Zephaniah 2

1Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that hath no shame;

1Gather together, yes, gather yourselves, you shameless nation,

2before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah’s anger come upon you.

2before the decision takes effect, before the day blows away like chaff, before the Lord’s burning anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger arrives.

3Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that have kept his ordinances; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah’s anger.

3Seek the Lord, all you humble people of the land who follow his commands. Seek to do what is right; seek to be humble. Perhaps you will be protected on the day of the Lord’s anger.

4For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation; they shall drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up.

4For Gaza will be abandoned and Ashkelon will be ruined. Ashdod will be driven out at noon, and Ekron will be pulled up by the roots.

5Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea-coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of Jehovah is against you, O Canaan, the land of the Philistines; I will destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.

5Woe to those who live by the sea, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of the Lord is against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines: 'I will destroy you until no one is left living there.'

6And the sea-coast shall be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks.

6The land by the sea will become pastures with huts for shepherds and pens for sheep.

7And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed their flocks thereupon; in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening; for Jehovah their God will visit them, and bring back their captivity.

7That coast will belong to the survivors of the tribe of Judah. They will find pasture there; in the evening they will lie down in the abandoned houses of Ashkelon. For the Lord their God will care for them and restore their fortunes.

8I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, wherewith they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.

8I have heard the insults of Moab and the taunts of the Ammonites, who mocked my people and made threats against their territory.

9Therefore as I live, saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall make a prey of them, and the remnant of my nation shall inherit them.

9Therefore, as surely as I live, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, Moab will become like Sodom and the Ammonites like Gomorrah—a land of weeds and salt pits, a permanent wasteland. The survivors of my people will plunder them and take over their land.

10This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Jehovah of hosts.

10This is what they will get for their pride, because they insulted and mocked the people of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

11Jehovah will be terrible unto them; for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the nations.

11The Lord will be terrifying to them. He will starve all the gods of the earth, and people from every nation will worship him, each in their own land and on every distant coast.

12Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.

12You Ethiopians will also be killed by my sword.

13And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like the wilderness.

13The Lord will reach out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria. He will make Nineveh a wasteland as dry as a desert.

14And herds shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the pelican and the porcupine shall lodge in the capitals thereof; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he hath laid bare the cedar-work.

14Flocks and herds will lie down in the middle of the city, along with every kind of wild animal. The desert owl and the screech owl will roost on top of her columns. Their calls will echo through the windows, and the doorways will be full of rubble, for he will strip away the cedar paneling.

15This is the joyous city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none besides me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.

15This is the city that was once so happy and felt so secure. She thought to herself, 'I am the greatest, and there is no one else like me.' How she has become a ruin, a place for wild animals to rest! Everyone who passes by her will hiss and shake their fist in shock.