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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Zephaniah - Chapter 1

Translation and Transliteration of 

1The word of Hashem that came to Tzefanya son of Kushi son of Gedalya son of Amariah son of Chizkiyahu, during the reign of King Yoshiyahu son of Amon of Yehuda.

d'-VAR a-do-NAI a-SHER ha-YAH el t'-fa-NYAH ben-KU-shi ben-g'-DAL-yah ben-a-mar-YAH ben-khiz-ki-YAH bi-MAY yo-shi-YA-hu ben-a-MON me-LEKH y'-hu-DAH

אדְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֣ה ׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָ֗ה אֶל־צְפַנְיָה֙ בֶּן־כּוּשִׁ֣י בֶן־גְּדַלְיָ֔ה בֶּן־אֲמַרְיָ֖ה בֶּן־חִזְקִיָּ֑ה בִּימֵ֛י יֹאשִׁיָּ֥הוּ בֶן־אָמ֖וֹן מֶ֥לֶךְ יְהוּדָֽה׃

2I will sweep everything away From the face of the earth —declares Hashem.

a-SOF a-SEF KOL me-AL pe-NE ha-a-da-MAH ne-UM a-do-NAI

באָסֹ֨ף אָסֵ֜ף כֹּ֗ל מֵעַ֛ל פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָ֖ה נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃

3I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the sky And the fish of the sea. I will make the wicked stumble, And I will destroy mankind From the face of the earth —declares Hashem.

a-SEF a-DAM u-ve-HE-ma, a-SEF o-fa ha-sha-MA-yim u-de-GE ha-YAM, v'-ha-makh-SHE-lot et ha-r'-sha-EEM, v'-hikh-ra-TEE et ha-a-DAM me-al p'-NEI ha-a-da-MAH, ne-um a-do-NAI.

גאָסֵ֨ף אָדָ֜ם וּבְהֵמָ֗ה אָסֵ֤ף עוֹף־הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וּדְגֵ֣י הַיָּ֔ם וְהַמַּכְשֵׁל֖וֹת אֶת־הָרְשָׁעִ֑ים וְהִכְרַתִּ֣י אֶת־הָאָדָ֗ם מֵעַ֛ל פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָ֖ה נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃

4I will stretch out My arm against Yehuda And against all who dwell in Yerushalayim; And I will wipe out from this place Every vestige of Baal, And the name of the priestlings along with the Kohanim;

v'-na-TEE-tee ya-DEE al y'-hu-DAH v'-al kol yo-sh'-VAY y'-ru-sha-LA-im v'-hikh-ra-TEE min ha-ma-KOM ha-ZEH et sh'-AR ha-ba-AL et shaym ha-k'-ma-REEM im ha-ko-ha-NEEM

דוְנָטִ֤יתִי יָדִי֙ עַל־יְהוּדָ֔ה וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְהִכְרַתִּ֞י מִן־הַמָּק֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ אֶת־שְׁאָ֣ר הַבַּ֔עַל אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם הַכְּמָרִ֖ים עִם־הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃

5And those who bow down on the roofs To the host of heaven; And those who bow down and swear to Hashem But also swear by Malcam;

v'-et ha-mish-ta-cha-VEEM al ha-ga-GOT litz-VA ha-sha-MA-yim v'-et ha-mish-ta-cha-VEEM ha-nish-ba-EEM la-a-do-NAI v'-ha-nish-ba-EEM b'-mal-KAM

הוְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁתַּחֲוִ֥ים עַל־הַגַּגּ֖וֹת לִצְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְאֶת־הַמִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙ הַנִּשְׁבָּעִ֣ים לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה וְהַנִּשְׁבָּעִ֖ים בְּמַלְכָּֽם׃

6And those who have forsaken Hashem, And those who have not sought Hashem And have not turned to Him.

v'-et ha-n'-so-GIM me-a-cha-RAY a-do-NAI va-a-SHER lo-vik-SHU et a-do-NAI v'-lo d'-ra-SHU-hu

ווְאֶת־הַנְּסוֹגִ֖ים מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַאֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־בִקְשׁ֥וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א דְרָשֻֽׁהוּ׃

7Be silent before my God, For the day of Hashem is approaching; For Hashem has prepared a sacrificial feast, Has bidden His guests purify themselves.

ha-SAS mi-p'-NEI a-do-NAI y'-ho-VAH, kee ka-ROV yom y'-ho-VAH, kee he-KHEEN y'-ho-VAH ze-VAKH hi-k'-DEESH k'-ru-AV.

זהַ֕ס מִפְּנֵ֖י אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֑ה כִּ֤י קָרוֹב֙ י֣וֹם יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּֽי־הֵכִ֧ין יְהֹוָ֛ה זֶ֖בַח הִקְדִּ֥ישׁ קְרֻאָֽיו׃

8And on the day of Hashem's sacrifice I will punish the officials And the king's sons, And all who don a foreign vestment.

v'-ha-YA b'-YOM ze-VACH a-do-NAI u-fa-ka-D'-tee al ha-sa-REEM v'-al b'-NAY ha-m'-LEKH v'-al kol ha-lov-SHEEM mal-BUSH nokh-REE

חוְהָיָ֗ה בְּיוֹם֙ זֶ֣בַח יְהֹוָ֔ה וּפָקַדְתִּ֥י עַל־הַשָּׂרִ֖ים וְעַל־בְּנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְעַ֥ל כׇּל־הַלֹּבְשִׁ֖ים מַלְבּ֥וּשׁ נׇכְרִֽי׃

9I will also punish on that day Everyone who steps over the threshold, Who fill their master's palace With lawlessness and fraud.

u-fa-KAD-tee al kol ha-do-LEG al ha-mif-TAN ba-YOM ha-HU, ha-m'-mal-EEM bayt a-do-NE-hem kha-MAS u-mir-MAH

טוּפָקַדְתִּ֗י עַ֧ל כׇּל־הַדּוֹלֵ֛ג עַל־הַמִּפְתָּ֖ן בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא הַֽמְמַלְאִ֛ים בֵּ֥ית אֲדֹנֵיהֶ֖ם חָמָ֥ס וּמִרְמָֽה׃

10In that day there shall be —declares Hashem— A loud outcry from the Fish Gate, And howling from the Mishneh, And a sound of great anguish from the hills.

v'-ha-YA va-YOM ha-HU n'-UM a-do-NAI KOL t'-za-AH mi-sha-AR ha-da-GIM vi-la-LAH min ha-mish-NEH v'-SHE-ver ga-DOL me-ha-ge-va-OT

יוְהָיָה֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֗ה ק֤וֹל צְעָקָה֙ מִשַּׁ֣עַר הַדָּגִ֔ים וִֽילָלָ֖ה מִן־הַמִּשְׁנֶ֑ה וְשֶׁ֥בֶר גָּד֖וֹל מֵהַגְּבָעֽוֹת׃

11The dwellers of the Machtesh howl; For all the tradesmen have perished, All who weigh silver are wiped out.

he-LEE-lu yo-SHE-vei ha-mak-TESH, kee nid-MAH kol-am k'-NA-an, nikh-RE-tu kol-neti-LEI ka-SEF.

יאהֵילִ֖ילוּ יֹֽשְׁבֵ֣י הַמַּכְתֵּ֑שׁ כִּ֤י נִדְמָה֙ כׇּל־עַ֣ם כְּנַ֔עַן נִכְרְת֖וּ כׇּל־נְטִ֥ילֵי כָֽסֶף׃

12At that time, I will search Yerushalayim with lamps; And I will punish the men Who rest untroubled on their lees, Who say to themselves, “Hashem will do nothing, good or bad.”

v'-ha-YA ba-ET ha-HEE a-kha-FES et y'-ru-sha-LA-im ba-NE-roht u-fa-KA-de-tee al ha-a-na-SHEEM ha-ko-f'-EEM al shi-m'-RE-hem ha-o-M'-REEM bi-l'-va-VAM lo yai-TEEV a-do-NAI v'-lo ya-RAY-a

יבוְהָיָה֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא אֲחַפֵּ֥שׂ אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם בַּנֵּר֑וֹת וּפָקַדְתִּ֣י עַל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הַקֹּֽפְאִים֙ עַל־שִׁמְרֵיהֶ֔ם הָאֹֽמְרִים֙ בִּלְבָבָ֔ם לֹא־יֵיטִ֥יב יְהֹוָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א יָרֵֽעַ׃

13Their wealth shall be plundered And their homes laid waste. They shall build houses and not dwell in them, Plant vineyards and not drink their wine.

v'-ha-YA kha-YE-lam li-m'-shi-SAH u-ba-TE-hem li-sh'-MA-mah u-va-Nu ba-TEEM v'-lo y'-she-VU v'-na-t'-U k'-ra-MEEM v'-lo yish-TU et-yei-NAM

יגוְהָיָ֤ה חֵילָם֙ לִמְשִׁסָּ֔ה וּבָתֵּיהֶ֖ם לִשְׁמָמָ֑ה וּבָנ֤וּ בָתִּים֙ וְלֹ֣א יֵשֵׁ֔בוּ וְנָטְע֣וּ כְרָמִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁתּ֖וּ אֶת־יֵינָֽם׃

14The great day of Hashem is approaching, Approaching most swiftly. Hark, the day of Hashem! It is bitter: There a warrior shrieks!

ka-ROV yom-a-do-NAI ha-ga-DOL ka-ROV u-m'-HER m'-OD, KOL yom-a-do-NAI mar tzo-RAY-akh sham gi-BOR

ידקָר֤וֹב יוֹם־יְהֹוָה֙ הַגָּד֔וֹל קָר֖וֹב וּמַהֵ֣ר מְאֹ֑ד ק֚וֹל י֣וֹם יְהֹוָ֔ה מַ֥ר צֹרֵ֖חַ שָׁ֥ם גִּבּֽוֹר׃

15That day shall be a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of calamity and desolation, A day of darkness and deep gloom, A day of densest clouds,

YOM ev-RAH ha-YOM ha-HU YOM tza-RAH um-tzu-KAH YOM sho-AH um-sho-AH YOM KHO-shekh va-a-fay-LAH YOM a-NAN va-a-ra-FEL

טוי֥וֹם עֶבְרָ֖ה הַיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא י֧וֹם צָרָ֣ה וּמְצוּקָ֗ה י֤וֹם שֹׁאָה֙ וּמְשׁוֹאָ֔ה י֥וֹם חֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙ וַאֲפֵלָ֔ה י֥וֹם עָנָ֖ן וַעֲרָפֶֽל׃

 1:15  A day of calamity and desolation

People stand for the Yom Hashoah siren in Jerusalem

The Hebrew name of Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom Hashoah (יום השואה), comes from this verse. When describing the devastating destruction of Yerushalayim, Tzefanya refers to that day as yom shoah umishoah (יום שואה ומשואה), ‘A day of calamity and desolation’. Yom Hashoah was established by the Knesset in memory of the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis during World War II. It coincides with the anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising, remembering not only the destruction of European Jewry, but also the heroic revolt which serves as a symbol of defiance against oppression. Yom Hashoah is commemorated in Israel with a siren that is sounded in the morning, bringing everyone, even highway traffic, to a standstill for a minute of silence in memory of those who perished in the Holocaust. Memorial ceremonies are held throughout the country, and entertainment establishments are closed in the evening, to focus on the solemness of the day.

16A day of shofar blasts and alarms— Against the fortified towns And the lofty corner towers.

YOM sho-FAR u-te-ru-AH al he-a-RIM ha-b'-tzu-ROT v'-al ha-pi-NOT ha-ge-VO-hot

טזי֥וֹם שׁוֹפָ֖ר וּתְרוּעָ֑ה עַ֚ל הֶעָרִ֣ים הַבְּצֻר֔וֹת וְעַ֖ל הַפִּנּ֥וֹת הַגְּבֹהֽוֹת׃

17I will bring distress on the people, And they shall walk like blind men, Because they sinned against Hashem; Their blood shall be spilled like dust, And their fat like dung.

va-ha-tze-RO-tee la-a-DAM v'-ha-le-KHU ka-i-VE-reem, ki la-a-do-NAI cha-TA-u, v'-shu-PAKH da-MAM ke-a-FAR, u-l'-chu-MAM ka-ge-la-LEEM.

יזוַהֲצֵרֹ֣תִי לָאָדָ֗ם וְהָֽלְכוּ֙ כַּֽעִוְרִ֔ים כִּ֥י לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה חָטָ֑אוּ וְשֻׁפַּ֤ךְ דָּמָם֙ כֶּעָפָ֔ר וּלְחֻמָ֖ם כַּגְּלָלִֽים׃

18Moreover, their silver and gold Shall not avail to save them. On the day of Hashem's wrath, In the fire of His passion, The whole land shall be consumed; For He will make a terrible end Of all who dwell in the land.

gam-kas-PAm gam-ze-HAvam lo-yu-KHAL l'-ha-TZI-lam b'-YOM e-v'rat a-do-NAI u-v'-ESH kin-a-TO t'-a-KHEL kol-ha-A-retz, ki-kha-LAH akh-niv-ha-LAH ya-a-SEH et kol-yosh-VAY ha-A-retz. (Selah)

יחגַּם־כַּסְפָּ֨ם גַּם־זְהָבָ֜ם לֹא־יוּכַ֣ל לְהַצִּילָ֗ם בְּיוֹם֙ עֶבְרַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה וּבְאֵשׁ֙ קִנְאָת֔וֹ תֵּאָכֵ֖ל כׇּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־כָלָ֤ה אַךְ־נִבְהָלָה֙ יַעֲשֶׂ֔ה אֵ֥ת כׇּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֖י הָאָֽרֶץ׃