Zechariah 7
1 When Darius had been the emperor for almost four years, on December 7, Yahweh gave me [another] message.
Pa chaka chachinayi cha Mfumu Dariyo, pa tsiku lachinayi la Kisilevi, mwezi wachisanu ndi chinayi, Yehova anayankhula ndi Zekariya.
2 The people of Bethel [city] sent two men, Sharezer and Regem-Melech, along with some other men, [to the temple of Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels, ] to request that Yahweh bless them.
Anthu a ku Beteli anali atatuma Sarezeri ndi Regemu-Meleki pamodzi ndi anthu awo, kuti akapemphe chifundo kwa Yehova
3 They also asked the priests at Yahweh’s temple and the prophets [this question]: “For many years, during the fifth month [and during the seventh month of each year], we have mourned and (fasted/abstained from eating food). Should we [continue to do that]?”
pokafunsa kwa ansembe a ku Nyumba ya Yehova Wamphamvuzonse ndi aneneri kuti, “Kodi ine ndizilira ndi kusala zakudya pa mwezi wachisanu, monga mmene ndakhala ndikuchitira pa zaka zambiri?”
4 Then the Commander of the armies of angels gave me a message.
Pamenepo Yehova Wamphamvuzonse anayankhula nane kuti,
5 [He said], “Tell [RHQ] the priests and all the [other] people of Judah that during the past 70 years, when they mourned and fasted during the fifth and seventh months [of each year], it was not really [RHQ] me, [Yahweh], whom they were [honoring].
“Funsa anthu onse a mʼdziko ndi ansembe kuti, ‘Pamene munkasala zakudya pa mwezi wachisanu ndi wachisanu ndi chiwiri pa zaka 70 zapitazi, kodi munkasala chifukwa cha Ine?
6 And when they ate and drank, it was really [RHQ] to [benefit] themselves.
Ndipo pamene munkadya ndi kumwa, kodi simunkachita zimenezi podzisangalatsa nokha?
7 That is certainly [RHQ] what I continually told the former prophets to proclaim [to the people], when Jerusalem and the nearby towns were prosperous and filled with people, and people [also] lived in the desert area to the south and in the foothills [to the west].”
Kodi awa si mawu amene Yehova ankanena kudzera mwa aneneri oyamba aja pamene Yerusalemu ndi mizinda yake yozungulira anali pa mtendere ndi pa ulemerero, ndi pamene Negevi ndi ku madera akumadzulo a mʼmbali mwa phiri munali anthu?’”
8 Yahweh gave another message to me, saying
Ndipo Yehova anayankhulanso ndi Zekariya kuti,
9 “[Tell the people that] this is what the Commander of the armies of angels says: ‘Do what is just/right, and act kindly and mercifully toward each other.
“Yehova Wamphamvuzonse akuti, ‘Muziweruza molungama; muzichitirana chifundo ndi kumverana chisoni.
10 Do not (oppress/treat cruelly) widows or orphans or foreigners or poor people. Do not even think about doing evil to anyone else.’”
Musamazunze akazi amasiye kapena ana amasiye, alendo kapena osauka. Musamaganizirane zoyipa mʼmitima mwanu.’
11 But the people refused to pay attention [to what Yahweh said]. They turned their backs [to him], and put their hands over their ears in order to not hear [what he said].
“Koma makolo anu anakana kumvera uthenga umenewu; anawumitsa mtima nandifulatira, natseka makutu awo kuti asamve.
12 They were very stubborn [IDM], and they would not listen to the laws [that God gave to Moses] or the messages that the Commander of the armies of angels told his Spirit to give to the prophets who were now dead. So the Commander of the armies of angels was very angry.
Anawumitsa mitima yawo ngati mwala wa sangalabwi ndipo sanamvere lamulo kapena mawu amene Yehova Wamphamvuzonse anawatumiza mwa Mzimu wake kudzera mwa aneneri oyamba aja. Kotero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse anakwiya kwambiri.
13 The Commander of the armies of angels says, “When I called/spoke [to the people], they would not listen. So when they called/prayed [to me], I did not listen.
“‘Pamene ndinawayitana, iwo sanamvere; choncho pamene iwo anandiyitana, Ine sindinamverenso,’ akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse.
14 And I caused them to be scattered among many nations, where they were strangers. [It was as though] [MET] a whirlwind [picked them up and carried them away from their country]. The country/land that they [were forced to] leave was ruined, with the result that no one could [live there or even] travel through it. [It was previously] a delightful land, but they caused it to become (desolate/like a desert).”
‘Ndinawamwaza ndi kamvuluvulu pakati pa mitundu yonse ya anthu, kumene anali alendo. Dziko lawo linatsala litasakazidwa kwambiri kotero kuti palibe amene amabwera kapena kupitamo. Umu ndi mmene anasandutsira dziko labwino kukhala chipululu.’”
