
{1}1{/}

{I}1_{/}When Josiah, son 
of Ammon, reigned in 
Juda, the word of Yahweh 
was addressed to 
Zephaniah, the son of 
Cushi, son of Gedaliah, 
son of Amariah, son of 
Hezekiah. He said:
{I}2_{/}"I will wipe out 
everything from the face 
of the earth. {I}3_{/}I 
will put an end to humans 
and animals, to the birds 
of heaven and the fish of 
the sea. I will wipe 
humankind from the face 
of the earth. {I}4_{/}I 
will raise my hand to 
punish Judah and all the 
inhabitants of Jerusalem; 
and I will bring out of 
that place all the 
remnants of Baal with 
their priests. {I}5_{/}I 
will also drive away 
those who kneel on the 
roofs to worship the 
stars, those who invoke 
at the same time Yahweh 
and Milcom, {I}6_{/}those 
who have deserted Yahweh 
and no longer look toward 
him or consult him.
{I}7_{/}Silence before 
Yahweh! For his day is 
near: Yahweh has prepared 
a sacrifice and 
consecrated his invited 
guests. {I}8_{/}Yahweh 
says, "On the day that 
sacrifice is made, I will 
call to account the 
officials, the king's 
sons and all who clothe 
themselves in foreign 
fashion. {I}9_{/}I will 
also give the 
corresponding punishment 
to everyone who jumps 
over the threshold 
without stepping on it 
and fills the House of 
their Lord with the 
fruits of their crimes 
and thefts.
{I}10_{/}On that day, a 
great cry will be heard 
from the Fish Gate, a 
wail from the new city 
and a frightful noise 
from the nearby hills. 
{I}11_{/}Wail, 
inhabitants of the lower 
district, for all the 
traders have disappeared, 
all who counted the 
silver have perished.
{I}12_{/}On that day I 
will explore Jerusalem 
with torches, and call to 
account those who have 
sunk in their vices and 
think in their hearts: 
Well, Yahweh does not do 
good or evil! 
{I}13_{/}Their riches 
will be pillaged, their 
houses demolished.
You have built houses but 
will not live in them. 
You have planted 
vineyards but you will 
not taste the wine."
A DAY OF WRATH{/}

{I}14_{/}The great day of 
the Lord is near,
it already comes.
Its sound is so 
frightening
that even the valiant 
cries out in terror.
{I}15_{/}It is a day of 
wrath, anguish and 
distress;
a day of destruction and 
devastation,
of gloom and darkness;
it is a day of dark 
clouds
{I}16_{/}and fog when the 
trumpet sounds
the call for battle,
and the enemy attacks the 
fortresses
and the high fortified 
towers.
{I}17_{/}I will bring 
misfortune on these 
people and they will 
grope along like the 
blind. Their blood will 
be poured out like dust 
and their remains will 
lie like dung.
{I}18_{/}Neither their 
gold nor their silver 
will rescue them when the 
anger of God burns 
against them. The land of 
Judah will be burned in 
the fire of his zeal when 
he destroys even the 
traces of all who dwell 
in that land.
{1}2{/}

{I}1_{/}Gather together 
and assemble, O shameless 
people, {I}2_{/}that you 
may be scattered by the 
wind like a heap of straw 
when the anger of Yahweh 
comes upon you!
{I}3_{/}Seek Yahweh, all 
you poor of the land who 
fulfill his commands, do 
justice and are meek, and 
perhaps you will find 
refuge on the day Yahweh 
comes to judge.
{I}4_{/}Gaza shall be a 
desert, Ashkelon 
completely destroyed to 
its very foundation. 
{I}5_{/}Woe to the nation 
of the Cherethites on the 
seacoast, for Yahweh has 
spoken against it: "O 
Canaan, land of the 
Philistines, I will 
destroy you so that no 
one will be left in you."
{I}6_{/}The seacoast 
shall be like pastures 
where the shepherds and 
their flocks go and the 
lambs gather. 
{I}7_{/}This region will 
belong to the remnant of 
the tribe of Judah; there 
they shall bring their 
flocks to graze and they 
will sleep at night in 
the houses of Ashkelon, 
when Yahweh their God 
comes to visit them and 
bring their captives 
back.
{I}8_{/}Yahweh of hosts, 
the God of Israel says, 
"I have heard the 
affronts of Moab and the 
mockery of the Ammonites 
who insulted my people 
and extended their 
boundaries at the expense 
of my territory.
{I}9_{/}Therefore I swear 
that, as I live, Moab 
shall become like Sodom, 
and Ammon like Gomorrah, 
as desert indeed. The 
remnant of my people 
shall plunder them, the 
survivors of my nation 
shall receive them as an 
inheritance. 
{I}10_{/}This shall be 
their lot, in payment for 
their pride, for they 
insulted the people of 
the God of hosts and have 
enriched themselves at my 
people's expense." 
{I}11_{/}Yahweh will be 
inflexible with them when 
he calls to account all 
the gods of the earth. 
{I}12_{/}Then the pagans 
who live on the islands 
shall worship him, each 
in his own land.
"The threat of my sword 
also hangs over you, 
Ethiopians." 
{I}13_{/}Yahweh will 
raise his hand against 
the north and reduce 
Assyria to ruins. 
{I}14_{/}He will leave 
Nineveh in utter 
desolation, barren as the 
desert. Herds of all 
kinds of animals shall 
find shelter in her, and 
even the pelican and the 
heron shall dwell in her 
ruins; the owl shall hoot 
from the window and the 
raven from the threshold.
{I}15_{/}The cedar has 
been uprooted! So will be 
the end of the happy city 
that felt secure in her 
own power and said to 
herself: I and no one but 
I. Why is it now a heap 
of ruins where animals 
take shelter? Everyone 
who passes by her hisses, 
making signs with the 
hand.
AGAINST JERUSALEM{/}

{1}3{/}

{I}1_{/}Woe to the 
rebellious, the defiled, 
the city that oppresses. 
{I}2_{/}She did not pay 
attention to the call nor 
accept the correction; 
she did not trust Yahweh 
nor did she approach her 
God. {I}3_{/}Her kings 
are like roaring lions, 
her rulers like evening 
wolves that do not leave 
even a bone for the next 
day. {I}4_{/}Her prophets 
are blabbermouths and 
treacherous people; her 
priests defile whatever 
is sacred with no respect 
for the Law.
{I}5_{/}However, Yahweh 
the Just one is in her 
midst; he never commits 
injustice. Every morning 
he says what must be 
done; but the unjust do 
not even feel ashamed.
{I}6_{/}I have wiped out 
the nations, demolished 
their watchtowers, left 
their streets abandoned, 
and no one walks in them; 
their cities have been 
leveled, and no one lives 
there.
{I}7_{/}I thought: "If 
you took into account my 
correction" I said: "she 
will not forget my 
threats." But you were 
eager to behave still 
more corruptly.
{I}8_{/}Therefore, wait 
for me, says Yahweh, for 
the day when I come to 
accuse, when I have the 
nations gathered and the 
kingdoms assembled to 
vent my wrath on you with 
all the fury of my anger. 
Then the fire of my 
jealous wrath will burn 
the whole land.
{I}9_{/}At that time I 
will give truthful lips 
to the pagan nations that 
all of them may call on 
the name of Yahweh and 
serve him with the same 
zeal. {I}10_{/}From 
beyond the rivers of 
Ethiopia they will bring 
offerings to me.
GOD IN THE MIDST OF THE 
MEEK{/}

{I}11_{/}On that day you 
will no longer be ashamed 
of all your deeds when 
you were unfaithful to 
me; I will have removed 
from your midst the 
conceited and arrogant 
and my holy mountain will 
no longer be for you a 
pretext for boasting.
{I}12_{/}I will leave 
within you a poor and 
meek people who seek 
refuge in God. 
{I}13_{/}The remnant of 
Israel will not act 
unjustly nor will they 
speak falsely, nor will 
deceitful words be found 
in their mouths. They 
will eat and rest with 
none to threaten them. 
{I}14_{/}Cry out with 
joy, O daughter of Zion; 
rejoice, O people of 
Israel! Sing joyfully 
with all your heart, 
daughter of Jerusalem!
{I}15_{/}Yahweh has 
lifted your sentence and 
has driven your enemies 
away. Yahweh, the King of 
Israel is with you; do 
not fear any misfortune.
{I}16_{/}On that day they 
will say to Jerusalem: Do 
not be afraid nor let 
your hands tremble, 
{I}17_{/}for Yahweh your 
God is within you, 
Yahweh, saving warrior. 
He will jump for joy on 
seeing you, for he has 
revived his love. For you 
he will cry out with joy, 
as you do in the days of 
the Feast.
{I}18_{/}I will drive 
away the evil I warned 
you about, and you will 
no longer be shamed.
{I}19_{/}On that day I 
will face your 
oppressors; I will save 
the lame sheep and bring 
the lost back into the 
fold. I will give them 
renown and honor in all 
the lands where 
humiliation was your lot.
{I}20_{/}On that day I 
will be good to you and 
gather you to make you 
famous and honorable 
among all the peoples of 
the earth, when I bring 
back the captives before 
your eyes, - this is 
Yahweh's word.

