Zechariah 8

1 Again the word of YHWH of hosts came to me, saying,

And the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying:

2 Thus saith YHWH of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: I have been zealous for Zion with a great zeal, and with a great indignation have I been zealous for her.

3 Thus saith YHWH; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of YHWH of hosts the holy mountain.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: I have been turned back towards Zion, and I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And Jerusalem will be called: “The City of Truth,” and “The Mountain of the Lord of Hosts, the Sanctified Mountain.”

4 Thus saith YHWH of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Then elderly men and elderly women will dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man will be with his walking stick in his hand, because of the multitude of days.

5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.

And the streets of the city will be filled with toddlers and children, playing in its streets.

6 Thus saith YHWH of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith YHWH of hosts.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it seems difficult in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, could it indeed be difficult in my eyes, says the Lord of hosts?

7 Thus saith YHWH of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the land of the East, and from the land of the setting of the sun.

8 And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their Elohim, in truth and in righteousness.

And I will lead them, and they will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in justice.

9 Thus saith YHWH of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of YHWH of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Let your hands be strengthened, you who, in those days, are listening to these words by the mouth of the prophets, in the day that the house of the Lord of hosts has been founded, so that the temple may be built.

10 For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.

Indeed, before those days, there was no pay for men, nor was there pay for beasts of burden, and neither was there peace for those entering, nor for those exiting, because of the tribulation. And I had dismissed all men, each one against his neighbor.

11 But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith YHWH of hosts.

But now, I will not act towards the remnant of this people according to the former days, says the Lord of hosts.

12 For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.

But there will be a seed of peace: the vine will give her fruit, and the earth will give her seedlings, and the heavens will give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.

13 And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.

And this shall be: just as you were a curse among the Gentiles, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid. Let your hands be strengthened.

14 For thus saith YHWH of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith YHWH of hosts, and I repented not:

For thus says the Lord of hosts: Just as I intended to afflict you, when your fathers had provoked me to wrath, says the Lord,

15 So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.

and I did not show mercy, so have I turned back, thinking in these days to do good to the house of Judah and to Jerusalem. Do not be afraid.

16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:

Therefore, these are the words that you shall do: Speak the truth, each one to his neighbor. With truth and a judgment of peace, judge at your gates.

17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith YHWH.

And let not anyone think up evil against his friend in your hearts. And do not choose to swear falsely. For all these are things that I hate, says the Lord.

18 And the word of YHWH of hosts came unto me, saying,

And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying:

19 Thus saith YHWH of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.

Thus says the Lord 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 will be for the house of Judah in joy and gladness and with bright solemnities. So then, love truth and peace.

20 Thus saith YHWH of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities:

Thus says the Lord of hosts, then the people may arrive and dwell in many cities,

21 And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before YHWH, and to seek YHWH of hosts: I will go also.

and the inhabitants may hurry, one saying to another: “Let us go and entreat the face of the Lord, and let us seek the Lord of hosts. I will go also.”

22 Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek YHWH of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before YHWH.

And many peoples and strong nations will approach, seeking the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the face of the Lord.

23 Thus saith YHWH of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that Elohim is with you.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days, then, ten men from every language of the Gentiles will grasp and cling to the hem of one man of Judea, saying: “We will go with you. For we have heard that God is with you.”