< Zechariah 7 >
1 When Darius had been the emperor for almost four years, on December 7, Yahweh gave me [another] message.
El año cuarto del rey Darío llegó la palabra de Yahvé a Zacarías, el día cuarto del mes noveno, que es el mes de 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.
Los de Betel habían enviado a Sarasar y a Rogommélec y a los hombres de este, para implorar el favor de Yahvé,
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]?”
y para preguntar a los sacerdotes que estaban en la Casa de Yahvé de los ejércitos, y a los profetas, lo siguiente: “¿Debo yo seguir la costumbre de llorar en el mes quinto, y ayunar como ya lo he hecho durante tantos años?”
4 Then the Commander of the armies of angels gave me a message.
Entonces me llegó esta palabra de Yahvé de los ejércitos:
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].
“Responde a todo el pueblo del país y a los sacerdotes, diciendo: Cuando durante estos setenta años ayunasteis y plañisteis en el mes quinto y en el séptimo, ¿acaso ayunasteis para Mí?
6 And when they ate and drank, it was really [RHQ] to [benefit] themselves.
Y cuando (ahora) coméis y bebéis, ¿no coméis y bebéis para vosotros mismos?
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].”
¿No proclamó esto Yahvé ya por los profetas anteriores, cuando Jerusalén estaba habitada y vivía tranquila, con sus ciudades circunvecinas, y el Négueb y la Sefelá estaban poblados?”
8 Yahweh gave another message to me, saying
Y llegó la palabra de Yahvé a Zacarías en estos términos:
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.
“Yahvé de los ejércitos habló de esta manera: Juzgad según la verdad y practicad la misericordia y la piedad cada uno para con su hermano.
10 Do not (oppress/treat cruelly) widows or orphans or foreigners or poor people. Do not even think about doing evil to anyone else.’”
No oprimáis a la viuda, ni al huérfano, ni al extranjero, ni al pobre; ni maquinéis el mal en vuestros corazones contra vuestro prójimo.
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].
Pero ellos no quisieron escuchar; rebeldes volvieron la espalda y endurecieron sus oídos para no oír.
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.
Hicieron su corazón como un diamante, para no escuchar la Ley, y las palabras que Yahvé de los ejércitos les dirigía por su Espíritu por medio de los profetas anteriores; por eso fue grande la indignación de Yahvé de los ejércitos.
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.
Y así como ellos no escucharon cuando Él llamaba, llamaron luego ellos y Yo no los escuché, dice Yahvé de los ejércitos;
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).”
antes bien los dispersé entre todas las naciones desconocidas de ellos, y tras ellos ha quedado desolado el país, por no haber gente que transite ni venga. Así convirtieron en un páramo la tierra de delicias.”