Zechariah 3
1 Then [Yahweh] showed me Joshua, the Supreme Priest, [who was] standing in front of the angel that Yahweh had sent. And Satan was standing at Joshua’s right side, [ready] to accuse him.
Yase ingitshengisa uJoshuwa umphristi omkhulu emi phambi kwengilosi kaThixo, loSathane emi kwesokunene sakhe ephikisana laye.
2 But Yahweh said to Satan, “Satan, I am rebuking you! I [am the one] who has chosen Jerusalem [to be my special city, and I] am rebuking you! This [man, Joshua], [has been brought back from Babylonia]; he is surely [like] [MET, RHQ] a burning stick that has been snatched from a fire.”
UThixo wathi kuSathane, “UThixo uyakukhuza, Sathane! UThixo oyikhethileyo iJerusalema, uyakukhuza! Umuntu lo kasisikhuni esihwatshwe sibhebha na?”
3 Joshua was wearing filthy clothes while he was standing in front of the angel.
UJoshuwa wema phambi kwengilosi egqoke ezingcolileyo.
4 The angel said to those [other angels] who were standing in front of him, “Take off his filthy clothes!” [After they did that, ] the angel said to Joshua, “Look! I have taken away [the guilt of] your sins, and I will put beautiful clothes on you.”
Ingilosi yasisithi kulabo ababemi phambi kwayo, “Mkhululeni izigqoko lezi ezingcolileyo.” Yasisithi kuJoshuwa, “Uyabona, sengisisusile isono sakho, yikho sengizakugqokisa izigqoko ezinhle kakhulu.”
5 Then I said to them, “Put a clean turban on his head!” So they put a clean turban on his head and put [new] on him, while the angel sent by Yahweh was standing there.
Ngasengisithi, “Mthwaliseni iqhiye ehlanzekileyo ekhanda lakhe.” Basebemthwalisa iqhiye ehlanzekileyo ekhanda, bamgqokisa njalo, ingilosi kaThixo ilokhu imi khonapho.
6 Then the angel said [this] to Joshua:
Ingilosi kaThixo yasimupha umlayo lo uJoshuwa, yathi:
7 “The Commander of the armies of angels says that if you do what I want you to do [IDM], and obey my instructions, you will (be in charge of/have authority over) [what is done in] my temple and its courtyard. And I will allow you to speak at any time to the angels who are standing near to me.
“Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla: ‘Nxa uzahamba ngezindlela zami ugcine izimiso zami, lapho-ke uzabusa indlu yami, uwaphathe lamaguma ami, njalo mina ngizakupha indawo phakathi kwalaba abemiyo lapha.
8 Joshua, [you are] the Supreme Priest, and your (associates/fellow priests) are sitting in front of you. They symbolize/represent things that will happen in the future. [Some day] I am going to bring someone who will work for me, someone who will be called the Branch.
Lalela, wena mphristi omkhulu Joshuwa, kanye labakhula bakho abahlezi phambi kwakho, abangamadoda ayisitshengiselo sezinto ezizayo: Ngizaletha inceku yami iHlumela.
9 Look at the stone that I have put in front of Joshua. There are seven sides on the stone. I will engrave a message on that stone, and in one day I will remove the guilt of [all the people of] this country.
Uyabona, ilitshe engilimise phambi kukaJoshuwa! Kulamehlo ayisikhombisa phezu kwelitshe lilinye, njalo ngizagubha umbhalo kulo,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla, ‘njalo ngizasisusa isono salelilizwe ngelanga elilodwa zwi.
10 At that time, each of you will invite his friends [to come and sit] under his grapevine and under his fig tree. [That is what] the Commander of the armies of angels declares.”
Ngalelolanga lowo lalowo wenu uzamema umakhelwane wakhe ukuthi ahlale ngaphansi kwevini lomkhiwa wakhe,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla.”
