צפניה א

The word of GOD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi son of Gedaliah son of Amariah son of Hezekiah, during the reign of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah.

I will sweep everything away
From the face of the earth
—declares GOD.

I will sweep away human and animal;
I will sweep away the birds of the sky
And the fish of the sea.
I will make the wicked stumble,
And I will destroy humankind
From the face of the earth
—declares GOD.

I will stretch out My arm against Judah
And against all who dwell in Jerusalem;
And I will wipe out from this place
Every vestige of Baal,
And the name of the priestlings, a term used only of priests of heathen gods. along with the priests;

And those who bow down on the roofs
To the host of heaven;
And those who bow down and swear to GOD
But also swear by Malcam;

And those who have forsaken GOD,
And those who have not sought GOD
And have not made inquiry.

Be silent before my Sovereign GOD,
For the day of GOD is approaching;
For GOD has prepared a sacrificial feast,
Has bidden the guests purify themselves.

And on the day of GOD’s sacrifice
I will punish the officials
And the king’s sons,
And all who don a foreign vestment.

I will also punish on that day
Everyone who steps over the threshold,
Who fill their master’s palace
With lawlessness and fraud.

In that day there shall be
—declares GOD—
A loud outcry from the Fish Gate,
And howling from the Mishneh,
And a sound of great anguish from the hills.

The dwellers of the Machtesh howl;
For all the traders have perished,
All who weigh silver are wiped out.

At that time,
I will search Jerusalem with lamps;
And I will punish all those
Who rest untroubled on their lees,
Who say to themselves,
“ GOD will do nothing, good or bad.”

Their wealth shall be plundered
And their homes laid waste.
They shall build houses and not dwell in them,
Plant vineyards and not drink their wine.

The great day of GOD is approaching,
Approaching most swiftly.
Hark, the day of GOD!
It is bitter:
There a warrior shrieks!

That day shall be a day of wrath,
A day of trouble and distress,
A day of calamity and desolation,
A day of darkness and deep gloom,
A day of densest clouds,

A day of horn blasts and alarms—
Against the fortified towns
And the lofty corner towers.

I will bring distress on the people,
And they shall walk like the blind,
Because they sinned against GOD;
Their blood shall be spilled like dust,
And their fat like dung.

Moreover, their silver and gold
Shall not avail to save them.
On the day of GOD’s wrath,
In the fire of such passion,
The whole land shall be consumed;
For [God] will make a terrible end
Of all who dwell in the land.