< Zechariah 8 >
1 And the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying,
The word of the LORD of hosts came to me.
2 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, I am jealous for Zion with a great jealousy, and with great fury am I jealous for her.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: "I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath."
3 Thus hath said the Lord, I return unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called, The city of truth; and the mount of the Lord of hosts, The holy mount.
Thus says the LORD: "I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called 'The City of Truth;' and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, 'The Holy Mountain.'"
4 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Again shall there sit old men and old women in the streets of Jerusalem, and every one with his staff in his hand because of their multitude of years.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for very age.
5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in her streets.
The streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in its streets."
6 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, If it should be marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes? saith the Lord of hosts.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: "If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes?" says the LORD of hosts.
7 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the country of the setting of the sun;
Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Look, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;
8 And I will bring them [back], that they may dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be unto me for a people, and I will be unto them for a God, in truth and in righteousness.
and I will bring 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 righteousness."
9 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words out of the mouth of the prophets, who [spoke] on the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, when the temple was to be built.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, even the temple, that it might be built.
10 For before those days there was no reward for man, nor any reward for beast; and for him that went out or came in there was no peace, because of the oppressor: and I let loose all men, every one against his neighbor.
For before those days there was no wages for man, nor any wages for an animal; neither was there any peace to him who went out or came in, because of the adversary. For I set all men everyone against his neighbor.
11 But now I am no more as in the former days unto the residue of this people, saith the Lord of hosts.
But now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in the former days," says the LORD of hosts.
12 For the seed shall be undisturbed; the vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give her production, and the heavens shall give their dew: and I will bestow on the remnant of this people all these things.
"For the seed of peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.
13 And it shall come to pass, that, in the same degree as ye have been a curse among the nations, O house of Judah, and house of Israel, so will I save you and ye shall be a blessing: fear not; let your hands be strong.
It shall come to pass that, as you were a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Do not be afraid. Let your hands be strong."
14 For thus hath said the Lord of hosts, As I had purposed to do you evil, when your fathers incensed me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I bethought myself not:
For thus says the LORD of hosts: "As I thought to do evil to you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath," says the LORD of hosts, "and I did not repent;
15 So do I again purpose in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear ye not.
so again have I thought in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not be afraid.
16 These are the things that ye shall do, Speak ye the truth every man to his neighbor; [with] truth and the judgment of peace judge ye in your gates;
These are the things that you shall do: speak every man the truth with his neighbor. Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates,
17 And let none of you think evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love not a false oath, for all these are what I hate, saith the Lord.
and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbor, and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate," says the LORD.
18 And the word of the Lord of hosts came unto me, saying,
The word of the LORD of hosts came to me.
19 Thus hath said 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 [month], shall become to the house of Judah gladness and joy, and merry festivals: only love ye the truth and peace.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: "The fasts of the fourth fifth, seventh, and tenth months shall be for the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace."
20 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, [A time] shall yet be! when there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities;
Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come;
21 And the inhabitants of one [city] shall go to another, saying, Let us only go to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I too will likewise go.
and the inhabitants of one shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go speedily to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts. I will go also.'
22 And many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord.
Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of the LORD."
23 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, In those days [it shall happen], that ten men out of all the languages of the nations shall take hold—yea, they shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, Let us go with you; for we have heard that God is with you.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: "In those days, ten men will take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, they will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, 'We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"