Zechariah 1
1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the LORD’s word came to the prophet Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying,
Ngenyanga yesificaminwemibili yomnyaka wesibili kaDariyu, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kumphrofethi uZakhariya indodana kaBherekhiya, indodana ka-Ido lisithi:
2 “The LORD was very displeased with your fathers.
“UThixo wazondiswa kakhulu ngokhokho benu.
3 Therefore tell them, the LORD of Armies says: ‘Return to me,’ says the LORD of Armies, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the LORD of Armies.
Ngakho tshela abantu uthi: Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla: ‘Buyelani kimi,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla, ‘lami ngizabuya kini,’ utsho njalo uThixo uSomandla.
4 Do not you be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying: The LORD of Armies says, ‘Return now from your evil ways and from your evil doings;’ but they did not hear nor listen to me, says the LORD.
Lingabi njengabokhokho benu, okwatsho kubo abaphrofethi bamandulo, bathi: Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Phendukani ezindleleni zenu zobubi lezenzo zenu ezimbi.’ Kodwa kabafunanga ukulalela loba ukukunanza okwakutshiwo, kutsho uThixo.
5 Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?
Bangaphi manje okhokho benu na? Bona abaphrofethi kambe baphila okungapheliyo na?
6 But my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did not they overtake your fathers? “Then they repented and said, ‘Just as the LORD of Armies determined to do to us, according to our ways and according to our practices, so he has dealt with us.’”
Kodwa amazwi ami lemithetho yami engangilaye ngakho izinceku zami abaphrofethi kakuzange kuze kubafice yini okhokho benu? Kwayikhona bephenduka besithi, ‘UThixo uSomandla wenzile kithi okufanele izindlela zethu lezenzo njengalokho amisa ukukwenza.’”
7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the LORD’s word came to the prophet Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying,
Ngelanga lamatshumi amabili lane ngenyanga yetshumi lanye, inyanga uShebhathi, ngomnyaka wesibili kaDariyu, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kumphrofethi uZakhariya indodana kaBherekhiya, indodana ka-Ido.
8 “I had a vision in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in a ravine; and behind him there were red, brown, and white horses.
Ebusuku ngafikelwa ngumbono, khonapho phambi kwami kwakulendoda egade ibhiza elibomvu! Yayimi phakathi kwezihlahla zomethile edongeni. Ngemva kwayo kwakulamanye amabhiza, elibomvu, eliyinsundu lelimhlophe.
9 Then I asked, ‘My lord, what are these?’” The angel who talked with me said to me, “I will show you what these are.”
Ngayibuza ngathi, “Kuyini lokhu, nkosi yami na?” Ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami yaphendula yathi, “Ngizakutshengisa ukuthi kuyini.”
10 The man who stood among the myrtle trees answered, “They are the ones the LORD has sent to go back and forth through the earth.”
Kwasekusithi leyondoda eyayimi ezihlahleni zomethile yachaza yathi, “Laba yibo uThixo abathumileyo ukuba bahambe emhlabeni wonke.”
11 They reported to the LORD’s angel who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, “We have walked back and forth through the earth, and behold, all the earth is at rest and in peace.”
Basebebika engilosini kaThixo eyayimi phakathi kwezihlahla zomethile bathi, “Sesiwuhambile wonke umhlaba safumana ukuthi ilizwe lihlezi kuhle phakathi kokuthula.”
12 Then the LORD’s angel replied, “O LORD of Armies, how long will you not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which you have had indignation these seventy years?”
Ingilosi kaThixo yasisithi, “Thixo Somandla, koze kube nini ulokhu ugodla isihawu sakho phezu kweJerusalema lamadolobho akoJuda olokhu uwathukuthelele yonke iminyaka le engamatshumi ayisikhombisa?”
13 The LORD answered the angel who talked with me with kind and comforting words.
Ngakho uThixo wasekhuluma amazwi omusa, aduduzayo kuleyongilosi eyayikhuluma lami.
14 So the angel who talked with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘The LORD of Armies says: “I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.
Kwasekusithi ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami yathi, “Memezela leli ilizwi: Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Ngilobukhwele ngeJerusalema leZiyoni,
15 I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, but they added to the calamity.”
kodwa ngizondile ngalezozizwe ezihlezi zanaba zaziba. Ngangithukuthele kancane kodwa zawengezelela lowo monakalo.’
16 Therefore the LORD says: “I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy. My house shall be built in it,” says the LORD of Armies, “and a line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.”’
Ngakho-ke nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Ngizabuya eJerusalema ngilomusa, khonapho indlu yami izakwakhiwa kutsha. Intambo yesilinganiso izakwelulwa eJerusalema,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
17 “Proclaim further, saying, ‘The LORD of Armies says: “My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion, and will again choose Jerusalem.”’”
Memezela njalo uthi: Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Amadolobho ami azaphinda njalo aphuphume ngenotho, njalo uThixo uzaphinda ayiduduze iZiyoni, ayikhethe iJerusalema.’”
18 I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns.
Ngase ngiphakamisa amehlo ami, phambi kwami kwakulempondo ezine!
19 I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” He answered me, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”
Ngabuza ingilosi leyo eyayikhuluma lami, ngathi, “Kuyini lokhu?” Yaphendula yathi, “Lezi yizo impondo ezachitha uJuda, lo-Israyeli leJerusalema.”
20 The LORD showed me four craftsmen.
UThixo wasengitshengisa abakhandi abane.
21 Then I asked, “What are these coming to do?” He said, “These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head; but these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations that lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.”
Ngabuza ngathi, “Laba bazekwenzani na?” Waphendula wathi, “Lezi yimpondo ezachitha uJuda ukuze angabikhona ovusa ikhanda, kodwa abakhandi balande ukuxegisa amadolo abo, bazilahlele phansi impondo lezi ezezizwe ezaphakamisa impondo zazo phezu kwelizwe lakoJuda ukuchitha abantu balo.”
