Zephaniah 3:1–7

WOE TO OPPRESSIVE JERUSALEM

3 Woe to the city that is rebelliousB,a and defiled,b

the oppressive city!

2 She has not obeyed;c

she has not accepted discipline.d

She has not trustede in the Lord;

she has not drawn near to her God.

3 TheC princes within her are roaring lions;f

her judges are wolves of the night,g

which leave nothing forD the morning.

4 Her prophets are recklessh—

treacherous men.

Her priests profane the sanctuary;

they do violence to instruction.i

5 The righteous Lord is in her;j

he does no wrong.k

He applies his justice morning by morning;

he does not fail at dawn,

yet the one who does wrong knows no shame.l

6 I have cut off nations;

their corner towersm are destroyed.

I have laid waste their streets,

with no one to pass through.

Their cities lie devastated,

without a person, without an inhabitant.n

7 I said: You will certainly fear me

and accept correction.

Then her dwelling placeE

would not be cut off

based on all that I had allocated to her.

However, they became more corrupt

in all their actions.