Zechariah 8
1 And the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying,
Lafika njalo kimi ilizwi likaThixo uSomandla.
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.
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla: “Ngilobukhwele kabi ngeZiyoni; ngiyatsha ngobukhwele ngayo.”
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.
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: “Ngizabuyela eZiyoni ngihlale eJerusalema. Lapho-ke iJerusalema izathiwa nguMuzi weQiniso, lentaba kaThixo uSomandla izabizwa ngokuthi yiNtaba eNgcwele.”
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.
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: “Kuzakwenzakala njalo ukuthi amaxhegu lezalukazi bahlale nje ezitaladini zeJerusalema, ngulowo lodondolo lwakhe esandleni ngenxa yokuluphala.
5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in her streets.
Izitalada zedolobho zizaphithizela abafana lamantombazana bezidlalela khona.”
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.
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: “Kungabonakala njengesimanga kwabayinsalela yalababantu ngalesosikhathi, kodwa kambe kungabonakala njengesimanga kimi na?” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
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;
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: “Ngizabasindisa abantu bami emazweni asempumalanga lasemazweni asentshonalanga.
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.
Ngizababuyisela bayehlala eJerusalema; bazakuba ngabantu bami, lami ngizathembeka njalo ngibe lokulunga kubo njengoNkulunkulu wabo.”
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.
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: “Lina okwamanje eliwezwayo amazwi la akhulunywa ngabaphrofethi ababekhona kubekwa isisekelo sendlu kaThixo uSomandla, qinisani izandla zenu ukuze ithempeli lakhiwe.
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.
Mandulo kwesikhathi leso kwakungekho imbadalo ngomsebenzi womuntu loba owenyamazana. Umuntu loba engubani wayengazihambeli loba azenzele okwakhe ekhululekile ngenxa yezitha, ngoba abantu ngasengibaxabanise labomakhelwane babo.
11 But now I am no more as in the former days unto the residue of this people, saith the Lord of hosts.
Kodwa khathesi kangisayikwenza kulaba abayinsalela njengalokho engakwenzayo endulo,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
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.
“Inhlanyelo izakhula kuhle, ivini lizakhupha izithelo zalo, umhlabathi uzakhulisa amabele, lamazulu azakwehlisa amazolo awo. Zonke lezizinto ngizazinika njengelifa kwabayinsalela yalababantu.
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.
Njengoba beliyinto eqalekisiweyo phakathi kwezizwe, wena Juda lo-Israyeli, ngakho ngizalisindisa libe yisibusiso. Lingesabi, kodwa qinisani izandla zenu.”
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:
Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla, uthi: “Kanjengalokhu ngasengimisile ukwehlisela umonakalo phezu kwenu angaze ngatshengisa uzwelo lapho okhokho benu bangizondisa,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla,
15 So do I again purpose in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear ye not.
“yikho manje sengimisile ukwenza ubuhle njalo eJerusalema lakoJuda. Lingesabi.
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;
Nanzi izinto okumele lizenze: Khulumani iqiniso omunye komunye, njalo lehlulelane ngeqiniso langokuqonda emithethwandaba yenu;
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.
lingakheli umakhelwane wenu amacebo amabi, njalo lingaze lathanda ukufunga ngokungamanga. Konke lokhu ngiyakuzonda,” kutsho uThixo.
18 And the word of the Lord of hosts came unto me, saying,
Ilizwi likaThixo uSomandla laphinda labuya kimi.
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.
Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla, uthi, “Amazilo awenyanga yesine, leyesihlanu, leyesikhombisa kanye leyetshumi azakuba yizikhathi zokuthokoza lokujabula, abe yimikhosi yokuthaba koJuda. Ngakho-ke thandani iqiniso lokuthula.”
20 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, [A time] shall yet be! when there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities;
Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla: “Abantu abanengi lezakhamizi zamadolobho amanengi basezakuza,
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.
njalo izakhamizi zedolobho leli zizakuya kwezakuleliyana zifike zithi, ‘Kasihambe khathesi lokhu siyoncenga uThixo, simfune uThixo uSomandla. Mina sengihamba.’
22 And many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord.
Kuzakuthi abantu abanengi lezizwe ezilamandla zizakuza eJerusalema ukuzafuna uThixo uSomandla bezocela kuye.”
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.
Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla, uthi: “Ngalezonsuku amadoda alitshumi aphuma kuzozonke izindimi lezizwe azagagadlela umphetho wengubo yomJuda oyedwa athi, ‘Wothi sihambe lawe ngoba sesizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulani.’”
