Sophonie 3
La Bible du Semeur
Malheur à Jérusalem
3 Malheur à la rebelle, ╵à la ville souillée,
la ville tyrannique[a].
2 Elle ne m’a pas écouté
et n’a pas accepté ╵les avertissements ;
elle n’a pas mis sa confiance ╵en l’Eternel, son Dieu,
elle ne s’est pas approchée de lui.
3 Ses grands, au milieu d’elle,
sont des lions rugissants,
ses juges sont des loups du soir
qui, au matin, ╵n’ont plus rien à ronger.
4 Ses prophètes sont insoumis,
portés aux trahisons.
Ses prêtres ont souillé ╵le sanctuaire[b],
ils ont violé la Loi.
5 Cependant, l’Eternel ╵est présent dans la ville ╵et il s’y montre juste,
il ne fait rien de mal.
Matin après matin, ╵il rend ses jugements ;
dès l’aube, il ne fait pas défaut.
Cependant, l’homme inique ╵ne connaît pas la honte.
6 J’ai éliminé des nations,
démoli leurs tours fortes,
j’ai dévasté leurs rues,
et nul n’y passe plus.
Voilà leurs villes ravagées,
il n’y a plus personne, ╵plus un seul habitant.
7 Je m’étais dit alors : ╵« Ainsi tu me craindras
et tu accepteras ╵les avertissements
et, ainsi, ta demeure ╵ne sera pas détruite. »
Que de fois j’ai sévi contre elle !
Mais eux, dès le matin, ╵ils se sont empressés ╵de commettre le mal
dans tout ce qu’ils faisaient.
8 C’est pourquoi, attendez,
l’Eternel le déclare,
oui, attendez le jour ╵où je me lèverai ╵comme témoin à charge[c]
puisque j’ai rendu mon arrêt : ╵j’ai décidé ╵de réunir les peuples,
et de rassembler les royaumes
pour déverser sur eux ╵toute l’ardeur de ma colère
et mon indignation,
car je consumerai ╵le pays tout entier
par le feu de mon amour bafoué[d].
Les fruits du jugement
Sur les peuples non israélites
9 Puis je transformerai les lèvres ╵de gens d’autres peuples ╵et je les rendrai pures
pour qu’ils invoquent l’Eternel
et qu’ils le servent ╵tous d’un commun accord.
10 Et d’au-delà des fleuves ╵de l’Ethiopie,
tous mes adorateurs, ╵les hommes que j’ai dispersés, ╵viendront m’apporter des offrandes[e].
Sur le reste d’Israël
11 En ce jour-là, mon peuple,
tu ne porteras plus la honte ╵à cause des méfaits
que tu as commis contre moi.
Car alors j’ôterai ╵du milieu de tes rangs
ceux qui exultent dans l’orgueil.
Alors tu cesseras ╵de faire l’arrogante ╵sur ma montagne sainte.
12 Je laisserai ╵vivre au milieu de toi ╵un peuple pauvre, démuni[f],
qui cherchera refuge ╵en l’Eternel.
13 Les restes d’Israël ╵ne commettront plus d’injustice,
ils ne diront plus de mensonges,
on n’entendra plus dans leur bouche ╵de langage trompeur,
quand ils paîtront en paix ╵et se reposeront
sans que nul ne les trouble.
Promesses pour Sion
14 Pousse des cris de joie, ╵ô communauté de Sion !
Lance un cri de triomphe, ╵ô Israël !
Réjouis-toi, ╵exulte de tout cœur,
ô communauté de Jérusalem !
15 L’Eternel a levé ╵le verdict de condamnation ╵prononcé contre vous,
et il a refoulé ╵vos ennemis.
Le roi d’Israël, l’Eternel, ╵est au milieu de vous.
Vous ne craindrez[g] plus de malheur.
16 En ce jour-là, ╵on dira à Jérusalem :
« Sois sans crainte, Sion !
Ne baisse pas les bras,
17 car l’Eternel ton Dieu ╵est au milieu de toi ╵un guerrier qui te sauve.
Il sera transporté de joie ╵à ton sujet
et il te renouvellera[h] ╵dans son amour pour toi.
Oui, il sera dans l’allégresse ╵à ton sujet
et poussera des cris de joie
18 tout comme aux jours de fête[i]. »
Je t’enlève aujourd’hui ╵la honte que tu portes[j].
19 En ce temps-là,
j’interviendrai contre tous ceux ╵qui t’auront opprimée,
je sauverai ╵les brebis éclopées,
et je rassemblerai ╵celles qu’on a chassées,
et je rendrai mon peuple ╵glorieux et renommé
partout dans tout pays ╵où vous aurez connu la honte.
20 En ce temps-là, ╵je vous ramènerai,
oui, quand je vous rassemblerai,
je vous rendrai ╵renommés et glorieux
chez tous les peuples de la terre.
Je le ferai quand, ╵sous vos yeux, ╵moi, je changerai votre sort[k],
l’Eternel le déclare.
Footnotes
- 3.1 C’est-à-dire Jérusalem (voir Jr 22.3). Chaque mot de ce verset peut avoir deux sens différents, si bien que l’ensemble admet une autre traduction : Hélas, la ville illustre et rachetée, la ville colombe ! Le prophète joue sans doute sur le double sens.
- 3.4 Autre traduction : les objets sacrés.
- 3.8 comme témoin à charge: en adoptant une vocalisation différente de celle du texte hébreu traditionnel, selon l’ancienne version grecque et la syriaque. Texte traditionnel : pour le butin.
- 3.8 Voir 1.18.
- 3.10 tous mes adorateurs… des offrandes. Autre traduction : ils viendront m’apporter en offrande mes adorateurs : les hommes que j’ai dispersés.
- 3.12 Voir v. 19. Autre traduction : un peuple humilié et faible.
- 3.15 Selon le texte hébreu traditionnel. L’ancienne version grecque a : verrez.
- 3.17 il te renouvellera: d’après l’ancienne version grecque. Le texte hébreu traditionnel a : il restera silencieux. La différence vient de la confusion entre deux lettres hébraïques qui se ressemblent.
- 3.18 D’après l’ancienne version grecque. Le texte hébreu traditionnel a : loin des jours de fête.
- 3.18 Je t’enlève… tu portes: sens obtenu en modifiant le découpage des mots et la vocalisation du texte hébreu traditionnel.
- 3.20 Autre traduction : je ramènerai sous vos yeux ceux d’entre vous qui auront été emmenés en captivité.
Zephaniah 3
New King James Version
The Wickedness of Jerusalem
3 Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted,
To the oppressing city!
2 She has not obeyed His voice,
She has not received correction;
She has not trusted in the Lord,
She has not drawn near to her God.
3 (A)Her princes in her midst are roaring lions;
Her judges are (B)evening wolves
That leave not a bone till morning.
4 Her (C)prophets are insolent, treacherous people;
Her priests have [a]polluted the sanctuary,
They have done (D)violence to the law.
5 The Lord is righteous in her midst,
He will do no unrighteousness.
[b]Every morning He brings His justice to light;
He never fails,
But (E)the unjust knows no shame.
6 “I have cut off nations,
Their fortresses are devastated;
I have made their streets desolate,
With none passing by.
Their cities are destroyed;
There is no one, no inhabitant.
7 (F)I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me,
You will receive instruction’—
So that her dwelling would not be cut off,
Despite everything for which I punished her.
But [c]they rose early and (G)corrupted all their deeds.
A Faithful Remnant(H)
8 “Therefore (I)wait for Me,” says the Lord,
“Until the day I rise up [d]for plunder;
My determination is to (J)gather the nations
To My assembly of kingdoms,
To pour on them My indignation,
All My fierce anger;
All the earth (K)shall be devoured
With the fire of My jealousy.
9 “For then I will restore to the peoples (L)a pure [e]language,
That they all may call on the name of the Lord,
To serve Him with one accord.
10 (M)From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
My worshipers,
The daughter of My dispersed ones,
Shall bring My offering.
11 In that day you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds
In which you transgress against Me;
For then I will take away from your midst
Those who (N)rejoice in your pride,
And you shall no longer be haughty
In My holy mountain.
12 I will leave in your midst
(O)A meek and humble people,
And they shall trust in the name of the Lord.
13 (P)The remnant of Israel (Q)shall do no unrighteousness
(R)And speak no lies,
Nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth;
For (S)they shall feed their flocks and lie down,
And no one shall make them afraid.”
Joy in God’s Faithfulness
14 (T)Sing, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your judgments,
He has cast out your enemy.
(U)The King of Israel, the Lord, (V)is in your midst;
You shall [f]see disaster no more.
16 In that day (W)it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Do not fear;
Zion, (X)let not your hands be weak.
17 The Lord your God (Y)in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
(Z)He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”
18 “I will gather those who (AA)sorrow over the appointed assembly,
Who are among you,
To whom its reproach is a burden.
19 Behold, at that time
I will deal with all who afflict you;
I will save the (AB)lame,
And gather those who were driven out;
I will appoint them for praise and fame
In every land where they were put to shame.
20 At that time (AC)I will bring you back,
Even at the time I gather you;
For I will give you [g]fame and praise
Among all the peoples of the earth,
When I return your captives before your eyes,”
Says the Lord.
Footnotes
- Zephaniah 3:4 Or profaned
- Zephaniah 3:5 Lit. Morning by morning
- Zephaniah 3:7 They were eager
- Zephaniah 3:8 LXX, Syr. for witness; Tg. for the day of My revelation for judgment; Vg. for the day of My resurrection that is to come
- Zephaniah 3:9 Lit. lip
- Zephaniah 3:15 So with Heb. mss., LXX, Bg.; MT, Vg. fear
- Zephaniah 3:20 Lit. a name
Zephaniah 3
King James Version
3 Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!
2 She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God.
3 Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
4 Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
5 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.
6 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.
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
La Bible Du Semeur (The Bible of the Sower) Copyright © 1992, 1999 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
