Zephaniah 3

Tree of Life Version

3 Oy to the oppressive city—
    filthy and defiled!
² She did not obey;
she took no correction.
She did not trust in Adonai.
She did not draw near to her God.
³ Her princes within her are roaring lions.
Her judges are wolves of the night,
leaving nothing but bones for morning.
⁴ Her prophets are reckless,
treacherous men.
Her kohanim have profaned what is holy.
They do violence to Torah.
⁵ Adonai is righteous in her midst.
He will do no injustice.
Morning by morning He brings His justice to light.
He does not fail.
Yet the unjust knows no shame.
⁶ I have cut off nations.
Their towers have become desolate.
I have destroyed their streets.
    with no one passing by.
Their cities are laid waste,
    with no one—none living there.
⁷ I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me,
you will accept correction,
so her dwelling place would not be cut off—
all that I appointed against her.’
But they arose early
    and made all their deeds corrupt.
⁸ Therefore, wait for me, declares Adonai,
    for the day when I rise up for plunder:
    for My decision is to assemble nations,
    to gather kingdoms,^[a]
    to pour out My fury upon them—
        all My burning anger.
For in the fire of My wrath
    all the earth will be consumed.

⁹ For then I will restore to the people pure speech,
    so that all of them
    may call upon the Name of Adonai
    and serve Him shoulder to shoulder.
¹⁰ From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia,
    My worshipers, the daughter of My scattered ones
    will bring My offering.
¹¹ On that day you will not be ashamed
    because of all your deeds by which you rebelled against Me.
For then I will remove from your midst
    your proud, arrogant ones,
and you will never again be haughty
    on My holy mountain.
¹² But I will leave among you
    a people meek and humble.
They will take refuge in the Name of Adonai.
¹³ The remnant of Israel will do no injustice
nor will they tell lies,
nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths.^[b]
For they will graze and lie down
    and no one will make them afraid.
¹⁴ Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion!
Shout in triumph, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult wholeheartedly,
    O daughter of Jerusalem!
¹⁵ Adonai has taken away your punishments.
He has turned back your adversary.
The King of Israel, Adonai, is in your midst.
Never again will you fear harm.
¹⁶ On that day, it will be said to Jerusalem,
‘Have no fear, O Zion,
    do not let your hands fall limp.
¹⁷ Adonai your God is in your midst—
    a mighty Savior!
He will delight over you with joy.
He will quiet you with His love.
He will dance for joy over you with singing^[c].’
¹⁸ “I will gather those among you
who grieve over your moadim—
it is a burden of shame on you.
¹⁹ Behold, at that time I will deal
    with all who oppress you.
I will save the lame and gather the outcast.
I will make them a praise and a name
    throughout all the land where they suffered shame.
²⁰ At that time I will bring you in.
At that time I will gather you.
For I will give you renown and glory
    among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your captives
    before your eyes,”
    declares Adonai.