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.”
1Yehova anayankhula ndi Zefaniya mwana wa Kusi, mwana wa Gedaliya, mwana wa Amariya, mwana wa Hezekiya pa nthawi ya Yosiya, mwana wa Amoni, mfumu ya Yuda.
Yehova Adzaweruza Dziko Lapansi
2“Ndidzawononga kotheratu zinthu zonse
pa dziko lapansi,”
akutero Yehova.
3“Ndidzawononga anthu pamodzi ndi nyama zomwe;
ndidzawononga mbalame zamlengalenga
ndi nsomba za mʼnyanja.
Ndidzawononga anthu oyipa,
ndipo ndidzafafaniza mtundu wa anthu pa dziko lonse lapansi,”
akutero Yehova.
Chenjezo kwa Yuda
4Ndidzatambasula dzanja langa pa Yuda
ndi onse okhala mu Yerusalemu.
Ndidzawononga pamalo pano otsalira opembedza Baala,
mayina a anthu osapembedza pamodzi ndi ansembe a mafano:
5amene amagwada pa madenga a nyumba zawo
kupembedza zolengedwa zamumlengalenga,
amene amagwada ndi kulumbira mʼdzina la Yehova,
komanso mʼdzina la Moleki,
6amene abwerera mʼmbuyo osatsata Yehova,
osafunafuna kapena kupempha nzeru kwa Yehova.
7Khalani chete pamaso pa Ambuye Yehova,
chifukwa tsiku la Yehova layandikira.
Yehova wakonzekera kupereka nsembe;
wapatula iwo amene wawayitana.
8Pa tsiku la nsembe ya Yehova
ndidzalanga akalonga
ndi ana aamuna a mfumu
ndi onse amene amavala
zovala zachilendo.
9Pa tsiku limenelo ndidzalanga
onse amene safuna kuponda pa chiwundo,
amene amadzaza nyumba ya ambuye awo
ndi chiwawa ndi chinyengo.
10“Pa tsiku limenelo,” akutero Yehova,
“Kufuwula kwakukulu kudzamveka pa Chipata cha Nsomba,
kulira kwa chisoni kuchokera mʼChigawo Chatsopano,
ndi phokoso la kugumuka kochokera ku mapiri.
11Lirani mwachisoni, inu amene mumakhala kumene kuli msika;
a malonda anu onse adzapululidwa,
ndiponso onse amene ali ndi siliva adzawonongedwa.
12Pa nthawi imeneyo ndidzafufuzafufuza mu Yerusalemu ndi nyale
ndi kulanga onse amene sakulabadira,
amene ali ngati vinyo wosakhutchumulidwa,
amene amaganiza kuti, ‘Yehova sadzachita chilichonse,
chabwino kaya choyipa.’
13Chuma chawo chidzafunkhidwa,
nyumba zawo zidzagwetsedwa.
Adzamanga nyumba,
koma osakhalamo;
adzadzala minda ya mpesa
koma sadzamwako vinyo wake.”
Tsiku Lalikulu la Yehova
14Tsiku lalikulu la Yehova layandikira,
layandikira ndipo lifika msanga.
Tamverani! Kulira kwa pa tsiku la Yehova kudzakhala kowawa,
ngakhale munthu wolimba mtima adzalira kwambiri.
15Tsiku limenelo lidzakhala la ukali,
tsiku losautsa ndi lomvetsa chisoni,
tsiku la mavuto ndi la chiwonongeko,
tsiku la mdima ndi lachisoni,
tsiku la mitambo ndi la mdima wandiweyani.
16Tsiku loliza lipenga ndi la mfuwu wankhondo,
tsiku la kugwa kwa mizinda yotetezedwa
ndi nsanja za pa ngodya.
17Ndidzabweretsa msautso pa anthu
ndipo adzayenda ngati anthu osaona,
chifukwa achimwira Yehova,
magazi awo adzamwazika ngati fumbi
ndi mnofu wawo ngati ndowe.
18Ngakhale siliva wawo kapena golide wawo
sadzatha kuwapulumutsa
pa tsiku la ukali wa Yehova.
Dziko lonse lapansi lidzanyeka
mʼmoto wa nsanje yake
chifukwa adzakantha modzidzimutsa
onse okhala pa dziko lapansi.
