Zephaniah 3:3–5

3 Her officials within her

are roaring lions;

her rulers are evening wolves,

who leave nothing for the morning.

4 Her prophets are unprincipled;

they are treacherous people.

Her priests profane the sanctuary

and do violence to the law.

5 The Lord within her is righteous;

he does no wrong.

Morning by morning he dispenses his justice,

and every new day he does not fail,

yet the unrighteous know no shame.

3 Her princes within her are roaring lions;

Her judges are evening wolves;

They gnaw not the bones till the morrow.

4 Her prophets are light and treacherous persons:

Her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.

5 The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity:

Every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not;

But the unjust knoweth no shame.

3 Its leaders are like roaring lions

hunting for their victims.

Its judges are like ravenous wolves at evening time,

who by dawn have left no trace of their prey.

4 Its prophets are arrogant liars seeking their own gain.

Its priests defile the Temple by disobeying God’s instructions.

5 But the Lord is still there in the city,

and he does no wrong.

Day by day he hands down justice,

and he does not fail.

But the wicked know no shame.

3 Her princes in her midst are roaring lions;

Her judges are evening wolves

That leave not a bone till morning.

4 Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people;

Her priests have polluted the sanctuary,

They have done violence to the law.

5 The Lord is righteous in her midst,

He will do no unrighteousness.

Every morning He brings His justice to light;

He never fails,

But the unjust knows no shame.

3 Its officers are like roaring lions.

Its rulers are like hungry wolves that attack in the evening,

and in the morning nothing is left of those they attacked.

4 Its prophets are proud;

they are people who cannot be trusted.

Its priests don’t respect holy things;

they break God’s teachings.

5 But the Lord is good, and he is there in that city.

He does no wrong.

Every morning he governs the people fairly;

every day he can be trusted.

But evil people are not ashamed of what they do.

3 Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they leave nothing till the morrow. 4 Her prophets are light and treacherous persons; her priests have profaned the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. 5 Jehovah in the midst of her is righteous; he will not do iniquity; every morning doth he bring his justice to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.

3 Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, that leave nothing for the morning. 4 Her prophets are vain-glorious, treacherous persons; her priests profane the sanctuary, they do violence to the law. 5 The righteous Jehovah is in the midst of her: he doeth no wrong. Every morning doth he bring his judgment to light; it faileth not: but the unrighteous knoweth no shame.

3 Its officials are ⸤like⸥ roaring lions. 

Its judges are ⸤like⸥ wolves in the evening. 

They leave nothing to gnaw on for the morning. 

4 Its prophets are reckless and unfaithful. 

Its priests contaminate what is holy. 

They violate the teachings. 

5 The righteous Lord is in that city. 

He does no wrong. 

He brings his judgment to light every morning. 

He does not fail. 

But those who are perverted are shameless. 

3 The princes within her are roaring lions;

her judges are wolves of the night,

which leave nothing for the morning.

4 Her prophets are reckless —

treacherous men.

Her priests profane the sanctuary;

they do violence to instruction.

5 The righteous Lord is in her;

He does no wrong.

He applies His justice morning by morning;

He does not fail at dawn,

yet the one who does wrong knows no shame.

3 The officials within it

are roaring lions;

its judges are evening wolves

that leave nothing until the morning.

4 Its prophets are reckless,

faithless persons;

its priests have profaned what is sacred;

they have done violence to the law.

5 The Lord within it is righteous;

he does no wrong.

Every morning he renders his judgment,

each dawn without fail,

but the unjust knows no shame.

3 Her officials in her midst are roaring lions;

her judges are evening wolves;

they leave nothing until the morning.

4 Her prophets are arrogant men of treachery;

her priests have defiled that which is holy;

they do violence to the law.

5 Yahweh is righteous in her midst;

he does not do wickedness.

Morning by morning he renders his judgment;

at dawn he does not fail,

but an evil one knows no shame.

3 Their officials are like roaring lions.

Their rulers are like wolves that hunt in the evening.

They don’t leave anything to eat in the morning.

4 Their prophets are proud.

They can’t be trusted.

Their priests pollute the temple.

They break the law they teach others to obey.

5 In spite of that, the Lord is good to Jerusalem.

He never does anything that is wrong.

Every morning he does what is fair.

Each new day he does the right thing.

But those who do what is wrong

aren’t even ashamed of it.

3 Her princes within her are roaring lions,

Her judges are wolves at evening;

They leave nothing for the morning.

4 Her prophets are reckless, treacherous men;

Her priests have profaned the sanctuary.

They have done violence to the law.

5 The Lord is righteous within her;

He will do no injustice.

Every morning He brings His justice to light;

He does not fail.

But the unjust knows no shame.