Zechariah 7
1 And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of Yhwh came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu;
Kwasekusithi ngomnyaka wesine kaDariyusi inkosi, ilizwi leNkosi lafika kuZekhariya ngolwesine lwenyanga yesificamunwemunye, kuKisilevi.
2 When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regem–melech, and their men, to pray before Yhwh,
Sebethume endlini kaNkulunkulu oSharezeri loRegem-Meleki lamadoda akhe, ukuyacela ubuso beNkosi,
3 And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of Yhwh of Armies, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?
ukukhuluma kubapristi ababesendlini yeNkosi yamabandla, lakubaprofethi, besithi: Ngikhale inyembezi yini ngenyanga yesihlanu, ngokuzehlukanisa, njengoba ngenzile okweminyaka le engaka?
4 Then came the word of Yhwh of Armies unto me, saying,
Laselifika kimi ilizwi leNkosi yamabandla, lisithi:
5 Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?
Khuluma ebantwini bonke belizwe, lakubapristi, usithi: Lapho lazila ukudla lalila ngenyanga yesihlanu leyesikhombisa, ngitsho leyominyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa, lazila lokuzila kimi, ngitsho kimi yini?
6 And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?
Lalapho lisidla, lalapho linatha, bekungayisini yini elidlayo, lina-ke elinathayo?
7 Should ye not hear the words which Yhwh hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?
Kakusiwo amazwi iNkosi eyawamemeza ngesandla sabaprofethi bokuqala yini, lapho iJerusalema yahlalwa iphumelela, lemizi yayo inhlangothi zonke zayo, lapho ihlalwa iningizimu legceke?
8 And the word of Yhwh came unto Zechariah, saying,
Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kuZekhariya, lisithi:
9 Thus speaketh Yhwh of Armies, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:
Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, isithi: Yahlulelani isahlulelo esiqotho, lenze umusa lezihawu, ngulowo lalowo kumfowabo.
10 And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.
Lingacindezeli umfelokazi, lentandane, owemzini, lomyanga; linganakani okubi enhliziyweni yenu ngulowo emelene lomfowabo.
11 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
Kodwa bala ukulalela, banika ihlombe elenkani, benza indlebe zabo zaba nzima, ukuze bangezwa.
12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which Yhwh of Armies hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from Yhwh of Armies.
Yebo, benza inhliziyo yabo yaba njengelitshe elilukhuni, ukuze bangawuzwa umlayo, lamazwi iNkosi yamabandla eyayiwathumeze ngomoya wayo ngesandla sabaprofethi bokuqala. Ngakho kwaba khona intukuthelo enkulu ivela eNkosini yamabandla.
13 Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith Yhwh of Armies:
Ngakho sekwenzakele, njengoba yamemeza, kabaze bezwa; ngokunjalo bamemeza, kangaze ngezwa, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
14 But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.
Kodwa ngabahlakaza ngesivunguzane phakathi kwezizwe zonke ababengazazi. Ngakho ilizwe lachithakala emva kwabo, ukuze kungabi khona odlulayo lophendukayo; ngoba benza ilizwe eliloyisekayo laba yincithakalo.
