Zephaniah 3:5-7

Contemporary English Version

⁶ The Lord wiped out nations
and left fortresses
    crumbling in the dirt.
Their streets and towns
were reduced to ruins
    and emptied of people.
⁷ God felt certain that Jerusalem
would learn to respect
    and obey him.
Then he would hold back
from punishing the city
    and not wipe it out.
But everyone there was eager
    to start sinning again.