Zechariah 8

1 Then the Lord Almighty sent another message to me.

And there is a word of YHWH of Hosts, saying,

2 This is what the Lord Almighty says. I am jealously protective of the people of Zion; I am extremely passionate about them.

“Thus said YHWH of Hosts: I have been zealous for Zion with great zeal, With great heat I have been zealous for her.

3 This is what the Lord says. I have returned to Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the “Faithful City,” and the mountain of the Lord Almighty the “Holy Mountain.”

Thus said YHWH: I have turned back to Zion, And I have dwelt in the midst of Jerusalem, And Jerusalem has been called The City of Truth, And The Mountain of YHWH of Hosts, The Holy Mountain.

4 This is what the Lord Almighty says. Old people will be able to sit again in the streets of Jerusalem, each with their walking sticks they need because of their age.

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Again old men and old women dwell In broad places of Jerusalem, And each his staff in his hand, Because of abundance of days.

5 The streets will be full of boys and girls playing happily.

And broad places of the city are full of boys and girls, Playing in its broad places.

6 This is what the Lord Almighty says. It may seem too good to be true now, to you who remain of my people in these days. But is it impossible for me to do? asks the Lord Almighty.

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Surely it is wonderful in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, Also in My eyes it is wonderful, A declaration of YHWH of Hosts.

7 This is what the Lord Almighty says. I will save my people from the countries to the east and to the west.

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Behold, I am saving My people from the land of the rising, And from the land of the going in, of the sun,

8 I will bring them back and they will live in Jerusalem, and they will be my people and I will be their God, trustworthy and true.

And I have brought them in, They have dwelt in the midst of Jerusalem, And they have been to Me for a people, And I am to them for God, In truth and in righteousness.

9 This is what the Lord Almighty says. Be strong, so that the Temple may be completed. Everyone who is here today is listening to the same words from the prophets who were present on the day when the foundation of the Lord Almighty's Temple was laid.

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Let your hands be strong, You who are hearing in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets, That in the day the house of YHWH of Hosts has been founded, The temple [is] to be built.

10 Before that time there wasn't enough for people or for animals. No one could live normally because they were not safe from their enemies, and I set everyone against each other.

For before those days there has been no hiring of man, Indeed, a hiring of beasts there is none; And to him who is going out, And to him who is coming in, There is no peace because of the adversary, And I send all men—each against his neighbor.

11 But now I won't treat those who remain of my people like I treated them before, declares the Lord Almighty.

And now, not as [in] the former days [am] I to the remnant of this people, A declaration of YHWH of Hosts.

12 They will sow in peace; the vine will produce grapes; the soil will grow crops and the heavens will water them. I will make sure this happens to all those who remain of this people.

Because of the sowing of peace, The vine gives her fruit, And the earth gives her increase, And the heavens give their dew, And I have caused the remnant of this people To inherit all these.

13 People of Judah and Israel: just as you were considered a curse among the nations, so I will save you and you will become a blessing. Don't be afraid! Be strong!

And it has come to pass, As you have been a reviling among nations, O house of Judah, and house of Israel, So I save you, and you have been a blessing, Do not fear, let your hands be strong.

14 For this is what the Lord Almighty says: I decided to bring disaster on you when your forefathers angered me and I did not change my mind.

For thus said YHWH of Hosts: As I purposed to do evil to you, When your fathers made Me angry—said YHWH of Hosts—And I did not relent,

15 But now I have made up my mind to do good to Jerusalem and the people of Judah. Don't be afraid!

So I have turned back, I have purposed, in these days, To do good with Jerusalem, And with the house of Judah—do not fear!

16 This what you have to do: Tell each other the truth. In your courts judge honestly and truthfully, which makes for peace.

These [are] the things that you do: Each speak truth with his neighbor, Judge [with] truth and peaceful judgment in your gates,

17 Don't think up evil schemes against one another. Stop your love of lies. I hate all this, declares the Lord.

And do not devise the evil of his neighbor in your heart, And do not love a false oath, For all these [are] things that I have hated, A declaration of YHWH.”

18 The Lord Almighty gave me another message.

And there is a word of YHWH of Hosts to me, saying,

19 This is what the Lord Almighty says: The fasts you observe in the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth month will become times of joy and happiness for the people of Judah—they will be festivals of celebration. But love truth and peace.

“Thus said YHWH of Hosts: The fast of the fourth, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth [months], are to the house of Judah for joy and for rejoicing, and for pleasant appointed times, and the truth and the peace they have loved.

20 This is what the Lord Almighty says: People from many nations and cities will yet come to Jerusalem,

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Yet peoples come, and inhabitants of many cities,

21 going from one city to another saying, “Let us be sure to go and seek the Lord and ask for the blessing of the Lord Almighty. I myself am going!”

Indeed, inhabitants of one Have gone to another, saying, We go diligently, To appease the face of YHWH, To seek YHWH of Hosts—I go, even I.

22 Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to ask for the blessing of the Lord Almighty and seek the Lord.

Indeed, many peoples have come in, and mighty nations, To seek YHWH of Hosts in Jerusalem, And to appease the face of YHWH.

23 This is what the Lord Almighty says: At that time ten men from different nations and languages will grab hold of the hem of a Jewish man's robe and plead, “Please take us with you for we have heard that God is with you.”

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: In those days ten men of all languages of the nations take hold, Indeed, they have taken hold on the skirt of a man, a Jew, saying, We go with you, for we heard God [is] with you!”