[1] The word of Yahweh which came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the son
of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of
Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah. [2] I will utterly sweep away
everything off of the surface of the earth, says Yahweh. [3] I will sweep
away man and animal. I will sweep away the birds of the sky, the fish of
the sea, and the heaps of rubble with the wicked. I will cut off man from
the surface of the earth, says Yahweh. [4] I will stretch out my hand
against Judah, and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off
the remnant of Baal from this place: the name of the idolatrous and pagan
priests, [5] those who worship the host of the sky on the housetops, those
who worship and swear by Yahweh and also swear by Malcam, [6] those who
have turned back from following Yahweh, and those who haven`t sought Yahweh
nor inquired after him. [7] Be silent at the presence of the Lord Yahweh,
for the day of Yahweh is at hand. For Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice. He
has consecrated his guests. [8] It will happen in the day of Yahweh`s
sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, the king`s sons, and all those
who as are clothed with foreign clothing. [9] In that day, I will punish
all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their master`s house with
violence and deceit. [10] In that day, says Yahweh, there will be the noise
of a cry from the fish gate, a wailing from the second quarter, and a great
crashing from the hills. [11] Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the
people of Canaan are undone! All those who were laden with silver are cut
off. [12] It will happen at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with
lamps, and I will punish the men who are settled on their dregs, who say in
their heart, "Yahweh will not do good, neither will he do evil." [13] Their
wealth will become a spoil, and their houses a desolation. Yes, they will
build houses, but won`t inhabit them. They will plant vineyards, but won`t
drink their wine. [14] The great day of Yahweh is near. It is near, and
hurries greatly, the voice of the day of Yahweh. The mighty man cries there
bitterly. [15] That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a
day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and
blackness, [16] a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fortified
cities, and against the high battlements. [17] I will bring distress on
men, that they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against
Yahweh, and their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like
dung. [18] Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them
in the day of Yahweh`s wrath, but the whole land will be devoured by the
fire of his jealousy; for he will make an end, yes, a terrible end, of all
those who dwell in the land.
