Zephaniah 3:1–8

¹Woe to her that is rebellious and defiled,

the oppressing city!

²She listens to no voice,

she accepts no correction.

She does not trust in the Lord,

she does not draw near to her God.

³Her officials within her

are roaring lions;

her judges are evening wolves

that leave nothing till the morning.

⁴Her prophets are wanton,

faithless men;

her priests profane what is sacred,

they do violence to the law.

⁵The Lord within her is righteous,

he does no wrong;

every morning he shows forth his justice,

each dawn he does not fail;

but the unjust knows no shame.

⁶“I have cut off nations;

their battlements are in ruins;

I have laid waste their streets

so that none walks in them;

their cities have been made desolate,

without a man, without an inhabitant.

⁷I said, ‘Surely she will fear me,

she will accept correction;

she will not lose sight

of all that I have enjoined upon her.’

But all the more they were eager

to make all their deeds corrupt.”

⁸“Therefore wait for me,” says the Lord,

“for the day when I arise as a witness.

For my decision is to gather nations,

to assemble kingdoms,

to pour out upon them my indignation,

all the heat of my anger;

for in the fire of my jealous wrath

all the earth shall be consumed.