Zephaniah 1

¹ The word of Yahweh which was addressed to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son ofAmariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah.

² I shall sweep away everything off the face of the earth, declares Yahweh.

³ I shall sweep away humans and animals, the birds of the air and the fish of the sea, I shal topple thewicked and wipe al people off the face of the earth -declares Yahweh.

⁴ I shall raise my hand against Judah and against al who live in Jerusalem, and from this place I wil wipeout Baal's remnant, the very name of his priests,

⁵ and those who prostrate themselves on the roofs before the array of heaven, and those who prostratethemselves before Yahweh but swear by Milcom,

⁶ and those who have turned their back on Yahweh, who do not seek Yahweh and do not consult him.

⁷ Silence before Lord Yahweh, for the Day of Yahweh is near! Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice, he hasconsecrated his guests.

⁸ On the Day of Yahweh's sacrifice, I shal punish the courtiers, the royal princes and al who dress inoutlandish clothes.

⁹ On that day I shal punish al who go up the Step and fil the Temple of their lords, with violence anddeceit.

¹⁰ On that Day -- declares Yahweh -- uproar wil be heard from the Fish Gate, wailing from the NewQuarter and a great crash from the hil s.

¹¹ Wail, you who live in the Hollow, for it is al over with the merchants, all the money-bags have beenwiped out!

¹² When that time comes I shal search Jerusalem by lamplight and punish the men stagnating over theremains of their wine, who say in their hearts, 'Yahweh can do nothing, either good or bad.'

¹³ For this, their wealth wil be looted and their houses laid in ruins; they wil build houses but not live inthem, they wil plant vineyards but not drink their wine.

¹⁴ The great Day of Yahweh is near, near, and coming with great speed. How bitter the sound of the Dayof Yahweh, the Day when the warrior shouts his cry of war.

¹⁵ That Day is a day of retribution, a day of distress and tribulation, a day of ruin and of devastation, aday of darkness and gloom, a day of cloud and thick fog,

¹⁶ a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against fortified town and high corner-tower.

¹⁷ I shal bring such distress on humanity that they will grope their way like the blind for having sinnedagainst Yahweh. Their blood wil be poured out like mud, yes, their corpses like dung;

¹⁸ nor wil their silver or gold be able to save them. On the Day of Yahweh's anger, by the fire of hisjealousy, the whole earth will be consumed. For he will destroy, yes, annihilate everyone living on earth.