Zechariah 1
1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah 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 angry with your fathers.
“UThixo wazondiswa kakhulu ngokhokho benu.
3 So tell the people that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Return to Me, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Hosts.’
Ngakho tshela abantu uthi: Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla: ‘Buyelani kimi,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla, ‘lami ngizabuya kini,’ utsho njalo uThixo uSomandla.
4 Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Turn now from your evil ways and deeds.’ But they did not listen or pay attention to Me, declares 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 Where are your fathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever?
Bangaphi manje okhokho benu na? Bona abaphrofethi kambe baphila okungapheliyo na?
6 But did not My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, overtake your fathers? They repented and said, ‘Just as the LORD of Hosts purposed to do to us according to our ways and deeds, so He has done to 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, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo.
Ngelanga lamatshumi amabili lane ngenyanga yetshumi lanye, inyanga uShebhathi, ngomnyaka wesibili kaDariyu, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kumphrofethi uZakhariya indodana kaBherekhiya, indodana ka-Ido.
8 I looked out into the night and saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in the hollow, and behind him were red, sorrel, 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 “What are these, my lord?” I asked. And the angel who was speaking with me replied, “I will show you what they are.”
Ngayibuza ngathi, “Kuyini lokhu, nkosi yami na?” Ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami yaphendula yathi, “Ngizakutshengisa ukuthi kuyini.”
10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.”
Kwasekusithi leyondoda eyayimi ezihlahleni zomethile yachaza yathi, “Laba yibo uThixo abathumileyo ukuba bahambe emhlabeni wonke.”
11 And the riders answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth is at rest and tranquil.”
Basebebika engilosini kaThixo eyayimi phakathi kwezihlahla zomethile bathi, “Sesiwuhambile wonke umhlaba safumana ukuthi ilizwe lihlezi kuhle phakathi kokuthula.”
12 Then the angel of the LORD said, “How long, O LORD of Hosts, will You withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been angry 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 So the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me.
Ngakho uThixo wasekhuluma amazwi omusa, aduduzayo kuleyongilosi eyayikhuluma lami.
14 Then the angel who was speaking with me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion,
Kwasekusithi ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami yathi, “Memezela leli ilizwi: Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Ngilobukhwele ngeJerusalema leZiyoni,
15 but I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease. For I was a little angry, but they have added to the calamity.’
kodwa ngizondile ngalezozizwe ezihlezi zanaba zaziba. Ngangithukuthele kancane kodwa zawengezelela lowo monakalo.’
16 Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there My house will be rebuilt, declares the LORD of Hosts, and a measuring line will 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 that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘My cities will again overflow with prosperity; the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.’”
Memezela njalo uthi: Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Amadolobho ami azaphinda njalo aphuphume ngenotho, njalo uThixo uzaphinda ayiduduze iZiyoni, ayikhethe iJerusalema.’”
18 Then I looked up and saw four horns.
Ngase ngiphakamisa amehlo ami, phambi kwami kwakulempondo ezine!
19 So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” And he told me, “These are the horns that 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 Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen.
UThixo wasengitshengisa abakhandi abane.
21 “What are these coming to do?” I asked. And He replied, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise his head; but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations that have lifted up their horns 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.”
