Zephaniah 1 – NIRV & AKCB

New International Reader’s Version

Zephaniah 1:1-18

1A message from the Lord came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi. Cushi was the son of Gedaliah. Gedaliah was the son of Amariah. Amariah was the son of King Hezekiah. The Lord spoke to Zephaniah during the rule of Josiah. He was king of Judah and the son of Amon.

The Lord Will Judge the Whole World

2“I will sweep away everything

from the face of the earth,”

announces the Lord.

3“I will destroy people and animals alike.

I will wipe out the birds in the sky

and the fish in the waters.

I will destroy the statues of gods that cause evil people to sin.

That will happen when I destroy all human beings on the face of the earth,”

announces the Lord.

4“I will reach out my powerful hand against Judah.

I will punish all those who live in Jerusalem.

I will destroy from this place

what is left of Baal worship.

The priests who serve other gods

will be removed.

5I will destroy those who bow down on their roofs

to worship all the stars.

I will destroy those who make promises

not only in my name but also in the name of Molek.

6I will destroy those who stop following the Lord.

They no longer look to him or ask him for advice.

7Be silent in front of him.

He is the Lord and King.

The day of the Lord is near.

The Lord has prepared a sacrifice.

He has set apart for himself

the people he has invited.

8When the Lord’s sacrifice is ready to be offered,

I will punish the officials and the king’s sons.

I will also judge all those who follow

the practices of other nations.

9At that time I will punish

all those who worship other gods.

They fill the temples of their gods

with lies and other harmful things.

10“At that time people at the Fish Gate in Jerusalem

will cry out,” announces the Lord.

“So will those at the New Quarter.

The buildings on the hills will come crashing down

with a loud noise.

11Cry out, you who live in the market places.

All your merchants will be wiped out.

Those who trade in silver will be destroyed.

12At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps.

I will punish those who are so contented.

They are like wine that has not been shaken up.

They think, ‘The Lord won’t do anything.

He won’t do anything good or bad.’

13Their wealth will be stolen.

Their houses will be destroyed.

They will build houses.

But they will not live in them.

They will plant vineyards.

But they will not drink the wine they produce.

14The great day of the Lord is near.

In fact, it is coming quickly.

The cries on that day are bitter.

The Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry.

15At that time I will pour out my anger.

There will be great suffering and pain.

It will be a day of horrible trouble.

It will be a time of darkness and gloom.

It will be filled with the blackest clouds.

16Trumpet blasts and battle cries will be heard.

Soldiers will attack cities

that have forts and corner towers.

17I will bring great trouble on all people.

So they will feel their way around like blind people.

They have sinned against the Lord.

Their blood will be poured out like dust.

Their bodies will lie rotting on the ground.

18Their silver and gold

won’t save them

on the day the Lord pours out his anger.

The whole earth will be burned up

when his jealous anger blazes out.

Everyone who lives on earth

will come to a sudden end.”

Akuapem Twi Contemporary Bible

Sefania 1:1-18

1Awurade asɛm a ɛbaa Sefania a ɔyɛ Kusi ba, Gedalia ba, Amaria ba, Hesekia ba nkyɛn ni. Ɛbaa Yudahene Yosia a ɔyɛ Amon ba no bere so.

Atemmu A Etia Yuda

2“Mɛpra biribiara afi asase so”

nea Awurade se ni,

3“Mɛpra nnipa ne mmoa nyinaa;

mɛpra nnomaa a wɔwɔ wim

ne mpataa a wɔwɔ po mu nyinaa.

Atirimɔdenfo benya wura a esum hɔ nko ara,

sɛ mesɛe adesamma a wɔwɔ asase yi so a,”

nea Awurade se ni.

4“Mɛteɛ me nsa wɔ Yuda

ne wɔn a wɔte Yerusalem nyinaa so;

na mɛsɛe Baal ho biribiara a aka wɔ ha,

na masɛe abosonsomfo ne akɔmfo asɔfo no din

5wɔn a wɔkotow sɔre wɔn adan atifi,

de sɔre abɔde a ɛwɔ wim,

wɔn a wɔkotow de Awurade ka ntam

na wɔde Molek nso ka ntam,

6wɔn nso a wogyae Awurade akyidi

na wɔnhwehwɛ Awurade anaa wommisa nʼase.”

7Monyɛ komm wɔ Asafo Awurade anim,

efisɛ, Awurade da no abɛn.

Awurade asiesie afɔrebɔde;

wadwira wɔn a wato nsa afrɛ wɔn no ho.

8Awurade afɔrebɔ da no,

mɛtwe mmapɔmma

ne ahenemma

ne wɔn a wɔhyehyɛ

ananafo ntade nyinaa aso.

9Saa da no mɛtwe wɔn

a wɔkwati apongua no nyinaa aso.

Wɔn a wɔde akakabensɛm

ne asisi hyehyɛ wɔn abosomfi amaama no.

10“Saa da no,”

sɛnea Awurade se ni,

“Osu befi Mpataa Pon ano,

agyaadwotwa befi Atenae Foforo

na nnyigyei a ano yɛ den afi nkoko no so aba.

11Muntwa adwo, mo a mote adetɔnbea hɔ no

wɔbɛtɔre wɔn a mo ne wɔn di gua ase,

dwetɛ aguadifo nyinaa nso wɔbɛsɛe wɔn.

12Mede akanea bekyin ahwehwɛ Yerusalem mu

na matwe wɔn a wogyaagyaa wɔn ho aso,

wɔn a wɔte sɛ bobesa puw no,

a wodwen se, ‘Awurade renyɛ hwee

sɛ ɛyɛ papa anaa bɔne no.’

13Wɔbɛfom wɔn ahonyade,

na wɔabubu wɔn afi agu.

Wobesisi afi, nanso wɔrentena mu

wɔbɛyɛ bobe mfuw

nanso wɔrennom mu nsa.”

Awurade Da Kɛse No

14Awurade da kɛse no abɛn,

abɛn na ɛreba ntɛm so.

Tie! Osu a wobesu Awurade da no bɛyɛ yaw,

ɔkofo a ɔwɔ hɔ nso nteɛmu bɛyɛ saa ara.

15Saa da no bɛyɛ abufuw da,

ɛyɛ ahoyeraw ne ɔyaw da;

ɛyɛ amanehunu ne ɔsɛe da,

ɛyɛ esum ne kusukuukuu da

ɛyɛ omununkum ne kusuuyɛ da,

16ɛyɛ ntorobɛntohyɛn ne ɔko nteɛmu

a etia nkuropɔn a ɛwɔ bammɔ

ne ntwɔtwɔw so abantenten da.

17“Mede awerɛhow bɛba nnipa no so

na wɔbɛnantew sɛ anifuraefo,

efisɛ wɔayɛ bɔne atia Awurade.

Wobehwie wɔn mogya agu sɛ mfutuma,

na wɔn ayamde nso sɛ atantanne.

18Wɔn dwetɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ

rentumi nnye wɔn nkwa

Awurade abufuw da no.”

Ne ninkutwe mu gya no

bɛhyew ɔman no nyinaa,

na ɔbɛma asase no so tefo nyinaa nkwa

aba awiei mpofirim.