Zacharias 8
1 And the word of the Lord Almighty came, saying,
Neno la Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote likanijia tena.
2 Thus says the Lord Almighty; I have been jealous for Jerusalem and for Sion with great jealousy, and I have been jealous for her with great fury.
Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Nina wivu sana kwa ajili ya Sayuni, ninawaka wivu kwa ajili yake.”
3 Thus says the Lord; I will return to Sion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a true city, and the mountain of the Lord Almighty a holy mountain.
Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Nitarudi Sayuni na kufanya makao Yerusalemu. Kisha Yerusalemu utaitwa mji wa kweli, mlima wa Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote utaitwa Mlima Mtakatifu.”
4 Thus says the Lord Almighty; There shall yet dwell old men and old women in the streets of Jerusalem, every one holding his staff in his hand for age.
Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Kwa mara nyingine tena wazee wanaume kwa wanawake walioshiba umri wataketi katika barabara za Yerusalemu, kila mmoja akiwa na mkongojo wake mkononi kwa sababu ya umri wake.
5 And the broad places of the city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.
Barabara za mji zitajaa wavulana na wasichana wanaocheza humo.”
6 Thus says the Lord Almighty; If it shall be impossible in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, shall it also be impossible in my sight? says the Lord Almighty.
Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Mambo haya yanaweza kuonekana ya ajabu kwa mabaki ya watu wakati huo, lakini yaweza kuwa ya ajabu kwangu?” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
7 Thus says the Lord Almighty; Behold, I [will] save my people from the east country, and the west country;
Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Nitawaokoa watu wangu kutoka nchi za mashariki na magharibi.
8 and I will bring them in, and cause [them] to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be to me a people, and I will be to them a God, in truth and in righteousness.
Nitawarudisha waje kuishi Yerusalemu, watakuwa watu wangu nami nitakuwa mwaminifu na wa haki kwao kama Mungu wao.”
9 Thus says the Lord Almighty; Let your hands be strong, [you that] hear in these days these words out of the mouth of the prophets, from the day that the house of the Lord Almighty was founded, and from the time that the temple was built.
Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Ninyi ambao sasa mnasikia maneno haya yanayozungumzwa na manabii ambao walikuwepo wakati wa kuwekwa kwa msingi wa nyumba ya Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, mikono yenu na iwe na nguvu ili Hekalu liweze kujengwa.
10 For before those days the wages of men could not be profitable, and there could be no hire of cattle, and there could be no peace by reason of the affliction to him that went out or to him that came in: for I would have let loose all men, every one against his neighbour.
Kabla ya wakati huo, hapakuwepo na ujira kwa mtu wala mnyama. Hakuna mtu aliyeweza kufanya shughuli yake kwa usalama kwa sababu ya adui yake, kwa kuwa nilikuwa nimemfanya kila mtu adui wa jirani yake.
11 But now I [will] not do to the remnant of this people according to the former days, says the Lord Almighty.
Lakini sasa sitawatendea mabaki ya watu hawa kama nilivyowatenda zamani,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
12 But I will show peace: the vine shall yield her fruit, and the land shall yield her produce, and the heaven shall give its dew: and I will give as an inheritance all these things to the remnant of my people.
“Mbegu itakua vizuri, mzabibu utazaa matunda yake, ardhi itatoa mazao yake, na mbingu zitadondosha umande wake. Vitu hivi vyote nitawapa mabaki ya watu kama urithi wao.
13 And it shall come to pass, as you were a curse amongst the nations, O house of Juda, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing: be of good courage, and strengthen your hands.
Jinsi mlivyokuwa kitu cha laana katikati ya mataifa, ee Yuda na Israeli, ndivyo nitakavyowaokoa, nanyi mtakuwa baraka. Msiogope, bali iacheni mikono yenu iwe na nguvu.”
14 For thus says the Lord Almighty; As I took counsel to afflict you when your fathers provoked me, says the Lord Almighty, and I repented not:
Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Kama nilivyokuwa nimekusudia kuleta maangamizi juu yenu, wakati baba zenu waliponikasirisha na sikuonyesha huruma,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote,
15 so have I prepared and taken counsel in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Juda: be you of good courage.
“hivyo sasa nimeazimia kufanya mema tena kwa Yerusalemu na Yuda. Msiogope.
16 These [are] the things which you shall do; speak truth every one with his neighbour; judge truth and peaceful judgement in your gates:
Haya ndiyo mtakayoyafanya: Semeni kweli kila mtu kwa mwenzake, na mtoe hukumu ya kweli na haki kwenye mahakama zenu,
17 and let none of you devise evil in his heart against his neighbour; and love not a false oath: for all these things I hate, says the Lord Almighty.
usipange mabaya dhidi ya jirani yako, wala msipende kuapa kwa uongo. Nayachukia yote haya,” asema Bwana.
18 And the word of the Lord Almighty came to me, saying,
Neno la Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote likanijia tena.
19 Thus says the Lord Almighty, The fourth fast, and the fifth fast, and the seventh fast, and the tenth fast, shall be to the house of Juda for joy and gladness, and for good feasts; and you shall rejoice; and love you the truth and peace.
Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Saumu za miezi ya nne, tano, saba na kumi itakuwa sikukuu za furaha na za shangwe kwa Yuda. Kwa hiyo uipende kweli na amani.”
20 Thus says the Lord Almighty; Yet shall many peoples come, and the inhabitants of many cities;
Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Mataifa mengi na wakazi wa miji mingi watakuja,
21 and the inhabitants of five cities shall come together to one city, saying, Let us go to make supplication to the Lord, and to seek the face of the Lord Almighty; I will go also.
na wenyeji wa mji mmoja watakwenda kwenye mji mwingine na kusema, ‘Twende mara moja na tukamsihi Bwana, na kumtafuta Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote. Mimi mwenyewe ninakwenda.’
22 And many peoples and many nations shall come to seek earnestly the face of the Lord Almighty in Jerusalem, and to obtain favour of the Lord.
Pia watu wa kabila nyingi na mataifa yenye nguvu yatakuja Yerusalemu kumtafuta Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote na kumsihi.”
23 Thus says the Lord Almighty; In those days [my word shall be fulfilled] if ten men of all the languages of the nations should take hold—even take hold of the hem of a Jew, saying, We will go with you; for we have heard that God is with you.
Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Katika siku hizo watu kumi kutoka lugha zote na mataifa, watangʼangʼania upindo wa joho la Myahudi mmoja na kusema, ‘Twende pamoja nawe kwa sababu tumesikia kwamba Mungu yu pamoja nawe.’”
