Zekariya 1
1 Mwezi wachisanu ndi chitatu, mʼchaka chachiwiri cha ulamuliro wa Dariyo, Yehova anayankhula ndi mneneri Zekariya mwana wa Berekiya, mwana wa Ido, kuti:
[I am] Zechariah, a prophet, the son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo. When Darius [had been the emperor of Persia] for almost two years, during November [of that year], Yahweh gave me this message:
2 “Yehova anakwiya kwambiri ndi makolo anu.
“I was very angry with your ancestors.
3 Choncho awuze anthuwa kuti, ‘Yehova Wamphamvuzonse akuti, ‘Bwererani kwa Ine,’ akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse. ‘Ndipo Ine ndidzabwerera kwa inu,’ akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse.
So tell this to the people: [I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, say, ‘Return to me, and [if you do that], I will [help] you again.
4 Musakhale ngati makolo anu, amene aneneri akale anawalalikira kuti: Yehova Wamphamvuzonse akuti, ‘Tsopano lekani njira zanu zoyipa ndi machitidwe anu oyipawo.’ Koma iwo sanamvere kapena kulabadira za Ine, akutero Yehova.
Do not be like your ancestors. [Other] prophets, who have now died, [continually] proclaimed to your ancestors that they should stop doing the evil things that they were continually doing. But they refused to pay attention to what I said.
5 Kodi makolo anuwo ali kuti tsopano? Nanga aneneri, kodi amakhalapo mpaka muyaya?
Your ancestors [have died and are now in their graves] [RHQ]. And the prophets did not [RHQ] live forever, [either].
6 Kodi mawu anga ndi malangizo anga, amene ndinawawuza atumiki anga aneneri, suja anawachitira makolo anu? “Tsono iwo analapa ndi kunena kuti, ‘Yehova Wamphamvuzonse watichitira zomwe zikuyenera njira zathu ndi machitidwe athu, monga anatsimikiza kuti adzachita.’”
But I punished [IDM] [the people for disobeying] the commands and the decrees which I commanded my servants the prophets [to tell to the people]. Then they (repented/turned away from their evil behavior) and said, ‘The Commander of the armies of angels has done to us what we deserved for our evil behavior, just like he said that he would do.’”
7 Tsiku la 24 la mwezi wa 11, mwezi wa Sebati, chaka chachiwiri cha ulamuliro wa Dariyo, Yehova anayankhula ndi Zekariya mwana wa Berekiya, mwana wa Ido.
[Three months later], on February 15, Yahweh gave [another] message to me.
8 Nthawi ya usiku ndinaona masomphenya. Ndinaona munthu atakwera pa kavalo wofiira. Iye anayima pakati pa mitengo ya mchisu mʼchigwa. Kumbuyo kwake kunali akavalo ofiira, akhofi ndi oyera.
During the night [I had a vision. In the vision] I saw an [angel] who was on a red horse. He was in a narrow valley among some myrtle trees. Behind him were [angels on] red, brown, and white horses.
9 Ine ndinafunsa kuti, “Mbuye wanga, kodi zimenezi ndi chiyani?” Mngelo amene amayankhula nane anayankha kuti, “Ndidzakuonetsa kuti zimenezi ndi chiyani.”
I asked the angel who had been talking to me, “Sir, who are those [angels on the horses]?” He replied, “I will show you who they are.”
10 Pamenepo munthu amene anayima pakati pa mitengo ya mchisu anafotokoza kuti, “Amenewa ndiwo amene Yehova wawatuma kuti ayendere dziko lonse lapansi.”
Then the [angel] who had been under the myrtle trees explained. [He said, ] “They are the [angels] whom Yahweh sent [to (patrol/see what is happening in)] the [entire] world.”
11 Ndipo okwera pa akavalo enawo anafotokoza kwa mngelo wa Yehova, amene anayima pakati pa mitengo ya mchisu kuti, “Ife tayendera dziko lonse lapansi ndipo tapeza kuti dziko lonselo lili pa bata ndi mtendere.”
Then those angels reported to the angel who was [there] among the myrtle trees, “We have traveled throughout the world, and we have found out that [the army of the emperor of Persia has conquered nations] throughout the world, [and that] those nations are now (helpless/unable to resist his army).”
12 Tsono mngelo wa Yehova anati, “Yehova Wamphamvuzonse, kodi mpaka liti mudzakhala osaonetsa chifundo chanu kwa Yerusalemu ndi mizinda ya Yuda, amene mwawakwiyira kwa zaka izi 70?”
Then the angel asked, “Commander of the armies of angels, how long will you continue to not be merciful to Jerusalem and the [other] towns in Judah? You have been angry with them for 70 years!”
13 Choncho Yehova anayankhula mawu abwino ndi achitonthozo kwa mngelo amene ankayankhula nane.
[So] Yahweh spoke kindly to the angel who had talked to me, saying things that comforted/encouraged him.
14 Pamenepo mngelo amene ankayankhula nane anati, “Lengeza mawu awa: Yehova Wamphamvuzonse akuti, ‘Ine ndikuchitira nsanje Yerusalemu ndi Ziyoni,
Then the angel who had been talking with me said to me, “Proclaim this [to the people of Jerusalem]: The Commander of the armies of angels says that he is very concerned about [the people who live on] Zion [Hill] and [in the other parts of] Jerusalem.
15 koma ndakwiya kwambiri ndi anthu a mitundu ina amene akuganiza kuti ali pa mtendere. Ndinakwiyira anthu anga pangʼono pokha, koma iwo anawonjeza kuzunza anthu angawo.’
But he is very angry with the nations that are [proud and feel] safe. He was only a little bit angry [with the people of Judah], but [he is very angry with the surrounding nations because] they caused [the people of Judah to experience] complete disaster.
16 “Choncho, Yehova akuti, ‘Ndidzabwerera ku Yerusalemu ndi mtima wachifundo, nyumba yanga adzayimanganso kumeneko. Ndipo adzatenganso chingwe choyezera kuti amange Yerusalemu,’ akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse.
Therefore, this is what he says: ‘I will again be merciful to [the people of] Jerusalem, and they will rebuild my temple. Men will measure [all the land in] the city [before they start rebuilding the houses].’
17 “Lengezanso kuti, Yehova Wamphamvuzonse akuti, ‘Mizinda yanga idzakhalanso ndi zokoma zosefukira ndipo Yehova adzatonthoza Ziyoni ndi kusankhanso Yerusalemu.’”
The Commander of the armies of angels [also] said this: ‘Tell the people that [the people in] my towns [in Judah] will soon be very prosperous again, and I will encourage [the people of] Jerusalem, and their city will again be my chosen [city].’”
18 Kenaka ndinayangʼananso, ndipo patsogolo panga panali nyanga zinayi.
Then I looked up, and I saw in front of me four [animal] horns.
19 Ndinamufunsa mngelo amene amayankhula nane kuti, “Kodi zimenezi ndi chiyani?” Iye anandiyankha kuti, “Izi ndi nyanga zimene zinabalalitsa Yuda, Israeli ndi Yerusalemu.”
I asked the angel who had been speaking to me, “What are those [horns]?” He replied, “Those horns [represent the armies that] forced [the people of] Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah and Israel to go [to other countries].”
20 Kenaka Yehova anandionetsa amisiri azitsulo anayi.
Then Yahweh showed me four (craftsmen/men who make things from metal).
21 Ndinafunsa kuti, “Amisiri a zitsulowa akudzachita chiyani?” Iye anayankha kuti, “Izi ndi nyanga zimene zinabalalitsa Yuda kotero kuti panalibe wina amene akanalimbana nazo, koma amisiri a zitsulowa abwera kudzaziopseza ndi kugwetsa nyanga zimenezi za mitundu ya anthu amene analimbana ndi dziko la Yuda ndi kubalalitsa anthu ake.”
I asked, “What are those men coming to do?” He replied, “[The armies represented by] those horns caused [the people of] Judah to be scattered, with the result that they suffered greatly. But the craftsmen have come to cause those who attacked [IDM] Judah to be terrified and crushed.”
