Zechariah 7
1 And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the Lord came to Zacharias, in the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Casleu.
Kwasekusithi ngomnyaka wesine kaDariyusi inkosi, ilizwi leNkosi lafika kuZekhariya ngolwesine lwenyanga yesificamunwemunye, kuKisilevi.
2 When Sarasar, and Rogommelech, and the men that were with him, sent to the house of God, to entreat the face of the Lord:
Sebethume endlini kaNkulunkulu oSharezeri loRegem-Meleki lamadoda akhe, ukuyacela ubuso beNkosi,
3 To speak to the priests of the house of the Lord of hosts, and to the prophets, saying: Must I weep in the fifth month, or must I sanctify myself as I have now done for many years?
ukukhuluma kubapristi ababesendlini yeNkosi yamabandla, lakubaprofethi, besithi: Ngikhale inyembezi yini ngenyanga yesihlanu, ngokuzehlukanisa, njengoba ngenzile okweminyaka le engaka?
4 And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying:
Laselifika kimi ilizwi leNkosi yamabandla, lisithi:
5 Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying: When you fasted, and mourned in the fifth and the seventh month for these seventy years: did you keep a fast unto me?
Khuluma ebantwini bonke belizwe, lakubapristi, usithi: Lapho lazila ukudla lalila ngenyanga yesihlanu leyesikhombisa, ngitsho leyominyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa, lazila lokuzila kimi, ngitsho kimi yini?
6 And when you did eat and drink, did you not eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?
Lalapho lisidla, lalapho linatha, bekungayisini yini elidlayo, lina-ke elinathayo?
7 Are not these the words which the Lord spoke by the hand of the former prophets, when Jerusalem as yet was inhabited, and was wealthy, both itself and the cities round about it, and there were inhabitants towards the south, and in the plain?
Kakusiwo amazwi iNkosi eyawamemeza ngesandla sabaprofethi bokuqala yini, lapho iJerusalema yahlalwa iphumelela, lemizi yayo inhlangothi zonke zayo, lapho ihlalwa iningizimu legceke?
8 And the word of the Lord came to Zacharias, saying:
Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kuZekhariya, lisithi:
9 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, saying: Judge ye true judgment, and shew ye mercy and compassion every man to his brother.
Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, isithi: Yahlulelani isahlulelo esiqotho, lenze umusa lezihawu, ngulowo lalowo kumfowabo.
10 And oppress not the widow, and the fatherless, and the stranger, and the poor: and let not a man devise evil in his heart against his brother.
Lingacindezeli umfelokazi, lentandane, owemzini, lomyanga; linganakani okubi enhliziyweni yenu ngulowo emelene lomfowabo.
11 But they would not hearken, and they turned away the shoulder to depart: and they stopped their ears, not to hear.
Kodwa bala ukulalela, banika ihlombe elenkani, benza indlebe zabo zaba nzima, ukuze bangezwa.
12 And they made their heart as the adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts sent in his spirit by the hand of the former prophets: so a great indignation came from the Lord of hosts.
Yebo, benza inhliziyo yabo yaba njengelitshe elilukhuni, ukuze bangawuzwa umlayo, lamazwi iNkosi yamabandla eyayiwathumeze ngomoya wayo ngesandla sabaprofethi bokuqala. Ngakho kwaba khona intukuthelo enkulu ivela eNkosini yamabandla.
13 And it came to pass that as he spoke, and they heard not: so shall they cry, and I will not hear, saith the Lord of hosts.
Ngakho sekwenzakele, njengoba yamemeza, kabaze bezwa; ngokunjalo bamemeza, kangaze ngezwa, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
14 And I dispersed them throughout all kingdoms, which they know not: and the land was left desolate behind them, so that no man passed through or returned: and they changed the delightful land into a wilderness.
Kodwa ngabahlakaza ngesivunguzane phakathi kwezizwe zonke ababengazazi. Ngakho ilizwe lachithakala emva kwabo, ukuze kungabi khona odlulayo lophendukayo; ngoba benza ilizwe eliloyisekayo laba yincithakalo.
