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But the Lord in its midst is just,
    doing no wrong;
Morning after morning rendering judgment
    unfailingly, at dawn;
    the wicked, however, know no shame.

I have cut down nations,
    their battlements are laid waste;
I have made their streets deserted,
    with no one passing through;
Their cities are devastated,
    with no one dwelling in them.(A)
I said, “Surely now you will fear me,
    you will accept correction;
They cannot fail to see
    all I have brought upon them.”
Yet the more eagerly they have done
    all their corrupt deeds.

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The Lord within her is righteous;(A)
    he does no wrong.(B)
Morning by morning(C) he dispenses his justice,
    and every new day he does not fail,(D)
    yet the unrighteous know no shame.(E)

Jerusalem Remains Unrepentant

“I have destroyed nations;
    their strongholds are demolished.
I have left their streets deserted,
    with no one passing through.
Their cities are laid waste;(F)
    they are deserted and empty.
Of Jerusalem I thought,
    ‘Surely you will fear me
    and accept correction!’(G)
Then her place of refuge[a] would not be destroyed,
    nor all my punishments come upon[b] her.
But they were still eager
    to act corruptly(H) in all they did.

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Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 3:7 Or her sanctuary
  2. Zephaniah 3:7 Or all those I appointed over