Zechariah 1

1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, hath a word of Jehovah been unto Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, the prophet, saying:

In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Yahweh unto Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, the prophet, saying: —

2 'Jehovah was wroth against your fathers — wrath!

Yahweh, was sore displeased, with your fathers:

3 And thou hast said unto them, Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, turn back unto Me, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, And I turn back unto you, said Jehovah of Hosts.

therefore shalt thou say unto them, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Return ye unto me, urgeth Yahweh of hosts, —that I may return unto you, saith Yahweh of hosts.

4 Ye shall not be as your fathers, To whom the former prophets called, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, Turn back I pray you, From your evil ways and from your evil doings, And they did not hearken, Nor attend to Me — an affirmation of Jehovah.

Do not become like your fathers, unto whom the former prophets, proclaimed, saying, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Return, I pray you, from your wicked ways, and from your wicked practices; but they heard not, nor hearkened unto me, declareth Yahweh.

5 Your fathers — where [are] they? And the prophets — to the age do they live?

Your fathers, where are they? and, the prophets, to times age-abiding, do they live?

6 Only, My words, and My statutes, That I commanded My servants the prophets, Have they not overtaken your fathers, And they turn back and say: As Jehovah of Hosts designed to do to us, According to our ways, and according to our doings, So He hath done to us?'

Howbeit, as for my words and my statutes with which I charged my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? and so they returned and said, Just as Yahweh of hosts planned to do unto us, according to our ways and according to our practices, So hath he dealt with us?

7 On the twenty and fourth day of the eleventh month, (it [is] the month of Sebat, ) in the second year of Darius, hath a word of Jehovah been unto Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, the prophet, saying:

Upon the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the same, is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Yahweh unto Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, the prophet, as followeth:

8 I have seen by night, and lo, one riding on a red horse, and he is standing between the myrtles that [are] in the shade, and behind him [are] horses, red, bay, and white.

I looked by night, And lo! a man riding upon a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle trees, in the shade; and, after him, were horses, red, bay, and white.

9 And I say, 'What [are] these, my lord?' And the messenger who is speaking with me saith unto me, 'I — I do shew thee what these [are].'

Then said I, What are these, my lord? And the messenger who was speaking with me, said unto me, I, will shew thee what these, are.

10 And the one who is standing between the myrtles doth answer and say, 'These [are] they whom Jehovah hath sent to walk up and down in the land.'

So the man who was standing among the myrtle-trees responded, and said, —These, are they whom Yahweh, hath sent, to go to and fro through the earth.

11 And they answer the messenger of Jehovah who is standing between the myrtles, and say, 'We have walked up and down in the land, and lo, all the land is sitting still, and at rest.'

Then responded they to the messenger of Yahweh, who was standing among the myrtle-trees, and said, We have gone to and fro through the earth, —and lo! all the earth, resteth and is quiet.

12 And the messenger of Jehovah answereth and saith, 'Jehovah of Hosts! till when dost Thou not pity Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, that Thou hast abhorred these seventy years?'

Then the messenger of Yahweh responded, and said, O Yahweh of hosts! How long wilt, thou, not have compassion upon Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, —against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years?

13 And Jehovah answereth the messenger, who is speaking with me, good words, comfortable words.

And Yahweh answered the messenger who was speaking with me, in words that were pleasant, —words that were consoling,

14 And the messenger who is speaking with me, saith unto me, 'Call, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: I have been zealous for Jerusalem, and for Zion [with] great zeal.

Then the messenger who was speaking with me, said unto me, Proclaim thou, saying, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, I am jealous for Jerusalem, and for Zion, with a great jealousy;

15 And [with] great wrath I am wroth against the nations who are at ease, For I was a little wroth, and they assisted — for evil.

And, with a great displeasure, am I displeased with the careless nations, —in that, when, I, was displeased (for) a little, then, they, helped forward the calamity,

16 Therefore, thus said Jehovah: I have turned to Jerusalem with mercies, My house is built in it, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, And a line is stretched over Jerusalem.

Wherefore, Thus, saith Yahweh, I have returned to Jerusalem, with compassions, My house, shall be built therein, declareth Yahweh of hosts, and, a line, shall be stretched forth over Jerusalem.

17 Again call, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, Again do my cities overflow from good, And Jehovah hath again comforted Zion, And He hath fixed again on Jerusalem.'

Further, proclaim thou, saying, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Yet, shall my cities overflow with blessing! So will Yahweh yet, have compassion, upon Zion, and yet make choice of Jerusalem.

18 And I lift up mine eyes, and look, and lo, four horns.

Then lifted I up mine eyes and looked, —and lo! Four Horns.

19 And I say unto the messenger who is speaking with me, 'What [are] these?' And he saith unto me, 'These [are] the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.'

And I said unto the messenger who was speaking with me, What are these? And he said unto me, These, are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.

20 And Jehovah doth shew me four artisans.

Then Yahweh shewed me Four Craftsmen.

21 And I say, 'What [are] these coming in to do?' And He speaketh, saying: 'These [are] the horns that have scattered Judah, so that no one hath lifted up his head, and these come in to trouble them, to cast down the horns of the nations who are lifting up a horn against the land of Judah — to scatter it.'

And I said, What are these coming in to do? And he spake, saying, These, are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head, but these [others] have come in to put them in fear, to cast down the horns of the nations, the which have lifted up the horn against the land of Judah to scatter her.