< Zekaria 1 >
1 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,
The Lord sent a message to Zechariah the prophet, son of Berekiah, son of Iddo, in the eighth month of the second year of king Darius' reign, saying:
2 “Yehowa do dɔmedzoe ɖe mia fofowo ŋu vevie,
The Lord was very angry with your forefathers.
3 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!’
So tell the people this: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty.
4 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.
You must not be like your forefathers. They were told by previous prophets: Give up your evil ways, and the evil things you do. But they would not listen or pay any attention to me, says the Lord.
5 Afi ka mia fofowo le fifia, eye ɖe nyagblɔɖilawo nɔa agbe tegbea?
Where are your forefathers now? And the prophets, did they live forever?
6 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.’”
But didn't all my instructions and warnings that I ordered my servants the prophets to communicate, didn't all that I said happen to your forefathers? So they repented and said, “What the Lord Almighty planned to do to us was what we deserved because of our ways and our actions. He did what he said he would.”
7 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.
The Lord sent a message to Zechariah the prophet, son of Berekiah, son of Iddo, on the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (the month of Shebat) of the second year of king Darius' reign:
8 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.
During the night I saw a man sitting on a red horse that stood among some myrtle trees in a narrow valley. Behind him were red, brown, and white horses with their riders.
9 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.”
I asked him, “My lord, what are these?” The angel I was talking to replied, “I will show you.”
10 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.”
The man who was there among the myrtle trees said, “These are the ones the Lord has sent out to patrol the earth.”
11 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.”
The riders reported to the angel of the Lord who was among the myrtle trees, “We have been patrolling the earth and saw that the whole earth has been pacified.”
12 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?”
Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord Almighty, how long will it be before you have mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah which you have been angry with for the past seventy years?”
13 Yehowa ɖo eŋu na mawudɔla si le xanye la hegblɔ akɔfanyawo kple dzideƒonyawo nɛ.
So the Lord replied to the angel I was talking to with kind and comforting words.
14 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,
Then the angel I was talking with told me, This is what you are to announce. The Lord Almighty says this: I am jealously protective of Jerusalem and Mount Zion,
15 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.’
and I am extremely angry with the arrogant nations who think they are secure. I was only a little angry with my people, but they made the punishment far worse.
16 “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.
Therefore this is what the Lord says: I have returned to be merciful to Jerusalem. My Temple shall be rebuilt there, as well as the city, declares the Lord Almighty.
17 “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.’”
Announce this as well, says the Lord Almighty: Prosperity will flood out of my cities. I the Lord will comfort Zion, and Jerusalem will be my chosen city.
18 Esi mefɔ kɔ dzi la, mekpɔ lãdzo ene le nye ŋkume.
Then I looked and saw four animal horns.
19 Mebia mawudɔla la be “Nu kawoe nye esiawo?” Eɖo eŋu nam be, “Woawoe nye lãdzo siwo kaka Yuda, Israel kple Yerusalem.”
“What are these?” I asked the angel I was talking to. “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem,” he replied.
20 Yehowa gaɖe gbede ene fiam.
Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen.
21 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.”
“What are these men coming to do?” I asked. The angel replied, “The four horns—these nations—scattered Judah, humbling the people so that they could not lift up their heads. These craftsmen have to come to terrify these nations, and to destroy them—those who used their power against the land of Judah, scattering the people.”