Zechariah 7
1 When Darius had been the emperor for almost four years, on December 7, Yahweh gave me [another] message.
Et factum est in anno quarto Darii regis, factum est verbum Domini ad Zachariam, in quarta mensis noni, qui est Casleu.
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.
Et miserunt ad domum Dei Sarasar, et Rogommelech, et viri, qui erant cum eo ad deprecandam faciem Domini:
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]?”
ut dicerent sacerdotibus domus Domini exercituum, et prophetis loquentes: numquid flendum est mihi in quinto mense, vel sanctificare me debeo, sicut iam feci multis annis?
4 Then the Commander of the armies of angels gave me a message.
Et factum est verbum Domini exercituum ad me, dicens:
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].
Loquere ad omnem populum terræ, et ad sacerdotes, dicens: Cum ieiunaretis, et plangeretis in quinto et septimo per hos septuaginta annos: numquid ieiunium ieiunastis mihi?
6 And when they ate and drank, it was really [RHQ] to [benefit] themselves.
et cum comedistis, et bibistis, numquid non vobis comedistis, et vobismetipsis bibistis?
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].”
Numquid non sunt verba, quæ locutus est Dominus in manu prophetarum priorum, cum adhuc Ierusalem habitaretur, ut esset opulenta, ipsa et urbes in circuitu eius, et ad Austrum, et in campestribus habitaretur?
8 Yahweh gave another message to me, saying
Et factum est verbum Domini ad Zachariam, dicens:
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.
Hæc ait Dominus exercituum, dicens: Iudicium verum iudicate, et misericordiam, et miserationes facite, unusquisque cum fratre suo.
10 Do not (oppress/treat cruelly) widows or orphans or foreigners or poor people. Do not even think about doing evil to anyone else.’”
Et viduam, et pupillum, et advenam, et pauperem nolite calumniari: et malum vir fratri suo non cogitet in corde suo.
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].
Et noluerunt attendere, et averterunt scapulam recedentem, et aures suas aggravaverunt ne audirent.
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.
Et cor suum posuerunt ut adamantem, ne audirent legem, et verba quæ misit Dominus exercituum in spiritu suo per manum prophetarum priorum: et facta est indignatio magna a Domino exercituum.
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.
Et factum est sicut locutus est, et non audierunt: sic clamabunt, et non exaudiam, dicit Dominus exercituum.
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).”
Et dispersi eos per omnia regna, quæ nesciunt: et terra desolata est ab eis, eo quod non esset transiens et revertens: et posuerunt terram desiderabilem in desertum.
