1 ¶ The word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

2 I will totally wipe out everything on the earth, says the LORD.

3 I will sweep away man and beast; I will consume the birds in the air, and the fish in the sea, the wicked with whatever makes them do wrong; and I will destroy man from the face of the earth, says the LORD.

4 I will also stretch out my hand against Judah, and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will get rid of every vestige of Baal that remains in this place, and the names of pagan priests along with the priests;

5 And those who worship the stars of heaven on the housetops; and those who worship and that swear by the LORD, but also swear by Malcam;

6 And those who have turned away from the LORD; and those who do not seek the LORD, or inquire of him.

7 ¶ Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD has prepared a sacrifice, he has invited his guests.

8 And it will come to pass on the day of the LORD’S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all who are dressed in the clothing of pagans.

9 At the same time I will also punish all those who exceed their bounds, who fill their masters’ house with violence and fraud.

10 And it will come to pass at that time, says the LORD, that a cry will come from the fish gate, and a wailing from the second quarter, and a loud crash will echo from the hills.

11 Wail, you inhabitants of Market district, for all the merchants are no more; all those who weigh out silver are cut off.

12 And it will come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and punish the men who are contented in their sins: who say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, nor will he do evil.

13 Therefore their goods will become plunder, and their houses ruins: they will build houses, but not live in them; and they will plant vineyards, but not drink the wine from them.

14 ¶ The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and coming closer, the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter: the mighty man will shriek helplessly.

15 That day will be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and anguish, a day of wreck and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness,

16 A day of the trumpet sounding and the battle cry against the fortified cities, and against the high towers.

17 And I will bring such distress upon men, that they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.

18 Neither their silver or their gold will be able to deliver them on the day of the LORD’S wrath; but the whole world will be consumed by the fire of his jealousy: for he will make a quick end of all those who live on the earth.