Zephaniah 2

1 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;*2.1 not…: or, not desirous 2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’s anger come upon you. 3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’s anger.

4 For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up. 5 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. 6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. 7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.*2.7 for the LORD: or, when, etc

8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border. 9 Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them. 10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts. 11 The LORD 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 heathen.*2.11 famish: Heb. make lean

12 Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword. 13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness. 14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he shall uncover the cedar work.*2.14 cormorant: or, pelican*2.14 upper…: or, knops, or, chapiters*2.14 for…: or, when he hath uncovered 15 This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside 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.

劝及时悔改

1 无耻的国民哪！

你们要聚集，

要聚集起来。

2 趁命令还没有发出，

日子还没有像风前的糠秕一般吹过，

耶和华的烈怒还没有临到你们，

耶和华忿怒的日子还没有临到你们以前，

你们要聚集起来！

3 地上所有谦卑的人，

就是遵守耶和华典章的人哪！

你们要寻求耶和华，

你们要寻求公义，寻求谦卑。

在耶和华忿怒的日子，

你们或许得以隐藏起来。

审判非利士

4 因为迦萨必被拋弃，

亚实基伦必成荒场，

亚实突的居民必在晌午被赶走；

以革伦必连根拔起来。

5 住在沿海地带的人，

基列提的国民哪！你们有祸了。

这是耶和华攻击你们的话：

"非利士人之地迦南啊！

我必毁灭你，使你那里没有人居住。

6 沿海的地必成为草场、

牧人的洞穴、

羊群的圈栏。

7 这地必归给犹大家的余民；

他们要在那里放牧，

晚上他们躺卧在亚实基伦的房舍中；

因为耶和华他们的　神必眷顾他们，

使他们从被掳之地归回。"

审判摩押与亚扪

8 我听见了摩押人的辱骂之言，

听见了亚扪人的毁谤之语，

他们辱骂我的子民，

又自夸自大侵犯他们的境界。

9 因此，万军之耶和华

以色列的　神说：

"我指着我的永生起誓：

摩押人必要像所多玛，

亚扪人必定像蛾摩拉，

成为刺草和盐坑之所，

永远荒凉之地。

我余下的子民必掳掠他们，

我国中所余的要得着他们为业。"

10 由于他们的狂傲，这事就临到他们；因为他们自夸自大，辱骂万军之耶和华的子民。11 对于他们，耶和华是可畏惧的，因为他要消灭地上一切神祇；那时，列国海岛上的居民，都各在自己的地方敬拜他。

审判古实与亚述

12 古实人哪！

你们也必被我的刀剑所杀。

13 耶和华必伸手攻击北方，

毁灭亚述，

使尼尼微变成荒场，

干旱像旷野。

14 群畜和各类的走兽必躺卧在其中；

鹈鹕和箭猪栖宿在柱顶上；

窗内有鸣叫的声音，

门槛上必有荒凉；

因为香柏木都要暴露出来。

15 这就是那欢乐安居之城，

她心里曾说：

"只有我，除我以外，再没有别的了。"

现在怎么竟成了荒场、

走兽躺卧之处呢！

凡从那里经过的，

都必舞手嗤笑。