Zechariah 7
1 And it came to pass, in the fourth year of Darius the king, that the word of Yahweh came unto Zechariah, on the fourth of the ninth month, in Chisleu;
Nʼafọ nke anọ nke ọchịchị eze Daraiọs, okwu nke Onyenwe anyị ruru Zekaraya ntị nʼụbọchị nke anọ, nʼọnwa nke itoolu, nke bụ ọnwa Kislev.
2 yea when Bethel sent Sherezer and Regemmelech, and his men, —to pacify the face of Yahweh:
Nʼoge a, ndị bi nʼobodo Betel ezitela Shareza, na Regem Melek, ha na ndị ọzọ ka ha bịa rịọọ Onyenwe anyị arịrịọ,
3 to speak unto the priests that pertained to the house of Yahweh of hosts, and unto the prophets, saying, —Shall I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?
ka ọ jụkwaa ndị nchụaja nọ nʼụlọnsọ ukwu nke Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile, na ndị amụma, sị, “Ọ bụ m ruo ụjụ, bukwaa ọnụ nʼọnwa nke ise, dịka m si eme kemgbe ọtụtụ afọ ndị a gara aga?”
4 Then came the word of Yahweh of hosts unto me, saying:
Mgbe ahụ, okwu nke Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile ruru m ntị,
5 Speak thou unto all the people of the land, and unto the priests, saying, —When ye fasted and lamented in the fifth and in the seventh, even these seventy years, did ye, really fast, unto, me?
“Gwanụ ndị nchụaja na ndị niile bi nʼala a, ‘Mgbe unu na-ebu ọnụ nʼọnwa nke ise ọbụla, na nʼọnwa nke asaa ọbụla, iri afọ asaa ndị a niile gara aga, ọ bụ mụ ka unu na-eburu ọnụ?
6 And, when ye used to eat and when ye used to drink, was it not, of your own accord, ye did eat, and, of your own accord, ye did drink?
Mgbe unu na-eri na-aṅụkwa, ọ bụ na unu anaghị eme ya maka nʼihi onwe unu?
7 Should ye not [have been doing] the things which Yahweh, had proclaimed, by the hand of the former prophets, while yet Jerusalem was inhabited and in peace, with her cities round about her, —and the South and the Lowland were inhabited?
Ihe ndị a ha ọ bụghị okwu niile Onyenwe anyị kpọsara site nʼọnụ ndị amụma mbụ, mgbe Jerusalem na obodo niile dị ya gburugburu nọ nʼudo nwekwa ọganihu, nʼoge ndị mmadụ bi na Negev, ya na ala ndịda ugwu niile?’”
8 And the word of Yahweh came unto Zechariah, saying:
Mgbe ahụ, okwu nke Onyenwe anyị ruru Zekaraya ntị na-asị,
9 Thus, spake Yahweh of hosts, saying, —With true justice, give ye judgment, and, lovingkindness and compassions, observe ye, one with another;
“Ihe ndị a ka Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile kwuru, ‘Kpeenụ ikpe ziri ezi, meerenụ ibe unu ebere, ma gosikwa ibe unu ọmịiko.
10 And, the widow and the fatherless, the sojourner and the humbled, do not ye oppress, —and, wickedness between one man and another, do not ye devise in your hearts.
Unu emegbula ụmụ nwanyị di ha nwụrụ maọbụ nwa na-enweghị nne na nna maọbụ ndị ọbịa maọbụ ndị ogbenye. Unu echela echiche ọjọọ nʼobi unu megide ibe unu.’
11 Howbeit they refused to give heed, but put forth a rebellious shoulder, —and, their ears, made they hard of hearing, that they might not hear;
“Ma ha jụrụ ige ntị; ha sitere nʼobiike ha gbakụta m azụ ha, were mkpịsịaka rụchie ntị ha, ka ha ghara ige m ntị.
12 and, their heart, turned they into adamant, that they might not hear the law, nor the words which Yahweh of hosts sent by his spirit, through the former prophets, —and so there came great wrath from Yahweh of hosts.
Ha mere ka obi ha sie ike dịka nkume, jụ ige ntị nʼiwu, na nʼokwu nke Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile sitere na Mmụọ ya zie ndị amụma mbụ ahụ. Nʼihi ya, Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile were oke iwe.
13 Therefore came it to pass that—just as he cried out and they hearkened not, so, used they to cry out, and I used not to hearken, saith Yahweh of hosts;
“‘Ebe ọ bụ na mgbe m kpọrọ ha, ha egeghị ntị, agaghị m ege ntị mgbe ha ga-akpọ m,’ Ọ bụ ihe Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile na-ekwu.
14 But I whirled them over all the nations whom they had not known, and, the land, was made desolate after them, that none passed through and returned, —Yea they made of a delightful land—a desolation.
‘Eji m oke ifufe gbasasịa ha nʼetiti mba niile, ndị ha na-amaghị. Emere m ka ala ha tọgbọrọ nʼefu, ka mmadụ ọbụla hapụ inwe ike ịpụ maọbụ ịbata nʼime ya. Otu a ka ha si mee ka ala ọma ahụ ghọọ ala tọgbọrọ nʼefu.’”
