Zechariah 8

1 Then the Lord Almighty sent another message to me.

And the word of the Lord of oostis was maad to me,

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

and seide, The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Y hatide Sion with greet feruour, and with greet indignacioun Y hatide it.

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.”

The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Y am turned ayen to Sion, and Y schal dwelle in the myddil of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem schal be clepid a citee of treuthe, and hil of the Lord schal be clepid an hil halewid.

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.

The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Yit elde men and elde wymmen schulen dwelle in the stretis of Jerusalem, and the staf of man in his hond, for the multitude of yeeris.

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

And the stretis of the cite schulen be fillid with `yonge children and maidens, pleiynge in the stretis `of it.

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.

The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Though it schal be seyn hard bifor the iyen of relifs of this puple in tho daies, whether bifor myn iyen it schal be hard, seith the Lord of oostis?

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

The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal saue my puple fro the lond of the eest, and fro lond of goynge doun of the sunne;

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 Y schal brynge hem, and thei schulen dwelle in the myddil of Jerusalem; and thei schulen be to me in to a puple, and Y schal be to hem in to God, and in treuthe, and in riytwisnesse.

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.

The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Be youre hondis coumfortid, whiche heren in these daies these wordis bi the mouth of profetis, in the dai in which the hous of the Lord of oostis is foundid, that the temple schulde be bildid.

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.

Sotheli bifore tho daies hire of men was not, nether hire of werk beestis was, nether to man entrynge and goynge out was pees for tribulacioun; and Y lefte alle men, ech ayens his neiybore.

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

But now not after the formere daies Y schal do to relifs of this puple, seith the Lord of oostis,

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.

but seed of pees schal be; vyneyerd schal yyue his fruyt, and erthe schal yyue his buriownyng, and heuenes schulen yyue her dew; and Y schal make the relifs of this puple for to welde alle these thingis.

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 schal be, as the hous of Juda and hous of Israel weren cursyng in hethene men, so Y schal saue you, and ye schulen be blessyng. Nyle ye drede, be youre hondis coumfortid;

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 the Lord of oostis seith these thingis, As Y thouyte for to turmente you, whanne youre fadris hadden terrid me to wraththe,

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

seith the Lord, and Y hadde not merci, so Y conuertid thouyte in these daies for to do wel to the hous of Juda and Jerusalem; nyle ye drede.

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

Therfor these ben the wordis whiche ye schulen do; speke ye treuthe, ech man with his neiybore; deme ye treuthe and dom of pees in youre yatis;

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

and thenke ye not in youre hertis, ony man yuel ayens his frend, and loue ye not a fals ooth; for alle thes thingis it ben, whiche Y hate, seith the Lord.

18 The Lord Almighty gave me another message.

And the word of the Lord of oostis was maad to me,

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.

and seide, The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Fastyng of the fourthe monethe, `and fastyng of the fyuethe, and fastyng of the seuenthe, and fasting of the tenthe, schal be to the hous of Juda in to ioie and gladnes, and in to solempnitees ful cleer; loue ye oneli treuthe and pees.

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

The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Puplis schulen come on ech side, and dwelle in many citees;

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!”

and the dwelleris schulen go, oon to an other, and seie, Go we, and biseche the face of the Lord, and seke we the Lord of oostis; also I shal go.

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

And many puplis schulen come, and strong folkis, for to seke the Lord of oostis in Jerusalem, and for to biseche the face of the Lord.

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.”

The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, In tho daies, in whiche ten men of alle langagis of hethene men schulen catche, and thei schulen catche the hemme of a man Jew, and seye, We schulen go with you; for we han herd, that God is with you.