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:
Le ɣleti enyilia me le Fia Darius ƒe ƒe evelia me la, gbe tso Yehowa gbɔ va na Nyagblɔɖila Zekaria, Berekia ƒe vi kple Ido ƒe tɔgbuiyɔvi be,
2 “I was very angry with your ancestors.
“Yehowa do dɔmedzoe ɖe mia fofowo ŋu vevie,
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.
eya ta gblɔ na ameawo be ale Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gblɔe nye esi, ‘Mitrɔ ɖe ŋunye, ekema nye hã matrɔ ɖe mia ŋu!’
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.
Miganɔ abe mia fofowo ene o, ame siwo nyagblɔɖila tsãtɔwo gblɔ na be ale Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gblɔe nye esi: ‘Mitrɔ le miaƒe mɔ vɔ̃wo dzi, eye miaɖe asi le miaƒe nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔwo ŋuti.’ Gake wogbe toɖoɖom, eye wometsɔ ɖeke le eme nam o.
5 Your ancestors [have died and are now in their graves] [RHQ]. And the prophets did not [RHQ] live forever, [either].
Afi ka mia fofowo le fifia, eye ɖe nyagblɔɖilawo nɔa agbe tegbea?
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.’”
Ke ɖe nye nya kple ɖoɖo siwo mede asi na nye dɔla, nyagblɔɖilawo la meva mia fofowo dzi oa? “Le esia ta la, wotrɔ dzi me gblɔ be, ‘Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la wɔ na mí ɖe míaƒe mɔwo kple wɔnawo nu abe ale si wòɖoe be yeawɔ ene.’”
7 [Three months later], on February 15, Yahweh gave [another] message to me.
Le ɣleti wuiɖekɛlia si nye Sebat ƒe ŋkeke blaeve-vɔ-enelia dzi, le Fia Darius ƒe ƒe evelia me la, Yehowa ƒe gbe va na nyagblɔɖila Zekaria, Berekia ƒe vi kple Ido ƒe tɔgbuiyɔvi.
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.
Mekpɔ ŋutega le zã me, eye le ŋutega la me la, mekpɔ ŋutsu aɖe wònɔ sɔ dzĩ aɖe dom. Sɔdola la tsi tsitre ɖe amitive aɖe me le bali aɖe me. Sɔ dzĩ, sɔ hẽ kple sɔ ɣi bubuwo nɔ emegbe.
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.”
Mebia be, “Nye Aƒetɔ, nu kawoe nye esiawo?” Mawudɔla si nɔ nu ƒom kplim la ɖo eŋu nam be, “Mafia nu si wonye la wò.”
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.”
Tete ame si tsi tsitre ɖe amitiawo dome la ɖe eme nam be, “Woawoe nye ame siwo Yehowa dɔ be woatsa le anyigba blibo la dzi.”
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).”
Wova gblɔ na Yehowa ƒe dɔla, ame si nɔ tsitre ɖe amitiawo dome la be, “Míetsa le anyigba blibo la dzi, eye dzidzedze kple ŋutifafa le afi sia afi.”
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!”
Esi Yehowa ƒe dɔla la se nya siawo la, edo gbe ɖa be, “O Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ, ƒe blaadree nye esi, esi nètrɔ wò dɔmedzoe kɔ ɖe Yerusalem kple Yuda ƒe duwo dzi. Va se ɖe ɣe ka ɣi nàgakpɔ nublanui na wo?”
13 [So] Yahweh spoke kindly to the angel who had talked to me, saying things that comforted/encouraged him.
Yehowa ɖo eŋu na mawudɔla si le xanye la hegblɔ akɔfanyawo kple dzideƒonyawo nɛ.
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.
Tete mawudɔla si nɔ nu ƒom kplim la gblɔ be, “Ɖe gbeƒã nya sia: ale Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gblɔe nye esi: ‘Meʋã ŋu ɖe Yerusalem kple Zion nu ŋutɔ,
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.
ke mekpɔ dɔmedzoe vevie ɖe dukɔ siwo susu be yewole dedie la ŋuti. Ke dɔmedzoe vi aɖe ko mekpɔ, gake woawoe he dzɔgbevɔ̃e la vɛ.’
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].’
“Eya ta ale Yehowa gblɔe nye esi: ‘Matrɔ ɖe Yerusalem ŋu kple nublanuikpɔkpɔ. Le afi ma, woagbugbɔ nye xɔ la atu, eye woatsɔ nudzidzeka aɖo Yerusalem katã ŋuti.’ Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ lae gblɔe.
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].’”
“Yi edzi, nàɖe gbeƒã be ale Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gblɔe nye esi, ‘Nye duwo agagbagba kple dzidzedze, Yehowa agafa akɔ na Zion, eye wòagatia Yerusalem.’”
18 Then I looked up, and I saw in front of me four [animal] horns.
Esi mefɔ kɔ dzi la, mekpɔ lãdzo ene le nye ŋkume.
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].”
Mebia mawudɔla la be “Nu kawoe nye esiawo?” Eɖo eŋu nam be, “Woawoe nye lãdzo siwo kaka Yuda, Israel kple Yerusalem.”
20 Then Yahweh showed me four (craftsmen/men who make things from metal).
Yehowa gaɖe gbede ene fiam.
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.”
Mebia be, “Nu ka wɔ ge wogbɔna?” Eɖo eŋu nam be, “Esiawoe nye lãdzo siwo kaka Yuda ale gbegbe be ame aɖeke mate ŋu afɔ ta dzi o. Ke gbedeawo va be woado ŋɔdzi na wo, eye woatsɔ dukɔwo ƒe lãdzo siawo aƒu ame siwo kɔ woƒe dzowo dzi ɖe Yudanyigba ŋu be yewoakaka eƒe amewo la anyi.”
