1The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah.
2"I will sweep everything away from the face of the land," says the LORD.
3"I will sweep away man and beast. I will sweep away the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, and the things that make people stumble, along with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the land," says the LORD.
4"I will also stretch out my hand against Judah, and against all the people who live in Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place all that is left of Baal, and the name of the idol priests along with the other priests."
5"I will cut off those who bow down on the housetops to the stars of the sky, and those who bow down and swear by the LORD and also swear by Malcham,"
6"and those who have turned back from following the LORD, and those who have not sought the LORD or asked for him."
7Be silent before the Lord GOD, for the day of the LORD is near. The LORD has prepared a sacrifice; he has set apart his guests.
8"On the day of the LORD's sacrifice I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all who are dressed in foreign clothing."
9"On that same day I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their masters' houses with violence and lies."
10"On that day," says the LORD, "there will be the sound of crying from the fish gate, and wailing from the second part of the city, and a great crashing from the hills."
11Wail, you who live in Maktesh, for all the trading people are destroyed. All who weigh out silver are cut off.
12"At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and punish the men who settle down like wine on its dregs, who say in their heart, 'The LORD will not do good, and he will not do evil.'"
13"So their goods will be taken as plunder, and their houses left in ruins. They will build houses, but not live in them. They will plant vineyards, but not drink their wine."
14The great day of the LORD is near. It is near, and it comes very fast. Listen to the day of the LORD: there the strong man cries out bitterly.
15That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of ruin and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
16a day of the trumpet and the battle cry against the walled cities and against the high towers.
17"I will bring distress on people, so that they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung."
18Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the LORD's wrath. The whole land will be eaten up by the fire of his jealousy, for he will make a sudden end of all who live in the land.