Zephaniah 3:1–7

The Wickedness of Jerusalem

3 Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted,

To the oppressing city!

2 She has not obeyed His voice,

She has not received correction;

She has not trusted in the Lord,

She has not drawn near to her God.

3 aHer princes in her midst are roaring lions;

Her judges are bevening wolves

That leave not a bone till morning.

4 Her cprophets are insolent, treacherous people;

Her priests have 1polluted the sanctuary,

They have done dviolence to the law.

5 The Lord is righteous in her midst,

He will do no unrighteousness.

2Every morning He brings His justice to light;

He never fails,

But ethe unjust knows no shame.

6 “I have cut off nations,

Their fortresses are devastated;

I have made their streets desolate,

With none passing by.

Their cities are destroyed;

There is no one, no inhabitant.

7 fI said, ‘Surely you will fear Me,

You will receive instruction’—

So that her dwelling would not be cut off,

Despite everything for which I punished her.

But 3they rose early and gcorrupted all their deeds.