This <FI>is<Fi> the exulting city that is dwelling confidently, That is saying in her heart, `I <FI>am<Fi> , and beside me there is none,' How hath she been for a desolation, A crouching-place for beasts, Every one passing by her doth hiss, He doth shake his hand!
Zephaniah 2:13 And He stretcheth His hand against the north, And doth destroy Asshur, And he setteth Nineveh for a desolation, A dry land like a wilderness.
Zephaniah 2:14 And crouched in her midst have droves, Every beast of the nation, Both pelican and hedge-hog in her knobs lodge, A voice doth sing at the window, `Destruction <FI>is<Fi> at the threshold, For the cedar-work is exposed.'
Zephaniah 2:15 This <FI>is<Fi> the exulting city that is dwelling confidently, That is saying in her heart, `I <FI>am<Fi> , and beside me there is none,' How hath she been for a desolation, A crouching-place for beasts, Every one passing by her doth hiss, He doth shake his hand!
The verse centers on "exulting", "city", "dwelling", "confidently", "saying", "heart", "beside", and "none". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "exulting" and "city", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.
The prior verse says "And crouched in her midst have droves...", giving immediate footing for "exulting" and "city". In Zephaniah context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.
A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "exulting" and "city" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.