< Zechariah 1 >

1 [I am] Zechariah, a prophet, the son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo. When Darius [had been the emperor of Persia] for almost two years, during November [of that year], Yahweh gave me this message:
達理安二年八月,上主的話傳給依多的孫子,貝勒基雅的兒子匝加利亞說:「
2 “I was very angry with your ancestors.
上主曾對你們的祖先大發憤怒;
3 So tell this to the people: [I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, say, ‘Return to me, and [if you do that], I will [help] you again.
但是如今你應對他們說:「萬軍的上主這樣說:你們歸向我吧! ──萬軍上主的斷語──我必轉向你們,萬軍的上主說。
4 Do not be like your ancestors. [Other] prophets, who have now died, [continually] proclaimed to your ancestors that they should stop doing the evil things that they were continually doing. But they refused to pay attention to what I said.
你們不要如同你們的祖先;以前的先知曾對你們宣告說:說:萬軍的上主這樣說:你們轉身離開你們的邪道,和你們的惡行吧! 但是他們不聽,也不理會我──上主的斷語。
5 Your ancestors [have died and are now in their graves] [RHQ]. And the prophets did not [RHQ] live forever, [either].
你們的祖先在哪裏﹖先知難道能永遠生存﹖
6 But I punished [IDM] [the people for disobeying] the commands and the decrees which I commanded my servants the prophets [to tell to the people]. Then they (repented/turned away from their evil behavior) and said, ‘The Commander of the armies of angels has done to us what we deserved for our evil behavior, just like he said that he would do.’”
苦我吩咐我的僕人先知們所傳的話和定案,豈不是臨到你們的祖先身上了嗎﹖致使他們翻悔說:萬軍的上主真按照衪的決定,並按照我們的行徑和作為對待了我們。[第一個神視:上主的騎士]
7 [Three months later], on February 15, Yahweh gave [another] message to me.
達理亞二年十一月,即「舍巴特」月二十四日,上主的話傳給依多的孫子,貝勒基雅的兒子匝加利亞說:
8 During the night [I had a vision. In the vision] I saw an [angel] who was on a red horse. He was in a narrow valley among some myrtle trees. Behind him were [angels on] red, brown, and white horses.
夜間我看見一個人騎著栗色的馬,立在地的長春樹中間,他後面尚有栗色、色和白色的馬。
9 I asked the angel who had been talking to me, “Sir, who are those [angels on the horses]?” He replied, “I will show you who they are.”
遂間說:「我主,這是什麼意思﹖」那與我談話的使者對我說:「我要給你解釋這有什麼意義。」
10 Then the [angel] who had been under the myrtle trees explained. [He said, ] “They are the [angels] whom Yahweh sent [to (patrol/see what is happening in)] the [entire] world.”
但那站在長春樹中間的人卻答說:「這些是上主派遺巡視大地的。」
11 Then those angels reported to the angel who was [there] among the myrtle trees, “We have traveled throughout the world, and we have found out that [the army of the emperor of Persia has conquered nations] throughout the world, [and that] those nations are now (helpless/unable to resist his army).”
他們答覆那站在長春樹中間的上主的使者說:「我們已經巡視了大地,見全地都安寧平靖。」
12 Then the angel asked, “Commander of the armies of angels, how long will you continue to not be merciful to Jerusalem and the [other] towns in Judah? You have been angry with them for 70 years!”
上主的使者說:「萬軍的上主! 你拒絕憐恤耶路撒冷和猶大城邑,要到何時呢﹖你向他們發怒,至今已是七十年了! 」
13 [So] Yahweh spoke kindly to the angel who had talked to me, saying things that comforted/encouraged him.
上主就用鼓舞慰藉的話答覆了那與我談話的使者。
14 Then the angel who had been talking with me said to me, “Proclaim this [to the people of Jerusalem]: The Commander of the armies of angels says that he is very concerned about [the people who live on] Zion [Hill] and [in the other parts of] Jerusalem.
那與我談話的使者便對我說:「你要宣佈說:萬軍的上主這樣說:我仍要以極度的熱情愛耶路撒冷和熙雍;
15 But he is very angry with the nations that are [proud and feel] safe. He was only a little bit angry [with the people of Judah], but [he is very angry with the surrounding nations because] they caused [the people of Judah to experience] complete disaster.
但我極腦怒那些傲慢的異民,因為我對我的百姓稍一發怒,他們便大加虐待。
16 Therefore, this is what he says: ‘I will again be merciful to [the people of] Jerusalem, and they will rebuild my temple. Men will measure [all the land in] the city [before they start rebuilding the houses].’
為此上主這樣說:我要再以慈悲對待耶路撒冷,我的殿宇必要在其中重建來──萬軍上主的斷語──繩墨必要再拉在耶路撒冷上。
17 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] said this: ‘Tell the people that [the people in] my towns [in Judah] will soon be very prosperous again, and I will encourage [the people of] Jerusalem, and their city will again be my chosen [city].’”
你要再宣佈說:萬軍的上主這樣說:我的城吧必再充滿幸福,上主必再憐恤熙雍,再揀選耶路撒冷。」
18 Then I looked up, and I saw in front of me four [animal] horns.
第二個神視:四隻角和四個工匠]我又舉目觀看,望見有四隻角。
19 I asked the angel who had been speaking to me, “What are those [horns]?” He replied, “Those horns [represent the armies that] forced [the people of] Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah and Israel to go [to other countries].”
我問那與我談話的使者說:「這是什麼意思﹖」他回答我說:「這就是驅散了猶大、以色列和耶路撒冷的角。」
20 Then Yahweh showed me four (craftsmen/men who make things from metal).
此後上主使我看見四個工匠。
21 I asked, “What are those men coming to do?” He replied, “[The armies represented by] those horns caused [the people of] Judah to be scattered, with the result that they suffered greatly. But the craftsmen have come to cause those who attacked [IDM] Judah to be terrified and crushed.”
我問說:「這樣人來做什麼﹖」他答說:「那些角驅散了猶大,以致沒有人敢抬頭,這些人來是為恐嚇那些角,因為他們曾對猶大地舉起角來驅散了她。」[第三個神視:手拿繩墨的人] ]

< Zechariah 1 >