
{1}1{/}

[=]_{R}_{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. 
[=]_{R}_{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. {R}_{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.
[=]_{R}_{I}7_{/}Silence before Yahweh! For his day is near: Yahweh has 
prepared a sacrifice and consecrated his invited guests. 
[=]_{R}_{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.
{R}_{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."

{N}A DAY OF WRATH{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{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.
{R}_{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.
[=]_{R}_{I}4_{/}Gaza shall be a desert, Ashkelon completely destroyed to 
its very foundation. {R}_{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. {R}_{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.
[=]_{R}_{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.
[=]_{R}_{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. {R}_{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." 
[=]_{R}_{I}13_{/}Yahweh will raise his hand against the north and reduce 
Assyria to ruins. {R}_{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.

{N}AGAINST JERUSALEM{/}

{1}3{/}

{I}1_{/}Woe to the rebellious, the defiled, the city that oppresses. 
[=]_{R}_{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. 
[=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}Her kings are like roaring lions, her rulers like evening 
wolves that do not leave even a bone for the next day. 
[=]_{R}_{I}4_{/}Her prophets are blabbermouths and treacherous people; 
her priests defile whatever is sacred with no respect for the Law.
{R}_{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.

{N}GOD IN THE MIDST OF THE MEEK{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{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.
{R}_{I}12_{/}I will leave within you a poor and meek people who seek 
refuge in God. {R}_{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. 
[=]_{R}_{I}14_{/}Cry out with joy, O daughter of Zion; rejoice, O people 
of Israel! Sing joyfully with all your heart, daughter of 
Jerusalem!
[=]_{R}_{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.
{R}_{I}16_{/}On that day they will say to Jerusalem: Do not be afraid nor 
let your hands tremble, [=]_{R}_{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.
[=]_{R}_{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.

