צפניה ג׳:א׳-י״ג

הוֹי מֹרְאָה וְנִגְאָלָה. עַד עַכְשָׁיו דִּבֵּר בְּנִינְוֵה, וְעַכְשָׁיו חוֹזֵר עַל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם: הוֹי, שֶׁתְּהֵא לְבַז וּלְסְחִי כְּרֹאִי, וּתְהֵא מְגֹאֶלֶת בִּצְחַן עֲוֹנָהּ. מֹרְאָה – כְּמוֹ ״מֻרְאָתוֹ״ (ויקרא א:טז), ״וְשַׂמְתִּיךְ כְּרֹאִי״ (נחום ג:ו).

Woe to her who is filthy and polluted Until now, Zephaniah was speaking of Ninveh, but now he refers to Jerusalem: Woe to her who is destined to be plundered and sullied like dung. It will be polluted with the filth of its iniquity. filthy as in (Lev. 1:16) “its crop”; and (Nahum 3:6) “And I will make you like dung.”

הָעִיר הַיּוֹנָה. כְּיוֹנָה פּוֹתָה אֵין לֵב.

the dove like city Like a silly dove, without a heart.

זְאֵבֵי עֶרֶב. הַמְּמַהֲרִים לֶאֱכֹל טַרְפָּם בַּלַּיְלָה.

wolves of the evening who hasten to devour their prey at night.

לֹא גָרְמוּ לַבֹּקֶר. לֹא הִשְׁאִירוּ אַף הָעֲצָמוֹת לִגְרֹם לַבֹּקֶר.

They did not leave over the bones for morning They did not leave over even the bones to gnaw in the morning.

חָמְסוּ תּוֹרָה. לֹא הוֹרוּ אוֹתָהּ לְשׁוֹאֲלֵיהֶם.

they removed the Torah They did not teach it to those who inquired of them.

ה׳ צַדִּיק. הִשְׁרָה שְׁכִינָתוֹ בְּקִרְבָּם, וּלְפִיכָךְ אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִרְאוֹת בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם הָרָעִים, כִּי צַדִּיק הוּא וְאֵין עַוְלָה לְפָנָיו.

The Lord is just He caused His Shechinah to rest in their midst; therefore, He cannot look upon their evil deeds. He is just, and there is no injustice before Him.

מִשְׁפָּטוֹ יִתֵּן לָאוֹר. נוֹתֵן לָאוֹר, דָּן דִּין אֱמֶת לַאֲמִתּוֹ.

He brings His judgment to light He judges a true judgment to its absolute truth.

וְלֹא יוֹדֵעַ עַוָּל בֹּשֶׁת. וְכָל זֶה לֹא נָתְנוּ שׁוֹפְטֵי עָוֶל שֶׁבְּתוֹכָהּ אֶל לִבָּם לְהִתְבַּיֵּשׁ מִן הַצַּדִּיק הַשּׁוֹכֵן בֵּינֵיהֶם.

But the one who commits injustice knows no shame But the unjust judges do not take it to heart, to be ashamed because of the Righteous One Who dwells among them.

הִכְרַתִּי גוֹיִם. הֵבֵאתִי פֻּרְעָנוּת עַל הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּרְאוּ וְתִירָאוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא מְסַיֵּם וְהוֹלֵךְ: ״אָמַרְתִּי אַךְ תִּירְאִי אוֹתִי״.

I have cut off nations I brought retribution upon the nations so that you should see and fear as He concludes, “I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me.’”

וְלֹא יִכָּרֵת מְעוֹנָהּ. וְלֹא יֶחֶרְבוּן מְדוֹרֶיהָ.

I said, “Surely you will fear Me... and her dwelling shall not be cut off” Her dwellings shall not be destroyed.

כָּל אֲשֶׁר פָּקַדְתִּי עָלֶיהָ. וְלֹא יִכָּרֵת מִמֶּנּוּ כָּל הַטּוֹב אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי לְהָבִיא עָלֶיהָ.

all that I ordained upon her And all the good that I ordained to bring upon her shall not be cut off from her.

קוּמִי לְעַד. שֶׁאָקוּם לְהִתְוַעֵד עֲלֵיכֶם.

That I will rise up to meet When I will rise to meet with you.

מֵעֵבֶר לְנַהֲרֵי כוּשׁ. יוֹבִילוּן לִי מִנְחָה.

From the other side of the rivers of Cush They will bring Me an offering.

עֲתָרַי. אֶת הַמִּתְפַּלְּלִין אֵלַי.

My supplicants those who pray to me.

בַּת פּוּצַי. כְּנֵסִיּוֹת נְפוּצוֹתַי אֲשֶׁר הֲפִיצוֹתִי.

the community of My scattered ones The gatherings of My scattered ones, whom I scattered.

לֹא תֵבוֹשִׁי מִכָּל עֲלִילוֹתַיִךְ. כִּי כְּבָר לָקִית וְנִרְצָה עֲוֹנֵךְ.

you shall not be ashamed of all your deeds Because you have already suffered, and your iniquity has been expiated.

עַם עָנִי וָדָל. עַם עַנְוְתָן וּמְקַבֵּל עֻלְבָּן.

a humble and poor people A humble people that submits to humiliation.