< Zechariah 1 >

1 [I am] Zechariah, a prophet, the son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo. When Darius [had been the emperor of Persia] for almost two years, during November [of that year], Yahweh gave me this message:
E dwe mar aboro, e higa mar ariyo mar loch Darius, wach Jehova Nyasaye nobiro ni janabi Zekaria wuod Berekia, ma wuod Ido, kawacho niya,
2 “I was very angry with your ancestors.
“Jehova Nyasaye nosin ahinya gi kwereu.
3 So tell this to the people: [I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, say, ‘Return to me, and [if you do that], I will [help] you again.
Kuom mano wachnegi ni: Ma e gima Jehova Nyasaye Maratego wacho: ‘Dwoguru ira,’ Jehova Nyasaye Maratego wacho. ‘Eka an bende anaduog iru,’ Jehova Nyasaye Maratego ema owacho kamano.
4 Do not be like your ancestors. [Other] prophets, who have now died, [continually] proclaimed to your ancestors that they should stop doing the evil things that they were continually doing. But they refused to pay attention to what I said.
Kik uchal gi kwereu, mane jonabi machon oywak nigi kawacho ni: Ma e gima Jehova Nyasaye Maratego wacho, ‘Lokreuru uwe yoreu maricho kod timbeu maricho.’ To negitamore winja kata dewa, Jehova Nyasaye owacho.
5 Your ancestors [have died and are now in their graves] [RHQ]. And the prophets did not [RHQ] live forever, [either].
Bende kwereugo gi jonabi pod ngima nyaka sani?
6 But I punished [IDM] [the people for disobeying] the commands and the decrees which I commanded my servants the prophets [to tell to the people]. Then they (repented/turned away from their evil behavior) and said, ‘The Commander of the armies of angels has done to us what we deserved for our evil behavior, just like he said that he would do.’”
To donge wechena gi yorena mane achiko jotichna ma jonabi nojuko kwereu? “Omiyo negilokore kendo giwacho ni, ‘Jehova Nyasaye Maratego osetimonwa gima owinjore gi yorewa kod timbewa, mana kaka nochano timo.’”
7 [Three months later], on February 15, Yahweh gave [another] message to me.
Tarik piero ariyo gangʼwen mar dwe mar apar gachiel, miluongo ni Shebat, e higa mar ariyo mar loch Darius, wach Jehova Nyasaye nobiro ni janabi Zekaria wuod Berekia, ma wuod Ido.
8 During the night [I had a vision. In the vision] I saw an [angel] who was on a red horse. He was in a narrow valley among some myrtle trees. Behind him were [angels on] red, brown, and white horses.
Naneno fweny gotieno ka ngʼat moro moidho faras ma silwal opore e nyima. Ne ochungʼ e dier yiend kuth ochwoga, e holo moro. Yo ka diengʼeye ne nitie farese masilwende, marobuore kod marochere.
9 I asked the angel who had been talking to me, “Sir, who are those [angels on the horses]?” He replied, “I will show you who they are.”
Napenjo niya, “Magi gin angʼo, yaye ruodha?” Malaika mane wuoyo koda nodwoka niya, “Abiro nyisi gima gin.”
10 Then the [angel] who had been under the myrtle trees explained. [He said, ] “They are the [angels] whom Yahweh sent [to (patrol/see what is happening in)] the [entire] world.”
Eka ngʼat mane ochungʼ e dier yiend kuth ochwoga nonyisa niya, “Gin e joma Jehova Nyasaye oseoro mondo odhi e piny koni gi koni.”
11 Then those angels reported to the angel who was [there] among the myrtle trees, “We have traveled throughout the world, and we have found out that [the army of the emperor of Persia has conquered nations] throughout the world, [and that] those nations are now (helpless/unable to resist his army).”
To negidwoko wach ne malaika mar Jehova Nyasaye, mane ochungʼ e dier yiend kuth ochwoga, kagiwacho niya, “Wasewuotho e piny koni gi koni mi wayudo ka piny ngima yweyo kendo nigi kwe.”
12 Then the angel asked, “Commander of the armies of angels, how long will you continue to not be merciful to Jerusalem and the [other] towns in Judah? You have been angry with them for 70 years!”
Eka malaika mar Jehova Nyasaye nowacho niya, “Jehova Nyasaye Maratego, nyaka karangʼo mibiro lingʼ mak ikecho Jerusalem gi mier mag Juda misebedo kikechogo kuom higni piero abiriyogi?”
13 [So] Yahweh spoke kindly to the angel who had talked to me, saying things that comforted/encouraged him.
Eka Jehova Nyasaye nowuoyo gi malaika mane loso koda gi weche mangʼwon kod weche mag hoch.
14 Then the angel who had been talking with me said to me, “Proclaim this [to the people of Jerusalem]: The Commander of the armies of angels says that he is very concerned about [the people who live on] Zion [Hill] and [in the other parts of] Jerusalem.
Eka malaika mane wuoyo koda nowachona niya, “Ywagri kiwacho ne ji kama: Ma e gima Jehova Nyasaye Maratego wacho, ‘Nyiego omaka matek nikech Jerusalem gi Sayun,
15 But he is very angry with the nations that are [proud and feel] safe. He was only a little bit angry [with the people of Judah], but [he is very angry with the surrounding nations because] they caused [the people of Judah to experience] complete disaster.
to bende akecho ahinya gi ogendini modak kodhialore. Mokwongo ne akecho mana matin, to koro gisemiyo chandruok omedo doko malit moloyo.’
16 Therefore, this is what he says: ‘I will again be merciful to [the people of] Jerusalem, and they will rebuild my temple. Men will measure [all the land in] the city [before they start rebuilding the houses].’
“Kuom mano, Jehova Nyasaye wacho ni, ‘Abiro duogo Jerusalem mi akeche, mi oda nochak oger kanyo; kendo tol mipimogo ibiro rie e alwora mar Jerusalem,’ Jehova Nyasaye Maratego ema owacho.
17 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] said this: ‘Tell the people that [the people in] my towns [in Judah] will soon be very prosperous again, and I will encourage [the people of] Jerusalem, and their city will again be my chosen [city].’”
“Med lendo kiwacho kama: Ma e gima Jehova Nyasaye Maratego wacho: ‘Miecha duto biro pongʼ gi mwandu, kendo Jehova Nyasaye biro hoyo Sayun kendo obiro chako oyiero Jerusalem!’”
18 Then I looked up, and I saw in front of me four [animal] horns.
Eka natingʼo wangʼa, mi napo kaneno tunge angʼwen!
19 I asked the angel who had been speaking to me, “What are those [horns]?” He replied, “Those horns [represent the armies that] forced [the people of] Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah and Israel to go [to other countries].”
Napenjo malaika mane wuoyo koda niya, “Magi gin angʼo?” Nodwoka niya, “Magi e tunge mane okeyo Juda, Israel kod Jerusalem.”
20 Then Yahweh showed me four (craftsmen/men who make things from metal).
Eka Jehova Nyasaye nonyisa jotheth angʼwen.
21 I asked, “What are those men coming to do?” He replied, “[The armies represented by] those horns caused [the people of] Judah to be scattered, with the result that they suffered greatly. But the craftsmen have come to cause those who attacked [IDM] Judah to be terrified and crushed.”
Napenjo niya, “Jogi obiro timo angʼo ka?” Nodwoko niya, “Magi e tunge mane okeyo jo-Juda mondo kik ngʼato angʼata kuomgi tingʼ wiye; to jothethgi osebiro mondo obwog-gi kendo gilo ogendini mane oikore kedo gi piny Juda.”

< Zechariah 1 >