Zechariah 7
1 When Darius had been the emperor for almost four years, on December 7, Yahweh gave me [another] message.
Awo olwatuuka mu mwaka ogwokuna ogw’obufuzi bwa kabaka Daliyo, ekigambo kya Mukama ne kijjira Zekkaliya, ku lunaku olwokuna olw’omwezi ogw’omwenda oguyitibwa Kisuleevu.
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.
Abayudaaya mu Beseri baali batumye Salezeeri omukungu wa kabaka ne Legemumereki n’abantu baabwe mu Yerusaalemi okwogerako ne bakabona babegayiririre eri Mukama,
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]?”
n’okusaba bakabona b’omu nnyumba ya Mukama ow’Eggye ne bannabbi nti, “Nkaabe era nsiibe mu mwezi ogwokutaano nga bwe mbadde nkola okumala emyaka gino gyonna?”
4 Then the Commander of the armies of angels gave me a message.
Awo ekigambo kya Mukama ow’Eggye ne kinzijira nga kigamba nti,
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].
“Gamba abantu bonna abali mu nsi, ne bakabona nti, ‘Bwe mwasiiba ne mukungubaga mu mwezi ogwokutaano ne mu gw’omusanvu mu myaka gino ensanvu, mwali musiibira nze?
6 And when they ate and drank, it was really [RHQ] to [benefit] themselves.
Era bwe mulya ne munywa, muba temulya ku lwammwe era n’okunywa ku lwammwe?
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].”
Bino si bye bigambo Mukama bye yalangirira mu bannabbi ab’edda, Yerusaalemi bwe kyali kikyalimu abantu era nga kikyakulaakulana, nga n’ebibuga byakyo bikyetoolodde, nga ne mu bukiikaddyo ne mu bitundu eby’ensenyi mukyalimu abantu?’”
8 Yahweh gave another message to me, saying
Ekigambo kya Mukama ne kijjira Zekkaliya nate nti,
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.
“Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye nti, ‘Musalenga emisango egy’ensonga, mukwatirweganenga ekisa n’okusaasiragananga buli muntu eri muganda we.
10 Do not (oppress/treat cruelly) widows or orphans or foreigners or poor people. Do not even think about doing evil to anyone else.’”
Temutulugunyanga bannamwandu, n’abatalina bakitaabwe, n’abatambuze wadde abaavu, era tewateekwa kubaawo muntu n’omu ku mmwe alowooza mu mutima gwe okukola obulabe ku muganda we!’
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].
“Naye baagaana okuwuliriza ne bakakanyaza emitima gyabwe ne baziba n’amatu gaabwe baleme okuwulira.
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.
Ne bakakanyaza emitima gyabwe ng’ejjinja, ne batawuliriza mateeka wadde ebigambo Mukama ow’Eggye bye yaweereza n’Omwoyo we mu mukono gwa bannabbi ab’edda. Mukama ow’Eggye kyeyava abanyiigira ennyo.
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.
“‘Bwe nabakoowoola ne batafaayo, nange ne ŋŋaana okufaayo nga bankowodde,’ bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye.
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).”
Era nabasaasaanya n’omuyaga ogukunta mu mawanga ge baali batamanyi. Ensi gye baaleka n’ebeera matongo nga tewali agibeeramu, ensi ennungi esanyusa, kyeyava efuuka eddungu.”
