Zechariah 7

1 And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chislev;

And it comes to pass, in the fourth year of Darius the king, a word of YHWH has been to Zechariah, in the fourth of the ninth month, in Chisleu.

2 When Bethel-sarezer, and Regem-melech and his men, had sent to entreat the favour of the LORD,

And Beth-El sends Sherezer and Regem-Melech, and its men, to appease the face of YHWH,

3 and to speak unto the priests of the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying: 'Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?'

speaking to the priests who [are] at the house of YHWH of Hosts, and to the prophets, saying, “Do I weep in the fifth month—being separated—as I have done these so many years?”

4 Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying:

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

5 'Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying: When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month, even these seventy years, did ye at all fast unto Me, even to Me?

“Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying,

6 And when ye eat, and when ye drink, are ye not they that eat, and they that drink?

When you fasted with mourning in the fifth and in the seventh [months]—even these seventy years—did you keep the fast [to] Me? And when you eat, and when you drink, is it not you who are eating, and you who are drinking?

7 Should ye not hearken to the words which the LORD hath proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, and the South and the Lowland were inhabited?'

Are [these] not the words that YHWH proclaimed by the hand of the former prophets, in Jerusalem’s being inhabited, and [in] safety, and its cities around it, and the south and the plain—abiding?”

8 And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying:

And there is a word of YHWH to Zechariah, saying,

9 'Thus hath the LORD of hosts spoken, saying: Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassion every man to his brother;

“Thus spoke YHWH of Hosts, saying, Judge [with] true judgment, And do kindness and mercy with one another.

10 and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.

And do not oppress widow, and fatherless, Sojourner, and poor, And you do not devise the calamity of one another in your heart.

11 But they refused to attend, and turned a stubborn shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.

And they refuse to attend, And they give a stubborn shoulder, And their ears are made heavy against hearing.

12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His spirit by the hand of the former prophets; therefore came there great wrath from the LORD of hosts.

And their heart they have made adamant, Against hearing the Law, and the words, That YHWH of Hosts sent by His Spirit, By the hand of the former prophets, And there is great wrath from YHWH of Hosts.

13 And it came to pass that, as He called, and they would not hear; so they shall call, and I will not hear, said the LORD of hosts;

And it comes to pass, as He called, And they have not listened, So they call, and I do not listen,” said YHWH of Hosts.

14 but I will scatter them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land was desolate after them, so that no man passed through nor returned; for they laid the pleasant land desolate.'

“And I toss them on all the nations, That they have not known, The land has been desolate behind them, Of any passing by and turning back, And they set a desirable land for a desolation!”