Zephaniah 1

¹ This na message wey God give Zephaniah for the time wey Joshia son of Amon be king of Judah. (Zephaniah come from King Hezekiah through Amariah, Gedaliah, and Cushi.)

² God talk say, “I go destroy everything on top earth,

³ all human beings and animals, birds, and fish. I go destroy the wicked. I go destroy all human being, and nobody go survive. I, the LORD, don talk.

⁴ “I go punish people of Jerusalem and Judah. I go destroy the last trace of place wey dem dey worship Baal, and nobody go remember the pagan priests wey dey worship am.

⁵ I go punish anyone wey go on top roof and worship the sun, moon, and stars. I go also destroy those wey worship and obey me, but dem still dey make promise with name of the god Molech.

⁶ I go destroy those wey don turn back and no dey follow me again, those wey no come to me or ask me make I guide them.”

⁷ God day of judgement dey come soon; so make una dey silent for him presence. God dey prepare to sacrifice him people and he don invite enemy make dem rob Judah.

⁸ God say, “On that day I go punish national leaders, the king sons, and all people wey dey do wetin foreign country dey do.

⁹ I go punish those wey worship like pagans and wey dey thief and kill so that dem fit fill their master house with wetin dem thief.

¹⁰ I, the LORD, promise say, on that day una go hear sound of cry from Fish gate for Jerusalem. Una go hear sorrow for new part of town and sound of destruction inside hills.

¹¹ People wey dey the lower part of the city go cry loud, because all traders and rich business people go perish!

¹² For that time, I go search Jerusalem. I go punish those people wey no dey worry and get strong mind, wey sit for there dey talk say, “God no dey do anything. He no dey help, and he no dey cause trouble.”

¹³ Others go thief their wealth and destroy their house. Dem no go live for house wey dem dey build or drink wine from vineyard wey dem dey plant.”

¹⁴ The great day of God dey near and e dey come fast! E go be a bitter day, and even soldiers wey strong pass go cry.

¹⁵ God go show him anger that time. E go be time of terrible trouble and time of destruction. E go be time of darkness – e go black, cloud go full am, and storm go plenty that day.

¹⁶ a day wey sound of war trumpets and battle cry of soldiers go full, as dem dey attack city wey get strong protection and high towers.

¹⁷ God say, “I go make life hard on the people. Dem go waka around like the blind wey no know where dem dey go. E go happen like that because dem don sin against the LORD. Their blood go scatter for ground. Their dead body go scatter for ground like shit.”

¹⁸ Their gold and silver no go help them! For that time, God go vex. God go destroy the whole world! He go destroy everyone on top earth