Zephaniah 1:7-13

The Voice

⁷ Keep quiet now! You are standing before the Eternal Lord
    because the day of the Eternal One is near;
His judgment is coming. He has prepared the sacrifice,
    and He has chosen His guests with care.
⁸ On the day of the Eternal’s sacrifice,
    this will happen just as He describes:

Eternal One: I will punish the rulers of Judah
        and those born to royalty
    And those so enamored with foreign ways
        that they don’t act or dress like My people anymore.
⁹     On that day, I will punish those who jump temple thresholds fearing pagan demons,
        those who exchange true religion for silly superstition,
    And those who use violence and betrayal to steal from others
        in order to make themselves and their king rich.

¹⁰     On that day, you will hear cries from all over the city of Jerusalem—
        first a cry for help from the fish gate on the north side of the city,
    Then a wailing cry from the newly-built Second Quarter.
        Then crash! Stones are falling, breaking;
    Sounds of destruction are coming from the suburban hills.
¹¹     Cry out, those of you living in the bottom of Jerusalem’s southern hollow,
        because I will stop all the traveling merchants.
    Everyone with pockets full of money will be cut off.
¹²     On that day, I will personally search and illumine every dark corner of Jerusalem.
        I will wipe out everyone who has numbed his senses with the dregs of his own wine
    And says, “The Eternal will do nothing in our lives,
        neither helping us nor hurting us.”
¹³     But they are wrong. Everything they value will be taken away.
        Their houses will be destroyed.
    They will build new houses and never have a chance to move in.
        They will plant vineyards and never enjoy a sip of their own wine.