather you;
    at that time I will bring(BF) you home.
I will give you honor(BG) and praise(BH)
    among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes[e](BI)
    before your very eyes,”
says the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 3:7 Or her sanctuary
  2. Zephaniah 3:7 Or all those I appointed over
  3. Zephaniah 3:8 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew will rise up to plunder
  4. Zephaniah 3:10 That is, the upper Nile region
  5. Zephaniah 3:20 Or I bring back your captives