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.
Zephaniah 3
New American Standard Bible
Woe to Jerusalem and the Nations
3 Woe to her who is (A)rebellious and (B)defiled,
The (C)oppressive city!
2 She (D)obeyed no voice,
She (E)accepted no discipline.
She did not (F)trust in the Lord,
She did not (G)approach her God.
3 Her (H)leaders within her are roaring lions,
Her judges are (I)wolves at evening;
They have no bones to gnaw in the morning.
4 Her prophets are (J)insolent, treacherous men;
Her (K)priests have profaned the sanctuary.
They have done violence to the Law.
5 The Lord is (L)righteous (M)within her;
He will (N)do no injustice.
(O)Every morning He brings His justice to light;
He [a]does not fail.
But the [b]criminal (P)knows no shame.
6 “I have eliminated nations;
Their corner towers are deserted.
I have (Q)laid waste their streets,
With no one passing by;
Their (R)cities have been laid waste,
Without a person, (S)without an inhabitant.
7 I said, ‘You will certainly revere Me,
You will (T)accept discipline.’
So her dwelling will (U)not be eliminated
In accordance with everything that I have stipulated for her.
Instead, they were eager to (V)corrupt all their deeds.
8 “Therefore (W)wait for Me,” declares the Lord,
“For the day when I rise up as a witness.
Indeed, My decision is to (X)gather nations,
To assemble kingdoms,
To pour out on them My indignation,
All My burning anger;
For (Y)all the earth will be devoured
By the fire of My zeal.
9 For then I will [c]restore to the peoples (Z)pure lips,
So that all of them may (AA)call on the name of the Lord,
To serve Him [d]shoulder to shoulder.
10 From beyond the rivers of (AB)Ethiopia
My worshipers, [e]My dispersed ones,
Will (AC)bring My offerings.
11 On that day you will (AD)feel no shame
Because of all your deeds
By which you have rebelled against Me;
For then I will remove from your midst
Your (AE)proud, arrogant ones,
And you will never again be haughty
On My (AF)holy mountain.
A Remnant of Israel
12 But I will leave among you
A (AG)humble and lowly people,
And they will (AH)take refuge in the name of the Lord.
13 The (AI)remnant of Israel will (AJ)do no wrong
And (AK)tell no lies,
Nor will a deceitful tongue
Be found in their mouths;
For they will (AL)feed and lie down
With no one to frighten them.”
14 Shout for joy, daughter of Zion!
(AM)Shout in triumph, Israel!
Rejoice and triumph with all your heart,
Daughter of Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away (AN)His judgments against you,
He has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is (AO)in your midst;
You will no longer (AP)fear disaster.
16 (AQ)On that day it will be said to Jerusalem:
“(AR)Do not be afraid, Zion;
(AS)Do not let your hands fall limp.
17 The Lord your God is (AT)in your midst,
A [f](AU)victorious warrior.
He will (AV)rejoice over you with joy,
He will [g]be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.
18 I will gather those who are (AW)worried about the appointed feasts—
They [h]came from you, Zion;
The disgrace of exile is a burden on [i]them.
19 Behold, I am going to deal at that time
With all your (AX)oppressors;
I will save (AY)those who limp
And gather the scattered,
And I will turn their (AZ)shame into (BA)praise and fame
In all the earth.
20 At that time I will (BB)bring you in,
Even at the time when I gather you together;
Indeed, I will make you (BC)famous and praiseworthy
Among all the peoples of the earth,
When I (BD)restore your fortunes before your eyes,”
Says the Lord.
Footnotes
- Zephaniah 3:5 Lit is not missing
- Zephaniah 3:5 Or sinner
- Zephaniah 3:9 Lit change
- Zephaniah 3:9 Lit with one shoulder
- Zephaniah 3:10 Lit the daughter of My dispersed ones
- Zephaniah 3:17 Lit A warrior who saves
- Zephaniah 3:17 Or with some ancient versions, renew you in
- Zephaniah 3:18 Lit were
- Zephaniah 3:18 Lit her
Zephanja 3
Schlachter 1951
Gericht über Jerusalem
3 Wehe der widerspenstigen und befleckten,
der grausamen Stadt!
2 Sie hat der Warnung nicht gehorcht,
die Züchtigung nicht angenommen,
nicht auf den Herrn vertraut,
sich nicht zu ihrem Gott genaht!
3 Ihre Fürsten in ihrer Mitte sind brüllende Löwen,
ihre Richter Wölfe am Abend, die nichts übriglassen für den Morgen.
4 Ihre Propheten sind leichtfertige, unzuverlässige Menschen;
ihre Priester entweihen das Heiligtum, mißbrauchen das Gesetz.
5 Der Herr ist gerecht in ihrer Mitte;
er tut kein Unrecht,
jeden Morgen stellt er sein Recht ins Licht,
unfehlbar;
aber der Verkehrte weiß nichts von Scham!
6 Ich habe Nationen ausgerottet, ihre Zinnen zerstört,
ihre Straßen öde gemacht, daß niemand mehr darauf vorübergeht;
ihre Städte wurden gänzlich entvölkert, bis auf den letzten Mann, daß niemand mehr darin wohnt.
7 Ich sprach: «Fürchte doch nur mich,
ja, mich; nimm Züchtigung an!»
so soll ihre Wohnung nicht vertilgt werden,
so sehr ich sie auch heimgesucht habe;
aber sie haben trotzdem beharrlich alles Böse getan.
8 Darum wartet nur, spricht der Herr
bis zu dem Tag, da ich als Zeuge auftrete;
denn mein Ratschluß ist es, Nationen zu versammeln,
Königreiche zusammenzubringen,
um über sie meinen Grimm auszugießen,
die ganze Glut meines Zorns;
denn durch das Feuer meines Eifers soll die ganze Erde verzehrt werden.
Verheißung der Wende
9 Denn alsdann will ich den Völkern die Sprache ändern, daß sie rein werde,
daß sie alle des Herrn Namen anrufen und ihm einträchtig dienen[a].
10 Von jenseits der Ströme Äthiopiens
werden meine Anbeter, die Tochter meiner Zerstreuten, mir Speisopfer bringen.
11 An jenem Tage brauchst du dich nicht mehr zu schämen wegen aller deiner Taten,
mit welchen du dich wider mich vergangen hast;
denn alsdann will ich die stolzen Prahler aus deiner Mitte tun,
und du wirst dich forthin nicht mehr überheben auf meinem heiligen Berge.
12 Und ich will in dir übriglassen ein demütiges und geringes Volk,
das auf des Herrn Namen vertrauen wird.
13 Die Übriggebliebenen von Israel werden kein Unrecht tun
und keine Lüge reden;
man wird auch in ihrem Munde keine trügerische Zunge finden;
ja, sie werden weiden und ruhen, ohne daß sie jemand schreckt.
14 Jauchze, du Tochter Zion,
juble, Israel!
Freue dich und sei fröhlich von ganzem Herzen, du Tochter Jerusalem!
15 Denn der Herr hat die Gerichte von dir abgewendet,
er hat deinen Feind weggeräumt!
Der Herr, der König Israels, ist in deiner Mitte;
du brauchst kein Übel mehr zu fürchten!
16 In jenen Tagen wird man zu Jerusalem sagen:
Fürchte dich nicht!
Zion, laß deine Hände nicht sinken!
17 Der Herr, dein Gott, ist in deiner Mitte, ein Held, der helfen kann;
er wird sich über dich freuen mit Wonne,
er wird schweigen in seiner Liebe,
er wird über dir jubelnd frohlocken.
18 Die Bekümmerten, die der Versammlungen entbehren mußten, will ich sammeln;
sie waren von dir,
[aber] eine Last auf dir, ein Vorwurf.
19 Siehe, ich will zu jener Zeit alle deine Peiniger unterdrücken
und will dem Hinkenden helfen und das Verstoßene sammeln
und will sie zu Lob und Ehren machen
in allen Ländern, wo sie jetzt verachtet sind.
20 Zu jener Zeit will ich euch hereinbringen,
zur Zeit, da ich euch sammeln werde;
denn ich will euch zu Lob und Ehren machen
unter allen Völkern der Erde,
wenn ich euer Gefängnis vor euren Augen wenden werde,
spricht der Herr.
Footnotes
- Zephanja 3:9 einträchtig dienen, wörtl. mit demselben Rücken, d.h. Schulter an Schulter (LS)
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1951 by Geneva Bible Society