< Zechariah 1 >

1 The Lord sent a message to Zechariah the prophet, son of Berekiah, son of Iddo, in the eighth month of the second year of king Darius' reign, saying:
Mwezi wachisanu ndi chitatu, mʼchaka chachiwiri cha ulamuliro wa Dariyo, Yehova anayankhula ndi mneneri Zekariya mwana wa Berekiya, mwana wa Ido, kuti:
2 The Lord was very angry with your forefathers.
“Yehova anakwiya kwambiri ndi makolo anu.
3 So tell the people this: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty.
Choncho awuze anthuwa kuti, ‘Yehova Wamphamvuzonse akuti, ‘Bwererani kwa Ine,’ akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse. ‘Ndipo Ine ndidzabwerera kwa inu,’ akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse.
4 You must not be like your forefathers. They were told by previous prophets: Give up your evil ways, and the evil things you do. But they would not listen or pay any attention to me, says the Lord.
Musakhale ngati makolo anu, amene aneneri akale anawalalikira kuti: Yehova Wamphamvuzonse akuti, ‘Tsopano lekani njira zanu zoyipa ndi machitidwe anu oyipawo.’ Koma iwo sanamvere kapena kulabadira za Ine, akutero Yehova.
5 Where are your forefathers now? And the prophets, did they live forever?
Kodi makolo anuwo ali kuti tsopano? Nanga aneneri, kodi amakhalapo mpaka muyaya?
6 But didn't all my instructions and warnings that I ordered my servants the prophets to communicate, didn't all that I said happen to your forefathers? So they repented and said, “What the Lord Almighty planned to do to us was what we deserved because of our ways and our actions. He did what he said he would.”
Kodi mawu anga ndi malangizo anga, amene ndinawawuza atumiki anga aneneri, suja anawachitira makolo anu? “Tsono iwo analapa ndi kunena kuti, ‘Yehova Wamphamvuzonse watichitira zomwe zikuyenera njira zathu ndi machitidwe athu, monga anatsimikiza kuti adzachita.’”
7 The Lord sent a message to Zechariah the prophet, son of Berekiah, son of Iddo, on the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (the month of Shebat) of the second year of king Darius' reign:
Tsiku la 24 la mwezi wa 11, mwezi wa Sebati, chaka chachiwiri cha ulamuliro wa Dariyo, Yehova anayankhula ndi Zekariya mwana wa Berekiya, mwana wa Ido.
8 During the night I saw a man sitting on a red horse that stood among some myrtle trees in a narrow valley. Behind him were red, brown, and white horses with their riders.
Nthawi ya usiku ndinaona masomphenya. Ndinaona munthu atakwera pa kavalo wofiira. Iye anayima pakati pa mitengo ya mchisu mʼchigwa. Kumbuyo kwake kunali akavalo ofiira, akhofi ndi oyera.
9 I asked him, “My lord, what are these?” The angel I was talking to replied, “I will show you.”
Ine ndinafunsa kuti, “Mbuye wanga, kodi zimenezi ndi chiyani?” Mngelo amene amayankhula nane anayankha kuti, “Ndidzakuonetsa kuti zimenezi ndi chiyani.”
10 The man who was there among the myrtle trees said, “These are the ones the Lord has sent out to patrol the earth.”
Pamenepo munthu amene anayima pakati pa mitengo ya mchisu anafotokoza kuti, “Amenewa ndiwo amene Yehova wawatuma kuti ayendere dziko lonse lapansi.”
11 The riders reported to the angel of the Lord who was among the myrtle trees, “We have been patrolling the earth and saw that the whole earth has been pacified.”
Ndipo okwera pa akavalo enawo anafotokoza kwa mngelo wa Yehova, amene anayima pakati pa mitengo ya mchisu kuti, “Ife tayendera dziko lonse lapansi ndipo tapeza kuti dziko lonselo lili pa bata ndi mtendere.”
12 Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord Almighty, how long will it be before you have mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah which you have been angry with for the past seventy years?”
Tsono mngelo wa Yehova anati, “Yehova Wamphamvuzonse, kodi mpaka liti mudzakhala osaonetsa chifundo chanu kwa Yerusalemu ndi mizinda ya Yuda, amene mwawakwiyira kwa zaka izi 70?”
13 So the Lord replied to the angel I was talking to with kind and comforting words.
Choncho Yehova anayankhula mawu abwino ndi achitonthozo kwa mngelo amene ankayankhula nane.
14 Then the angel I was talking with told me, This is what you are to announce. The Lord Almighty says this: I am jealously protective of Jerusalem and Mount Zion,
Pamenepo mngelo amene ankayankhula nane anati, “Lengeza mawu awa: Yehova Wamphamvuzonse akuti, ‘Ine ndikuchitira nsanje Yerusalemu ndi Ziyoni,
15 and I am extremely angry with the arrogant nations who think they are secure. I was only a little angry with my people, but they made the punishment far worse.
koma ndakwiya kwambiri ndi anthu a mitundu ina amene akuganiza kuti ali pa mtendere. Ndinakwiyira anthu anga pangʼono pokha, koma iwo anawonjeza kuzunza anthu angawo.’
16 Therefore this is what the Lord says: I have returned to be merciful to Jerusalem. My Temple shall be rebuilt there, as well as the city, declares the Lord Almighty.
“Choncho, Yehova akuti, ‘Ndidzabwerera ku Yerusalemu ndi mtima wachifundo, nyumba yanga adzayimanganso kumeneko. Ndipo adzatenganso chingwe choyezera kuti amange Yerusalemu,’ akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse.
17 Announce this as well, says the Lord Almighty: Prosperity will flood out of my cities. I the Lord will comfort Zion, and Jerusalem will be my chosen city.
“Lengezanso kuti, Yehova Wamphamvuzonse akuti, ‘Mizinda yanga idzakhalanso ndi zokoma zosefukira ndipo Yehova adzatonthoza Ziyoni ndi kusankhanso Yerusalemu.’”
18 Then I looked and saw four animal horns.
Kenaka ndinayangʼananso, ndipo patsogolo panga panali nyanga zinayi.
19 “What are these?” I asked the angel I was talking to. “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem,” he replied.
Ndinamufunsa mngelo amene amayankhula nane kuti, “Kodi zimenezi ndi chiyani?” Iye anandiyankha kuti, “Izi ndi nyanga zimene zinabalalitsa Yuda, Israeli ndi Yerusalemu.”
20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen.
Kenaka Yehova anandionetsa amisiri azitsulo anayi.
21 “What are these men coming to do?” I asked. The angel replied, “The four horns—these nations—scattered Judah, humbling the people so that they could not lift up their heads. These craftsmen have to come to terrify these nations, and to destroy them—those who used their power against the land of Judah, scattering the people.”
Ndinafunsa kuti, “Amisiri a zitsulowa akudzachita chiyani?” Iye anayankha kuti, “Izi ndi nyanga zimene zinabalalitsa Yuda kotero kuti panalibe wina amene akanalimbana nazo, koma amisiri a zitsulowa abwera kudzaziopseza ndi kugwetsa nyanga zimenezi za mitundu ya anthu amene analimbana ndi dziko la Yuda ndi kubalalitsa anthu ake.”

< Zechariah 1 >