Zechariah 9
1 [This is another] message [that I received] from Yahweh. [Yahweh said, ] “I watch [MTY] everyone, especially the tribes of Israel; [so] I will [punish the people in] the Hadrach [region] and in Damascus [city] [because of what they did to the people of Israel].
Isiphrofethi: Ilizwi likaThixo liqophe ilizwe laseHadiraki lize liyokweyama phezu kweDamaseko ngoba amehlo abantu lawezizwana zonke zika-Israyeli akuThixo
2 [I will also punish the people in] nearby Hamath [city]. I will also [punish the people in] Tyre and Sidon [cities], even though they are [considered to be] [IRO] very wise.
laphezu kweHamathi layo, engcelelane layo, laphezu kweThire leSidoni, lokuba nje zilobungcitshi.
3 [The people in] Tyre built a high wall [around their city]. They piled up [huge amounts of] silver and gold as though they were [piles of] dirt in the streets.
IThire isizakhele inqaba; isibuthelele isiliva kwangathi luthuli; legolide njengomhlabathi wemigwaqweni.
4 But [I], Yahweh, will cause their precious possessions to be taken away and all their ships to be destroyed, and their city will be destroyed by a fire.
Kodwa uThixo uzayemuka inotho yayo achithe lamandla ayo asolwandle, kuthi yona iqedwe ngumlilo.
5 [The people in Ashkelon city] will see that [happen], and they will become very afraid. [The people in] Gaza [city] will shake because of being terrified, and [the people in Ekron city] will shake too, because they will no longer expect [to prosper]. The king of [the city of] Gaza will be killed, and [the city of] Ashkelon will be deserted.
I-Ashikheloni izakubona lokho yesabe; iGaza izathuthumela izwe ubuhlungu, le-Ekroni layo, ngoba ithemba layo lizabuna. IGaza izabhujelwa yinkosi yayo le-Ashikheloni isale ingaselamuntu.
6 Foreigners will occupy Ashdod [city]. I will cause the [people in all those cities of] Philistia to no longer be proud.
Abezizwe bazayithatha i-Ashidodi bahlale kuyo, njalo ngizakuqeda ukuzigqaja kwamaFilistiya.
7 I will no longer allow them to eat [MTY] meat that still has blood in it, and I will forbid them to eat [MTY] food that I [MTY] have not allowed them to eat [because it was offered to idols]. [At that time, ] the people [in Philistia] who survive will worship me, and they will become [my people, like] the people of Judah are. The Philistine people of Ekron will also become my people like [SIM] the people of Jebus did [when they were conquered].
Ngizathatha igazi emilonyeni yabo, okuyikudla okungavunyelwayo ngikukhuphe emazinyweni abo. Labo abaseleyo bazakuba ngabakaNkulunkulu wethu njalo babengabakhokheli koJuda, le-Ekroni izakuba njengamaJebusi.
8 I will protect my temple, and I will not allow any [enemy soldiers] to enter it. No [enemies] will harm my people again, because I will be watching [over my people] carefully.
Kodwa ngizayivikela indlu yami kulabo abangabaphangi. Kakusayikuphinda kwenzeke ukuthi umncindezeli achithe abantu bami, ngoba manje sengihlezi ngiqaphele.
9 Rejoice very much, [you people of] Jerusalem [APO, DOU] and shout joyfully, because your king will be coming to you. He is righteous and victorious; [but he will be] gentle, and [he will be] riding on a donkey, on a young female donkey.
Thokoza kakhulu, wena Ndodakazi yaseZiyoni! Memeza, Ndodakazi yaseJerusalema! Khangela, inkosi yakho iyeza kuwe, iza ilungile ilensindiso, imnene, ihamba igade ubabhemi, iphezu kwenkonyane, inkonyane kababhemi.
10 I will get rid of the chariots in the Ephraim [region that are used in battles] and [all] the war horses in Jerusalem. [All] the bows used in wars will be broken. [Your king] will proclaim that he will cause things to go well and peacefully in the nations. He will rule [the area] from the [Mediterranean] Sea to the [Dead] Sea, and from the [Euphrates] River to the most distant places on the earth.
Ngizazisusa izinqola zempi ko-Efrayimi lamabhiza empi eJerusalema, ledandili lempi lizakwephulwa. Izamemezela ukuthula phakathi kwezizwe. Umbuso wayo uzasukela elwandle usiya elwandle, njalo kusukela eMfuleni kusiya emaphethelweni omhlaba.
11 As for you [my people of Jerusalem], because of the blood [of the animals that were sacrificed to make] my agreement with you, I will free your people who were forced to go to other countries where [it was as though they were kept] in a waterless pit.
Wena pho, ngenxa yegazi lesivumelwano lawe, ngizakhulula izibotshwa zakho emgodini ongelamanzi.
12 [You people who were] prisoners [in those countries] who [still] confidently expect [God to help you], return to [Judah], where you will be safe. This day I declare that I will give you two blessings for [each of the troubles that you have experienced].
Buyelani enqabeni yenu, lina zibotshwa ezilethemba; sengihle ngibika ukuthi ngizalibuyisela izibusiso ngokuphindwe kabili.
13 I will cause Judah to be like [MET] my bow, and I will cause Israel to be [like] [MET] my arrow. I will enable you young men of Jerusalem to fight against the soldiers of Greece; you will be like [SIM] a warrior’s sword.”
Ngizamgoba uJuda njengalokhu ngigoba idandili lami besengigcwalisa ngo-Efrayimi. Ngizawahlokoza amadodana akho, wena Ziyoni, avukele amadodana akho, wena Grisi, ngikwenze ube njengenkemba yebutho.
14 [Some day] Yahweh will appear [in the sky] above his people, and the arrows that he shoots will be like [SIM] lightning. Yahweh [our] Lord will blow his trumpet, and he will march [fiercely] like [MET] the storms from the south.
Kulapho-ke uThixo azaqhamuka ngaphezu kwabo; umtshoko wakhe uzabenyezela njengonyezi. UThixo Wobukhosi uzatshaya icilongo; uzahaluzela ngeziphepho zaseningizimu,
15 The Commander of the armies of angels will protect [his people]; [the soldiers of Judah] will attack and defeat [their enemies who attack them] using slingshots. [Those soldiers of Judah] will drink and celebrate and shout like [SIM] people who are drunk; they will be as full [of wine] as the bowl that holds [the blood of the animals that are sacrificed] and [which is then] sprinkled on the corners of the altar.
njalo uThixo uSomandla uzabavikela. Bazabhubhisa njalo banqobe ngamatshe ezavutha. Bazanatha baklabalale njengabadakwe liwayini; bazagcwala lona njengomganu osetshenziswa kuchelwa amagumbi e-alithare.
16 On that day, Yahweh our God will save his people [like a shepherd saves] his flock [of sheep from danger]. In their land, they will be like [SIM] jewels that sparkle on a crown.
UThixo uNkulunkulu wabo uzabasindisa ngalelolanga njengoba bengumhlambi wezimvu zakhe. Bazakhazimula elizweni lakhe njengamatshe aligugu acecise umqhele.
17 They will be delightful and beautiful. The young men will become strong from [eating] grain, and the young women will [become strong] from [drinking] new wine.
Yeka ukukhanga kwabo lobuhle abazakuba yibobona! Isivuno esihle sizatshwaphulula izinsizwa, lewayini elitsha lithokozise izintombi.
