Zechariah 7
1 When Darius had been the emperor for almost four years, on December 7, Yahweh gave me [another] message.
Nang apat na taon nang pinuno si Haring Dario, sa ikaapat na araw ng Kislev (kung saan ito ang ikasiyam na buwan), dumating kay Zacarias ang salita ni Yahweh.
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.
Ipinadala ng mga tao ng Bethel sina Sarazer at Regem Melec at ang kanilang mga tao upang humingi ng tulong kay Yahweh.
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]?”
Kinausap nila ang mga pari na nasa tahanan ni Yahweh ng mga hukbo at ang mga propeta, sinabi nila, “Dapat ba akong magdalamhati sa ikalimang buwan sa pamamagitan ng pag-aayuno, gaya ng ginawa ko sa loob ng maraming taon?”
4 Then the Commander of the armies of angels gave me a message.
Kaya dumating sa akin ang salita ni Yahweh ng mga hukbo at sinabi,
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].
“Magsalita ka sa lahat ng tao sa lupa at sa mga pari, sabihin mo, 'Nang nag-ayuno at nagdalamhati kayo sa ikalima at ikapitong buwan sa loob ng pitumpung taon na ito, nag-aayuno ba talaga kayo para sa akin?
6 And when they ate and drank, it was really [RHQ] to [benefit] themselves.
At nang kumain at uminom kayo, hindi ba kayo kumain at uminom para sa inyong mga sarili?
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].”
Hindi ba ito katulad ng mga salitang ipinahayag ni Yahweh sa pamamagitan ng bibig ng mga naunang propeta, nang naninirahan pa lamang kayo sa Jerusalem at sa karatig na mga lungsod sa kasaganaan at namalagi sa Negeb at sa mga paanan ng bundok sa kanluran?'”
8 Yahweh gave another message to me, saying
Dumating ang salita ni Yahweh kay Zacarias at sinabi,
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.
“Ito ang sinasabi ni Yahweh ng mga hukbo: 'Humatol nang may tunay na katarungan, katapatan sa kasunduan at habag. Gawin ito ng bawat lalaki para sa kaniyang kapatid na lalaki.
10 Do not (oppress/treat cruelly) widows or orphans or foreigners or poor people. Do not even think about doing evil to anyone else.’”
Tungkol naman sa balo at ulila, ang dayuhan at ang mahirap na tao, huwag silang apihin. At sa paggawa ng anumang masama sa bawat isa, hindi kayo dapat magbalak ng anumang masama sa inyong puso.'
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].
Ngunit tumanggi silang magbigay ng pansin at pinatigas ang kanilang mga balikat. Pinigilan nila ang kanilang mga tainga upang hindi sila makarinig.
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.
Ginawa nilang kasing tigas ng bato ang kanilang mga puso upang hindi nila marinig ang kautusan o ang mga salita ni Yahweh ng mga hukbo. Ipinadala niya ang mga mensaheng ito sa mga tao sa pamamagitan ng kaniyang Espiritu noong unang panahon, sa pamamagitan ng bibig ng mga propeta. Ngunit tumangging makinig ang mga tao, kaya nagalit sa kanila si Yahweh ng mga hukbo.
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.
Nangyari ito nang tumawag siya, hindi sila nakinig. 'Sa ganoon ding paraan', sabi ni Yahweh ng mga hukbo, 'tatawag sila sa akin ngunit hindi ako makikinig.
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).”
Sapagkat ikakalat ko sila sa lahat ng bansa na hindi pa nila nakikita sa pamamagitan ng ipu-ipo at mapapabayaan ang lupain kapag wala na sila. Sapagkat walang sinuman ang makakadaan sa lupain o makakabalik dito yamang pinabayaan ng mga tao ang kanilang kaaya-ayang lupain.'”
