Zephaniah 3

1Alas the glorious and ransomed city.

2The dove hearkened not to the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord, and she drew not near to her God.

3Her princes within her were as roaring lions, her judges as the wolves of Arabia; they remained not till the morrow.

4Her prophets are light [and] scornful men: her priests profane the holy things, and sinfully transgress the law.

5But the just Lord is in the midst of her, and he will never do an unjust thing: morning by morning he will bring out his judgment to the light, and it is not hidden, and he knows not injustice by extortion, nor injustice in strife.

6I have brought down the proud with destruction; their corners are destroyed: I will make their ways completely waste, so that none shall go through: their cities are come to an end, by reason of no man living or dwelling [in them].

7I said, But do ye fear me, and receive instruction, and ye shall not be cut off from the face of the land [for] all the vengeance I have brought upon her: prepare thou, rise early: all their produce is spoilt.

8Therefore wait upon me, saith the Lord, until the day when I rise up for a witness: because my judgment [shall be] on the gatherings of the nations, to draw to me kings, to pour out upon them all [my] fierce anger: for the whole earth shall be consumed with the fire of my jealousy.

9For then will I turn to the peoples a tongue for her generation, that all may call on the name of the Lord, to serve him under one yoke.

10From the boundaries of the rivers of Ethiopia will I receive my dispersed ones; they shall offer sacrifices to me.

11In that day thou shalt not be ashamed of all thy practices, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then will I take away from thee thy disdainful pride, and thou shalt no more magnify thyself upon my holy mountain.

12And I will leave in thee a meek and lowly people;

13and the remnant of Israel shall fear the name of the Lord, and shall do no iniquity, neither shall they speak vanity; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed, and lie down, and there shall be none to terrify them.

14Rejoice, O daughter of Sion; cry aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem; rejoice and delight thyself with all thine heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

15The Lord has taken away thine iniquities, he has ransomed thee from the hand of thine enemies: the Lord, the King of Israel, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.

16At that time the Lord shall say to Jerusalem, Be of good courage, Sion; let not thine hands be slack.

17The Lord thy God is in thee; the Mighty One shall save thee: he shall bring joy upon thee, and shall refresh thee with his love; and he shall rejoice over thee with delight as in a day of feasting.

18And I will gather thine afflicted ones. Alas! who has taken up a reproach against her?

19Behold, I [will] work in thee for thy sake at that time, saith the Lord: and I will save her that was oppressed, and receive her that was rejected; and I will make them a praise, and honoured in all the earth.

20And [their enemies] shall be ashamed at that time, when I shall deal well with you, and at the time when I shall receive you: for I will make you honoured and a praise among all the nations of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before you, saith the Lord.