Zechariah 7
1 When Darius had been the emperor for almost four years, on December 7, Yahweh gave me [another] message.
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 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.
Nʼoge a, ndị bi nʼobodo Betel ezitela Shareza, na Regem Melek, ha na ndị ọzọ ka ha bịa rịọọ Onyenwe anyị arịrịọ,
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]?”
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 the Commander of the armies of angels gave me a message.
Mgbe ahụ, okwu nke Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile ruru m ntị,
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].
“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 they ate and drank, it was really [RHQ] to [benefit] themselves.
Mgbe unu na-eri na-aṅụkwa, ọ bụ na unu anaghị eme ya maka nʼihi onwe unu?
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].”
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 Yahweh gave another message to me, saying
Mgbe ahụ, okwu nke Onyenwe anyị ruru Zekaraya ntị na-asị,
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.
“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 Do not (oppress/treat cruelly) widows or orphans or foreigners or poor people. Do not even think about doing evil to anyone else.’”
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 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].
“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 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.
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 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.
“‘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 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).”
‘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.’”
