< Zechariah 8 >

1 The word of Yahweh of hosts came to me, saying,
And there is a word of Jehovah of Hosts, saying:
2 “Yahweh of hosts says this: I am passionate for Zion with great zeal and I am passionate for her with great anger!
'Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: I have been zealous for Zion with great zeal, With great heat I have been zealous for her.
3 Yahweh of hosts says this: I will return to Zion and will live in the midst of Jerusalem, for Jerusalem will be called The City of Truth and the mountain of Yahweh of hosts will be called The Holy Mountain!
Thus said Jehovah: I have turned back unto Zion, And I have dwelt in the midst of Jerusalem, And Jerusalem hath been called 'The city of truth,' And the mountain of Jehovah of Hosts, 'The holy mountain.'
4 Yahweh of hosts says this: Old men and old women will once again be in the streets of Jerusalem, and every person will need a staff in his hand because he has grown so old.
Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Again dwell do old men and old women, In broad places of Jerusalem, And each his staff in his hand, Because of abundance of days.
5 The streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in them.
And broad places of the city are full of boys and girls, Playing in its broad places.
6 Yahweh of hosts says this: If something seems impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also seem impossible in my eyes?—this is Yahweh's declaration.
Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Surely it is wonderful in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, Also in Mine eyes it is wonderful, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts.
7 Yahweh of hosts says this: Behold, I am about to rescue my people from the land of the sunrise and from the land of the setting sun!
Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Lo, I am saving My people from the land of the rising, And from the land of the going in, of the sun,
8 For I will bring them back, and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem, so they will again be my people, and I will be their God in truth and in righteousness!
And I have brought them in, They have dwelt in the midst of Jerusalem, And they have been to Me for a people, And I am to them for God, In truth and in righteousness.
9 Yahweh of hosts says this: You who now continue to hear the same words that came from the prophets' mouths when the foundation of my house was laid—this house of mine, Yahweh of hosts: Strengthen your hands so that the temple can be built.
Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Let your hands be strong, Ye who are hearing in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets, That in the day the house of Jehovah of Hosts Hath been founded, the temple [is] to be built.
10 For before those days no crops were gathered in by anyone, there was no profit for either man or beast, and there was no peace from enemies for anyone going or coming. I had set every person each against his neighbor.
For, before those days there hath been no hiring of man, Yea, a hiring of beasts there is none; And to him who is going out, And to him who is coming in, There is no peace because of the adversary, And I send all men — each against his neighbour.
11 But now it will not be as in former days, I will be with the remnant of this people —this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts.
And now, not as [in] the former days [am] I to the remnant of this people, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts.
12 For seeds of peace will be sown; the climbing vine will give its fruit and the earth will give its produce; the skies will give their dew, for I will make the remnant of this people inherit all these things.
Because of the sowing of peace, The vine doth give her fruit, And the earth doth give her increase, And the heavens do give their dew, And I have caused the remnant of this people To inherit all these.
13 You were an example to the other nations of a curse, house of Judah and house of Israel. So I will rescue you and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid; let your hands be strong!
And it hath come to pass, As ye have been a reviling among nations, O house of Judah, and house of Israel, So I save you, and ye have been a blessing, Do not fear, let your hands be strong.
14 For Yahweh of hosts says this: Just as I planned to do harm to you when your ancestors provoked my anger —says Yahweh of hosts—and did not relent,
For, thus said Jehovah of Hosts, As I did purpose to do evil to you, When your fathers made Me wroth, Said Jehovah of Hosts, and I did not repent,
15 so also I will plan in these days to do good again to Jerusalem and the house of Judah! Do not fear!
So I have turned back, I have purposed, in these days, To do good with Jerusalem, And with the house of Judah — fear not!
16 These are the things that you must do: Speak truth, every person with his neighbor. Judge with truth, justice, and peace in your gates.
These [are] the things that ye do: Speak ye truth each with his neighbour, Truth and peaceful judgment judge in your gates,
17 Do not plan to do evil within your heart against one another, and do not love false oaths—for these are the things I hate!—this is Yahweh's declaration.”
And each the evil of his neighbour ye do not devise in your heart, And a false oath ye do not love, For all these [are] things that I have hated, An affirmation of Jehovah.'
18 Then the word of Yahweh of hosts came to me, saying,
And there is a word of Jehovah of Hosts unto me, saying:
19 “Yahweh of hosts says this: The fasts of the fourth month, the fifth month, the seventh month, and the tenth month will become times of joy, gladness, and happy festivals for the house of Judah! Therefore love truth and peace!
'Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: The fast of the fourth, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth [months], are to the house of Judah for joy and for rejoicing, and for pleasant appointed seasons, and the truth and the peace they have loved.
20 Yahweh of hosts says this: People will come again, even those who are living in many different cities.
Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Yet come do peoples, and inhabitants of many cities,
21 The inhabitants of one city will go to another city and say, 'Let us quickly go to beg before the face of Yahweh and to seek Yahweh of hosts! We ourselves are also going.'
Yea, gone have inhabitants of one To another, saying: We go diligently, To appease the face of Jehovah, To seek Jehovah of Hosts — I go, even I.
22 Many people and mighty nations will come to seek Yahweh of hosts in Jerusalem and beg for the favor of Yahweh!
Yea, come in have many peoples, and mighty nations, To seek Jehovah of Hosts in Jerusalem, And to appease the face of Jehovah.
23 Yahweh of hosts says this: In those days ten men from every language and nation will grasp the hem of your robe and say, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you!'”
Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: In those days take hold do ten men of all languages of the nations, Yea, they have taken hold on the skirt of a man, a Jew, saying: We go with you, for we heard God [is] with you!

< Zechariah 8 >