Zephaniah 3

¹ Jerusalem don suffer, that corrupt, rebellious city wey dey oppress their own people.

² E no listen to God or accept him teachings. E no put him trust in God or ask am for help.

³ Jerusalem leaders be like roaring lion; their judges be like wolve wey dey hungry, wey come for evening con attack the sheep – and for morning nothing remain.

⁴ Jerusalem prophet dey proud and person no fit trust them. The priest don disgrace place of worship and don abuse the law of God.

⁵ And God still dey the city dey do wetin right and no dey do wrong. He no dey fail to bring justice to him people every morning. And yet the unrighteous people there dey do wrong thing and no dey shame.

⁶ God talk say, “I don destroy the whole nation; I don destroy their city and don destroy their towers and walls. The city don empty; the street don empty – no one remain.

⁷ I think say my people go respect or accept my teachings, say dem no go forget the lesson wey I teach dem. But soon dem begin dey behave bad like before.

⁸ “God talk say, “make una just wait” wait for the time when I go accuse the nations. I don make up my mind to gather nations and kingdom to show them my anger. The whole earth go be perish by fire of my anger.

⁹ Then I go change the people of the nation, and dem no go pray to other gods but me alone. All of dem go obey me.

¹⁰ Even Ethiopia go bring offering to me from distance.

¹¹ And that time, una my people no go dey shame again say una no obey me before. I go remove everyone wey dey proud and get strong head and una no go disobey me on top my holy hill.

¹² I go leave humble people for there wey go come to me for help.

¹³ The people of Israel wey remain no go do wrong to anyone, tell lies, or try to dey deceive. Dem go dey successful and secure, dem no go fear anyone.”

¹⁴ Make una sing for joy, people of Israel! Rejoice with una heart Jerusalem!

¹⁵ God don end una punishment; he don remove all of una enemies. The LORD king of Israel dey with una, una no need to fear.

¹⁶ The time dey come when dem go say to Jerusalem, “make una no fear, city of Zion!

¹⁷ The LORD una God dey with una; him power dey give una victory. God go dey happy with una, and for him love he go give una new life. He go sing and dey joyful over una,

¹⁸ as people wey dey for festival. God talk say, “I don end the threat of trouble and I don take away una shame.

¹⁹ The time dey come! I go punish una oppressor, I go rescue all the lame and bring the people wey dey foreign country come home. I go turn their shame to honor, and all the world go praise dem.

²⁰ The time dey come! I go bring una people wey don scatter come home; I go make una famous all over the world and I go make una prosper again. God don talk.