1 This is the word ofAdonaithat came to Tz’fanyah the son of Kushi, the son of G’dalyah, the son of Amaryah, the son of Hizkiyah, during the reign of Yoshiyahu the son of Amon, king of Y’hudah:
2 “I will completely sweep away everything
off the face of the land,” saysAdonai.
3 “I will sweep away humans and animals,
the birds in the air and the fish in the sea,
also the wicked and what makes them stumble;
I will wipe humanity off the land,” saysAdonai.
4 “I will stretch out my hand over Y’hudah
and all those living in Yerushalayim.
I will wipe every remnant of Ba‘al from this place,
the idol-serving priests and even their names,
5 those worshipping heaven’s army on the roofs,
also those who worship and swear byAdonai
but swear by Malkam as well,
6 those who turned away from followingAdonai,
and those who haven’t soughtAdonai
or consulted him at all.”
7 Keep silent beforeAdonaiElohim,
for the Day ofAdonaiis near.
Adonaihas prepared a sacrifice;
he has set apart those he invited.
8 When the time comes forAdonai’s sacrifice —
“I will punish the leaders
and the sons of the king,
also those who dress in foreign clothes.
9 On the same day I will also punish
all who jump over the threshold
to fill the house of their master
with violence and deceit.
10 Also on that day,” saysAdonai,
“a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate,
wailing from the city’s Second Quarter
and a loud crash from the hills.
11 Wail, you who live down in the hollow,
because all the merchants are destroyed,
all who trade with silver are ruined.
12 When that time comes, I will search
Yerushalayim with lamps
and punish those who are [smug and thick,
like wine] left too long on its dregs,
who say to themselves, ‘Adonaiwill do nothing —
neither good nor bad.’
13 For this, their wealth will be plundered;
and their houses will be destroyed.
Yes, they will build houses but not live in them;
they will plant vineyards but not drink the wine.”
14 The great Day ofAdonaiis near,
near and coming very quickly;
Hear the sound of the Day ofAdonai!
When it’s here, even a warrior will cry bitterly.
15 That Day is a Day of fury,
a Day of trouble and distress,
a Day of waste and desolation,
a Day of darkness and gloom,
a Day of clouds and thick fog,
16 a Day of theshofarand battle-cry
against the fortified cities
and against the high towers [on the city walls].
17 “I will bring such distress on people
that they will grope their way like the blind,
because they have sinned againstAdonai.
Their blood will be poured out like dust
and their bowels like dung.
18 Neither their silver nor their gold
will be able to save them.
On the day ofAdonai’s fury,
the whole land will be destroyed
in the fire of his jealousy.
For he will make an end, a horrible end,
of all those living in the land.”