Zephaniah 1

1 ¹Di word of our Papa come reach Zephaniah, pikin of Cushi, wey be pikin of Gedaliah, wey be pikin of Amariah, wey be pikin of Hezekiah, for di time wey Josiah, pikin of Amon, dey rule Judah.

²“I go sweep everytin comot completely from di face of di ground,’ na so our Papa talk.

How Judah Waka Comot Far Far

³“I go sweep man and animal comot; I go sweep di birds of di sky and di fish of di sea comot, and di rubbish of idols along with di wicked people. I go cut human being comot from di face of di ground,’ na so our Papa talk. ⁴‘I go stretch my hand against Judah and against everybody wey dey live for Jerusalem. From dis place I go cut comot every remnant of Baal, di name of di idol priests along with di priests, ⁵dem wey dey bow down for on top roof to di stars for sky, dem wey dey bow down and dey swear by our Papa but dem still dey swear by Milcom, ^a a v5 Milcom na di chief god of di Ammonite people; di name itself carry di meaning of kingship. ⁶and dem wey turn back from following our Papa, wey no dey look for our Papa or ask am anytin.”

⁷Keep quiet for front of di Sovereign Papa! Because di day of our Papa dey near; e don prepare sacrifice and e don set apart di people wey e invite. ^b b v7 Di day of our Papa — di day wey e go take action imsef. FHB call im name here so di reader go meet di Papa wey dey judge, no be some deity wey dey far. Di same Papa wey dey create and dey rescue na im go bring di age to di reckoning wey e don appoint.

⁸“For di day of our Papa im sacrifice I go punish di officials and di king im sons and everybody wey dey dress imsef with foreign cloth. ⁹For dat day I go punish everybody wey dey jump over di doorway, wey dey fill dem master house with violence and lie. ^c c v9 To jump over di doorway na pagan superstition, e fit connect to di Philistine practice for Dagon temple (see 1 Samuel 5:5). ¹⁰For dat day,’ na so our Papa talk, ‘cry go rise up from di Fish Gate, wailing from di Second Quarter, and one loud crash from di hills. ¹¹Wail, una wey dey live for di Mortar! Because all di traders don keep quiet; everybody wey dey weigh silver don cut comot.’” ^d d v11 Di Mortar (Hebrew Maktesh) na hollow market district of Jerusalem, wey dem name because e shape like bowl.

¹²For dat time I go search Jerusalem with lamps and punish di men wey settle down like wine wey siddon for on top im dregs, wey dey talk for dem heart say, “God no go do anytin—no good, no bad. ^e e v12 Wine wey dem leave siddon for on top im dregs go thick and turn sour — na picture of people wey don settle and too comfortable to expect anytin from our Papa.

¹³Dem go plunder dem wealth and turn dem houses to waste. Dem go build houses but dem no go live inside; dem go plant vineyards but dem no go drink di wine.”

¹⁴Di great day of our Papa dey near—e dey near and e dey come quick quick. Listen! Di day of our Papa bitter; na for there di strong warrior dey cry out. ¹⁵Dat day na day of vex, na day of trouble and pain, na day of ruin and destruction, na day of darkness and gloom, na day of clouds and thick darkness, ¹⁶na day of trumpet blast and battle cry against di cities wey get wall and against di high corner towers.

¹⁷“I go bring such trouble on people wey go make dem dey feel-feel their way like blind people, because dem don sin against our Papa. Dem go pour dem blood comot like dust and dem flesh like dung. ¹⁸No be dem silver, no be dem gold go fit save dem for di day of our Papa im vex. For di fire of im jealousy di whole earth go burn finish, because e go bring sudden end to everybody wey dey for earth.”