Zephaniah 3:1–8

Judgment on Jerusalem and the Nations

3Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled,

^fthe oppressing city!

²She listens to no voice;

^gshe accepts no correction.

^hShe does not trust in the Lord;

she does not draw near to her God.

³ⁱHer officials within her

are roaring lions;

her judges are ^jevening wolves

that leave nothing till the morning.

^4kHer prophets are fickle, treacherous men;

^kher priests ^lprofane what is holy;

they do violence to the law.

⁵The Lord within her ^mis righteous;

he does no injustice;

every morning he shows forth his justice;

each dawn he does not fail;

but ⁿthe unjust knows no shame.

^6o“I have cut off nations;

their battlements are in ruins;

I have laid waste their streets

^pso that no one walks in them;

their cities have been made desolate,

without a man, without an inhabitant.

^7qI said, ‘Surely you will fear me;

^ryou will accept correction.

Then your¹ dwelling would not be cut off

according to all that I have appointed against you.’²

But ^sall the more they were eager

to make all their deeds corrupt.

⁸“Therefore ^twait for me,” declares the Lord,

“for the day when I rise up to seize the prey.

For my decision is ^uto gather nations,

to assemble kingdoms,

to pour out upon them my indignation,

all my burning anger;

for in the fire of my jealousy

^vall the earth shall be consumed.