< Zacharias 8 >
1 And the word of the Lord Almighty came, saying,
Yehowa Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la ƒe gbedeasi gava nam be,
2 Thus says the Lord Almighty; I have been jealous for Jerusalem and for Sion with great jealousy, and I have been jealous for her with great fury.
Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gblɔ be, “Meʋã ŋu ɖe Zion nu vevie, eye medo dɔmedzoe, ʋã ŋu ɖe enu vevie.”
3 Thus says the Lord; I will return to Sion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a true city, and the mountain of the Lord Almighty a holy mountain.
Ale Yehowa gblɔe nye esi: “Matrɔ ayi Zion, eye manɔ Yerusalem, ekema woayɔ Yerusalem be Nyateƒedu, eye woayɔ Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la, ƒe to la be, To Kɔkɔe.”
4 Thus says the Lord Almighty; There shall yet dwell old men and old women in the streets of Jerusalem, every one holding his staff in his hand for age.
Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gblɔ be, “Ŋutifafa kple dzidzeme agava Yerusalem hena ƒe geɖewo, ale be woagakpɔ amegãɖeɖiwo kple nyagãɖeɖiwo woalé kpo ɖe asi, anɔ zɔzɔm ɖɔɖɔɖɔ le ablɔ dzi abe tsã ene.
5 And the broad places of the city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.
Duwo ƒe mɔtatawo dzi ayɔ fũu kple ɖekakpuiwo kple ɖetugbiwo eye woanɔ fefem kple dzidzɔ.”
6 Thus says the Lord Almighty; If it shall be impossible in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, shall it also be impossible in my sight? says the Lord Almighty.
Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gblɔ be, “Ɣe ma ɣi la, adze nu si wɔ nuku na ame ʋɛ siwo susɔ, ke nye ya la, ɖe wòawɔ nuku nama?”
7 Thus says the Lord Almighty; Behold, I [will] save my people from the east country, and the west country;
Ale Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gblɔe nye esi, “Maɖe nye amewo tso dukɔ siwo le ɣedzeƒe kple ɣetoɖoƒe la ƒe asi me.
8 and I will bring them in, and cause [them] to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be to me a people, and I will be to them a God, in truth and in righteousness.
Makplɔ wo agbɔe be woava nɔ Yerusalem. Woanye nye amewo, eye manye woƒe Mawu le nyateƒe kple dzɔdzɔenyenye me.”
9 Thus says the Lord Almighty; Let your hands be strong, [you that] hear in these days these words out of the mouth of the prophets, from the day that the house of the Lord Almighty was founded, and from the time that the temple was built.
Ale Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gblɔe nye esi, “Mi ame siwo le nya siwo nyagblɔɖilawo gblɔ da ɖi la sem, ame siwo nɔ anyi hafi woɖo Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la ƒe gbedoxɔ la gɔme anyi, mido ŋusẽ nu be miawu gbedoxɔ la tutu nu.
10 For before those days the wages of men could not be profitable, and there could be no hire of cattle, and there could be no peace by reason of the affliction to him that went out or to him that came in: for I would have let loose all men, every one against his neighbor.
Hafi ɣe ma ɣi naɖo la, womexea fe na amewo alo lãwo o. Ame aɖeke mate ŋu ado go, ayi eƒe dɔwɔƒe le dedinɔnɔ me o ɖe eƒe futɔwo ta, elabena mena ame sia ame tso ɖe ehavi ŋuti.
11 But now I [will] not do to the remnant of this people according to the former days, says the Lord Almighty.
Ke azɔ la, nyemawɔ na ame siwo susɔ la abe ale si mewɔ na amewo va yi ene o.” Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ lae gblɔe.
12 But I will show peace: the vine shall yield her fruit, and the land shall yield her produce, and the heaven shall give its dew: and I will give as an inheritance all these things to the remnant of my people.
“Atiku la amie, atsi, wainkawo atse nyuie, anyigba aʋã eƒe nukuwo, eye ahũ adza tso dziƒo. Matsɔ nu siawo katã ana nye ame siwo susɔ la abe woƒe domenyinu ene.
13 And it shall come to pass, as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Juda, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing: be of good courage, and strengthen your hands.
Esi mienye ɖiŋudonu le dukɔwo dome ta la, O! Yuda kple Israel, maɖe mi, eye mianye yayra. Migavɔ̃ o, mido ŋusẽ miaƒe alɔwo.”
14 For thus says the Lord Almighty; As I took counsel to afflict you when your fathers provoked me, says the Lord Almighty, and I repented not:
Ale Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gblɔe nye esi: “Abe ale si meɖoe kplikpaa be mahe tsɔtsrɔ̃ va mia dzii, eye nyemakpɔ nublanui o, esi mia fofowo do dɔmedzoe nam ene la,” Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ lae gblɔe,
15 so have I prepared and taken counsel in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Juda: be you of good courage.
“nenema azɔ, meɖoe kplikpaa be magawɔ nyui na Yerusalem kple Yuda, eya ta migavɔ̃ o.
16 These [are] the things which you shall do; speak truth every one with his neighbor; judge truth and peaceful judgment in your gates:
Esiawoe nye nu siwo miawɔ: mito nyateƒe na mia haviwo, mitso afia si le eteƒe, eye wòle dzɔdzɔe la le miaƒe ʋɔnuwo.
17 and let none of you devise evil in his heart against his neighbor; and love not a false oath: for all these things I hate, says the Lord Almighty.
Mègaɖo vɔ̃ ɖe hawòvi ŋuti o, eye atam dzodzro kaka megado dzidzɔ na wò o, elabena metsri nu siawo.” Yehowae gblɔe.
18 And the word of the Lord Almighty came to me, saying,
Esia hã nye gbedeasi bubu si va nam tso Yehowa Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gbɔ:
19 Thus says the Lord Almighty, The fourth fast, and the fifth fast, and the seventh fast, and the tenth fast, shall be to the house of Juda for joy and gladness, and for good feasts; and you shall rejoice; and love you the truth and peace.
Ale Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gblɔe nye esi: “Nutsitsidɔ siwo miewɔna le ɣleti enelia, atɔ̃lia, adrelia kple ewolia me la, anye dzidzɔ kple aseyetsotso ƒe azãwo na Yuda, eya ta milɔ̃ nyateƒe kple ŋutifafa.”
20 Thus says the Lord Almighty; Yet shall many peoples come, and the inhabitants of many cities;
Ale Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gblɔe nye esi, “Ame geɖewo kple ame siwo tso du geɖewo me le mɔ dzi gbɔna,
21 and the inhabitants of five cities shall come together to one city, saying, Let us go to make supplication to the Lord, and to seek the face of the Lord Almighty; I will go also.
eye amewo atso du ɖeka me ayi du bubu me ahagblɔ be, ‘Mina míatso zi ɖeka, míayi aɖaɖe kuku na Yehowa, eye míadi Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la. Nye la, medze mɔ yina.’
22 And many peoples and many nations shall come to seek earnestly the face of the Lord Almighty in Jerusalem, and to obtain favor of the Lord.
Ale amewo kple dukɔ siwo ŋu ŋusẽ le la ava Yerusalem be yewoadi Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la, eye woaƒo koko nɛ.”
23 Thus says the Lord Almighty; In those days [my word shall be fulfilled] if ten men of all the languages of the nations should take hold—even take hold of the hem of a Jew, saying, We will go with you; for we have heard that God is with you.
Ale Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gblɔe nye esi: “Le ŋkeke mawo me la, ŋutsu ewo atso gbegbɔgblɔwo kple dukɔ bubuwo me alé Yudatɔ ɖeka ƒe awu to ahagblɔ be, ‘Na míayi kpli wò, elabena míese be Mawu li kpli mi.’”