Zechariah 8

1 And the word of Jehovah of hosts came [unto me], saying,

The word of the LORD of Hosts came to me.

2 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great fury.

The LORD of Hosts says: “I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.”

3 Thus saith Jehovah: I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem shall be called, The city of truth; and the mountain of Jehovah of hosts, The holy mountain.

The LORD says: “I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the middle of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called ‘The City of Truth;’ and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts, ‘The Holy Mountain.’”

4 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: There shall yet old men and old women sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each one with his staff in his hand for multitude of days.

The LORD of Hosts says: “Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand because of their old age.

5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.

The streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.”

6 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: If it be wonderful in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be wonderful in mine eyes? saith Jehovah of hosts.

The LORD of Hosts says: “If it is marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvellous in my eyes?” says the LORD of Hosts.

7 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country;

The LORD of Hosts says: “Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country.

8 and I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

I will bring them, and they will dwell within Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.”

9 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, that were in the day that the foundation of the house of Jehovah of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.

The LORD of Hosts says: “Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of Hosts was laid, even the temple, that it might be built.

10 For before those days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; and there was no peace for him that went out or that came in, because of the distress: for I let loose all men, every one against his neighbour.

For before those days there was no wages for man nor any wages for an animal, neither was there any peace to him who went out or came in, because of the adversary. For I set all men everyone against his neighbour.

11 But now I will not be unto the remnant of this people as in the former days, saith Jehovah of hosts;

But now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in the former days,” says the LORD of Hosts.

12 for the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these [things].

“For the seed of peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew. I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.

13 And it shall come to pass, like as ye were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear ye not, let your hands be strong.

It shall come to pass that, as you were a curse amongst the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Don’t be afraid. Let your hands be strong.”

14 For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Like as I thought to do you evil when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I repented not;

For the LORD of Hosts says: “As I thought to do evil to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and I didn’t repent,

15 so again have I thought in these days to do good unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.

so again I have thought in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Don’t be afraid.

16 These are the things that ye shall do: Speak truth every one with his neighbour; execute truth and the judgment of peace in your gates;

These are the things that you shall do: speak every man the truth with his neighbour. Execute the judgement of truth and peace in your gates,

17 and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are [things] that I hate, saith Jehovah.

and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbour, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate,” says the LORD.

18 And the word of Jehovah of hosts came unto me, saying,

The word of the LORD of Hosts came to me.

19 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: The fast of the fourth [month] and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful gatherings. Love ye then truth and peace.

The LORD of Hosts says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months shall be for the house of Judah joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.”

20 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Yet again shall there come peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities;

The LORD of Hosts says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come.

21 and the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to supplicate Jehovah, and to seek Jehovah of hosts: I will go also.

The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, ‘Let’s go speedily to entreat the favour of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of Hosts. I will go also.’

22 And many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem, and to supplicate Jehovah.

Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favour of the LORD.”

23 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: In those days shall ten men take hold, out of all languages of the nations, shall even take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you; for we have heard [that] God is with you.

The LORD of Hosts says: “In those days, ten men out of all the languages of the nations will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, ‘We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”