< Zechariah 1 >

1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of YHWH unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
Ngenyanga yesificaminwemibili yomnyaka wesibili kaDariyu, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kumphrofethi uZakhariya indodana kaBherekhiya, indodana ka-Ido lisithi:
2 YHWH hath been sore displeased with your fathers.
“UThixo wazondiswa kakhulu ngokhokho benu.
3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith YHWH of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith YHWH of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith YHWH of hosts.
Ngakho tshela abantu uthi: Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla: ‘Buyelani kimi,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla, ‘lami ngizabuya kini,’ utsho njalo uThixo uSomandla.
4 Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith YHWH of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith YHWH.
Lingabi njengabokhokho benu, okwatsho kubo abaphrofethi bamandulo, bathi: Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Phendukani ezindleleni zenu zobubi lezenzo zenu ezimbi.’ Kodwa kabafunanga ukulalela loba ukukunanza okwakutshiwo, kutsho uThixo.
5 Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?
Bangaphi manje okhokho benu na? Bona abaphrofethi kambe baphila okungapheliyo na?
6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as YHWH of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.
Kodwa amazwi ami lemithetho yami engangilaye ngakho izinceku zami abaphrofethi kakuzange kuze kubafice yini okhokho benu? Kwayikhona bephenduka besithi, ‘UThixo uSomandla wenzile kithi okufanele izindlela zethu lezenzo njengalokho amisa ukukwenza.’”
7 Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of YHWH unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
Ngelanga lamatshumi amabili lane ngenyanga yetshumi lanye, inyanga uShebhathi, ngomnyaka wesibili kaDariyu, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kumphrofethi uZakhariya indodana kaBherekhiya, indodana ka-Ido.
8 I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.
Ebusuku ngafikelwa ngumbono, khonapho phambi kwami kwakulendoda egade ibhiza elibomvu! Yayimi phakathi kwezihlahla zomethile edongeni. Ngemva kwayo kwakulamanye amabhiza, elibomvu, eliyinsundu lelimhlophe.
9 Then said I, O my master, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.
Ngayibuza ngathi, “Kuyini lokhu, nkosi yami na?” Ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami yaphendula yathi, “Ngizakutshengisa ukuthi kuyini.”
10 And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom YHWH hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.
Kwasekusithi leyondoda eyayimi ezihlahleni zomethile yachaza yathi, “Laba yibo uThixo abathumileyo ukuba bahambe emhlabeni wonke.”
11 And they answered the angel of YHWH that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.
Basebebika engilosini kaThixo eyayimi phakathi kwezihlahla zomethile bathi, “Sesiwuhambile wonke umhlaba safumana ukuthi ilizwe lihlezi kuhle phakathi kokuthula.”
12 Then the angel of YHWH answered and said, O YHWH of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?
Ingilosi kaThixo yasisithi, “Thixo Somandla, koze kube nini ulokhu ugodla isihawu sakho phezu kweJerusalema lamadolobho akoJuda olokhu uwathukuthelele yonke iminyaka le engamatshumi ayisikhombisa?”
13 And YHWH answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.
Ngakho uThixo wasekhuluma amazwi omusa, aduduzayo kuleyongilosi eyayikhuluma lami.
14 So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith YHWH of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.
Kwasekusithi ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami yathi, “Memezela leli ilizwi: Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Ngilobukhwele ngeJerusalema leZiyoni,
15 And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.
kodwa ngizondile ngalezozizwe ezihlezi zanaba zaziba. Ngangithukuthele kancane kodwa zawengezelela lowo monakalo.’
16 Therefore thus saith YHWH; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith YHWH of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.
Ngakho-ke nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Ngizabuya eJerusalema ngilomusa, khonapho indlu yami izakwakhiwa kutsha. Intambo yesilinganiso izakwelulwa eJerusalema,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
17 Cry yet, saying, Thus saith YHWH of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and YHWH shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.
Memezela njalo uthi: Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Amadolobho ami azaphinda njalo aphuphume ngenotho, njalo uThixo uzaphinda ayiduduze iZiyoni, ayikhethe iJerusalema.’”
18 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.
Ngase ngiphakamisa amehlo ami, phambi kwami kwakulempondo ezine!
19 And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.
Ngabuza ingilosi leyo eyayikhuluma lami, ngathi, “Kuyini lokhu?” Yaphendula yathi, “Lezi yizo impondo ezachitha uJuda, lo-Israyeli leJerusalema.”
20 And YHWH shewed me four carpenters.
UThixo wasengitshengisa abakhandi abane.
21 Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.
Ngabuza ngathi, “Laba bazekwenzani na?” Waphendula wathi, “Lezi yimpondo ezachitha uJuda ukuze angabikhona ovusa ikhanda, kodwa abakhandi balande ukuxegisa amadolo abo, bazilahlele phansi impondo lezi ezezizwe ezaphakamisa impondo zazo phezu kwelizwe lakoJuda ukuchitha abantu balo.”

< Zechariah 1 >