Zechariah 12
1 [This is] a message from Yahweh concerning Israel. Yahweh is the one who stretched out the sky, who created the earth, and who (gave life to humans/caused humans to be alive). This is what he says:
Isiphrofethi: ilizwi likaThixo mayelana lo-Israyeli. UThixo owachayayo amazulu, obeka isisekelo somhlaba, njalo owenza umphefumulo womuntu phakathi kwakhe, uthi:
2 “I will soon cause Jerusalem to be [like] [MET] a cup full [of very strong alcoholic drink], and the people of other nations who drink it will stagger around. And they will come and attack Jerusalem and [the other towns in] Judah.
“Ngizakwenza iJerusalema ibe njengenkezo ezadakisa bonke abantu abakhelene layo. UJuda uzavinjezelwa laye njengeJerusalema.
3 At that time, [the armies of] all the nations will gather to attack Jerusalem, but I will cause [the leaders of] Judah to be [like] [SIM] a very heavy rock, and all who [try to] lift it will be badly injured.
Ngalelolanga, lapho izizwe zonke zomhlaba sezihlangene ukulwa laye, ngizakwenza iJerusalema ibe lidwala elingagudlukiyo elezizwe zonke. Bonke abazama ukulitshedisa bazazilimaza.
4 At that time I will cause every [one of their enemies’] horses to panic, and their riders to become crazy. I [IDM] will protect the people of Judah, but I will cause all their enemies’ horses to become blind.
Ngalelolanga ngizakwenza wonke amabhiza ethuke labagadi bawo bahlanye,” kutsho uThixo. “Indlu kaJuda ngizahlala ngiyiqaphele, kodwa ngizaphumputhekisa wonke amabhiza ezizwe.
5 Then the leaders of Judah will say to themselves, ‘The people in Jerusalem are strong because the Commander of the armies of angels is their God.’
Lapho abakhokheli bakoJuda bazakuthi ezinhliziyweni zabo, ‘Abantu baseJerusalema baqinile, ngoba uThixo uSomandla unguNkulunkulu wabo.’
6 At that time I will enable the leaders of Judah to be like [SIM] a pan containing hot coals [that is put] in a woodpile [to set it on fire], or like [SIM] a burning torch [that is put] in a [field of] ripe grain [to set it on fire]. The leaders of Judah [and their army] will destroy the people of the surrounding nations in all directions. But [the people of] Jerusalem will remain safe.
Ngalelolanga ngizakwenza abakhokheli bakoJuda babe njengebhodo phezu kwezikhuni, njengobhaqa oluvuthayo phakathi kwezithungo. Bazathungela ngapha langapha kutshe bonke abantu abakhelene labo, kodwa iJerusalema izasala imi injalo endaweni yayo.
7 And [I], Yahweh, will protect the tents of [the soldiers in other places in] Judah before [I rescue the people of Jerusalem], in order that the leaders of Jerusalem [DOU] will not be honored more than [the people in other places in] Judah [are honored].
UThixo uzasindisa imizi yakoJuda kuqala ukuze udumo lwendlu kaDavida lolwezakhamizi zaseJerusalema lungabi lukhulu kulolukaJuda.
8 At that time, I will protect [MET] the people of Jerusalem. When that happens, even the weakest people in Jerusalem will be [strong] like [King] David [was]. And the descendants [MTY] of David will [rule the people] like I [would], as though an angel sent from [me], Yahweh, was their leader.
Ngalelolanga uThixo uzabavikela labo abahlala eJerusalema, kuze kuthi lobuthakathaka kakhulu phakathi kwabo uzakuba njengoDavida, lendlu kaDavida izakuba njengoNkulunkulu, njengeNgilosi kaThixo ihamba phambi kwabo.
9 At that time, I will prepare to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.”
Ngalelolanga ngizaphuma ngiyebhubhisa zonke izizwe ezihlasela iJerusalema.”
10 “I, [Yahweh, ] will cause the descendants [MTY] of [King] David to act very kindly and mercifully. They will look at me, [the one] who has been stabbed, and they will cry bitterly, like people cry for a firstborn son [who has died] [DOU].
“Ngizathululela phezu kwendlu kaDavida laphezu kwabakhileyo eJerusalema umoya womusa lobubele. Bazakhangela kimi, mina abamgwazayo, bangililele njengomuntu elilela umntanakhe ozelwe yedwa, bamkhalele kabuhlungu njengomuntu ekhalela indodana yakhe elizibulo.
11 At that time, many people in Jerusalem will be crying bitterly, like people cried [when King Josiah was killed in the battle] at Hadad-Rimmon on the Megiddo Plain.
Ngalelolanga isililo eJerusalema sizakuba sikhulu njengesililo sikaHadadi-Rimoni emagcekeni aseMegido.
12 Many people in Judah will cry, each family by themselves: the male descendants of David by themselves, and their wives by themselves, the male descendants of [David’s son] Nathan by themselves, and their wives by themselves,
Ilizwe lizalila, yilesosizwana sisodwa, labafazi babo bebodwa; isizwana sendlu kaDavida labafazi babo, isizwana sendlu kaNathani labafazi babo,
13 the male descendants [MTY] of Levi by themselves, and their wives by themselves, the male descendants of [Levi’s grandson] Shimei by themselves, and their wives by themselves,
isizwana sendlu kaLevi labafazi babo, isizwana sikaShimeyi labafazi babo,
14 and all the other members [of the kings’ clans and the priests’ clans] by themselves, and their wives by themselves.”
lazozonke izizwana labafazi bazo.”
