Zekaria 9
1 Yehowa ƒe nya tsi tsitre ɖe Hadraknyigba ŋu, eye ava Damasko hã dzi, elabena Yehowa ƒe ŋku le amewo kple Israel ƒe toawo katã ŋu.
[This is another] message [that I received] from Yahweh. [Yahweh said, ] “I watch [MTY] everyone, especially the tribes of Israel; [so] I will [punish the people in] the Hadrach [region] and in Damascus [city] [because of what they did to the people of Israel].
2 Ava Hamat si ƒo xlãe la hã dzi, eye ava Tiro kple Sidon hã dzi togbɔ be wodze aye ale gbegbe hã.
[I will also punish the people in] nearby Hamath [city]. I will also [punish the people in] Tyre and Sidon [cities], even though they are [considered to be] [IRO] very wise.
3 Tiro tu mɔ sesẽ na eɖokui, eli kɔ klosalo abe ʋuʋudedi ene, eye nenema ke sika bɔ abe ke si le mɔdodo dzi ene.
[The people in] Tyre built a high wall [around their city]. They piled up [huge amounts of] silver and gold as though they were [piles of] dirt in the streets.
4 Ke Yehowa axɔ kesinɔnuwo le esi, akaka eƒe tɔdziʋuwo kple wo me nɔlawo ƒe ŋusẽ, eye dzo ava fiae ƒioƒioƒio.
But [I], Yahweh, will cause their precious possessions to be taken away and all their ships to be destroyed, and their city will be destroyed by a fire.
5 Askelon akpɔe, eye vɔvɔ̃ aɖoe. Gaza aŋe kple vevesese. Nenema kee nye Ekron hã, elabena eƒe mɔkpɔkpɔ abu ɖee. Woawu Gaza fia, eye Askelon azu aƒedo.
[The people in Ashkelon city] will see that [happen], and they will become very afraid. [The people in] Gaza [city] will shake because of being terrified, and [the people in Ekron city] will shake too, because they will no longer expect [to prosper]. The king of [the city of] Gaza will be killed, and [the city of] Ashkelon will be deserted.
6 Amedzrowo ava xɔ Asdod, eye maɖe Filistitɔwo ƒe dada la ɖa.
Foreigners will occupy Ashdod [city]. I will cause the [people in all those cities of] Philistia to no longer be proud.
7 Maɖe ʋu ɖa le woƒe nuwo me kple nuɖuɖu si wotsri na wo la le woƒe aɖutame. Ame siwo susɔ la anye míaƒe Mawu la tɔ, woazu kplɔlawo le Yuda, eye Ekron anɔ abe Yebusitɔwo ene.
I will no longer allow them to eat [MTY] meat that still has blood in it, and I will forbid them to eat [MTY] food that I [MTY] have not allowed them to eat [because it was offered to idols]. [At that time, ] the people [in Philistia] who survive will worship me, and they will become [my people, like] the people of Judah are. The Philistine people of Ekron will also become my people like [SIM] the people of Jebus did [when they were conquered].
8 Ke maʋli nye gbedoxɔ la ta tso adzohawo ƒe asi me. Ŋutasẽla magaɖu nye amewo dzi akpɔ gbeɖe o, elabena azɔ mele wo ŋu dzɔm.
I will protect my temple, and I will not allow any [enemy soldiers] to enter it. No [enemies] will harm my people again, because I will be watching [over my people] carefully.
9 Dzi nadzɔ wò, O Zion vinyɔnu! Do ɣli, wò Yerusalem vinyɔnu, kpɔ ɖa, wò fia gbɔna gbɔwò. Enye dzɔdzɔetɔ, eye wòhe ɖeɖe vɛ, ebɔbɔ eɖokui, eye wòle tedzi dom, si nye tedzivi si nye tedzinɔ ƒe vi.
Rejoice very much, [you people of] Jerusalem [APO, DOU] and shout joyfully, because your king will be coming to you. He is righteous and victorious; [but he will be] gentle, and [he will be] riding on a donkey, on a young female donkey.
10 Axɔ tasiaɖamwo le Efraim si kple aʋawɔsɔwo le Yerusalem si, eye wòaŋe woƒe aʋawɔdatiwo. Aɖe gbeƒã ŋutifafa na dukɔwo, eƒe fiaɖuƒe akeke tso ƒuta ayi ƒuta, tso tɔsisi la nu ayi anyigba ƒe seƒewo ke.
I will get rid of the chariots in the Ephraim [region that are used in battles] and [all] the war horses in Jerusalem. [All] the bows used in wars will be broken. [Your king] will proclaim that he will cause things to go well and peacefully in the nations. He will rule [the area] from the [Mediterranean] Sea to the [Dead] Sea, and from the [Euphrates] River to the most distant places on the earth.
11 Ɖe nu si mebla kpli wò, tre enu kple ʋu ta la, maɖe wò tso ku me, be màgaku ɖe do globo ƒuƒui la me o.
As for you [my people of Jerusalem], because of the blood [of the animals that were sacrificed to make] my agreement with you, I will free your people who were forced to go to other countries where [it was as though they were kept] in a waterless pit.
12 Mitrɔ yi ɖe miaƒe mɔ sesẽwo me, O, mi gamenɔla siwo si mɔkpɔkpɔ le. Ke azɔ la, mele gbeƒã ɖem na mi be magbugbɔ aɖo nu siwo miebu la teƒe na mi zi eve.
[You people who were] prisoners [in those countries] who [still] confidently expect [God to help you], return to [Judah], where you will be safe. This day I declare that I will give you two blessings for [each of the troubles that you have experienced].
13 Mabɔ Yuda abe ale si mebɔa nye da ene, eye matsɔ Efraim awɔ datii ayɔ eme fũu. O Zion, manyɔ viwò ŋutsuwo, ɖe Griktɔwo ŋu, eye mawɔ wò abe aʋawɔla ƒe yi ene.
I will cause Judah to be like [MET] my bow, and I will cause Israel to be [like] [MET] my arrow. I will enable you young men of Jerusalem to fight against the soldiers of Greece; you will be like [SIM] a warrior’s sword.”
14 Yehowa ava do ɖe wo dzi kpoyi, eye eƒe aŋutrɔwo anɔ bibim abe dzikedzo ene. Aƒetɔ Yehowa aku kpẽ azɔ le anyigbeme ƒe ahomwo me,
[Some day] Yahweh will appear [in the sky] above his people, and the arrows that he shoots will be like [SIM] lightning. Yahweh [our] Lord will blow his trumpet, and he will march [fiercely] like [MET] the storms from the south.
15 eye Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Mawu la atsɔ akpoxɔnu atsyɔ wo dzi. Woagblẽ nu, eye woatsɔ kpe ade aŋetu me atsɔ aɖu wo dzii. Woano woawo ŋutɔ ƒe ʋu abe wain ene, wòayɔ woƒe ƒodo fũu abe agba ene, eye wòaƒo wo bekee abe ale si wokɔa wain ɖe vɔsamlekpui ƒe dzogoewo dzi ene.
The Commander of the armies of angels will protect [his people]; [the soldiers of Judah] will attack and defeat [their enemies who attack them] using slingshots. [Those soldiers of Judah] will drink and celebrate and shout like [SIM] people who are drunk; they will be as full [of wine] as the bowl that holds [the blood of the animals that are sacrificed] and [which is then] sprinkled on the corners of the altar.
16 Yehowa, woƒe Mawu la aɖe wo gbe ma gbe abe ame siwo nye eƒe alẽhawo ene. Woaklẽ le eƒe anyigba la dzi abe adzagba le fiakuku ŋu ene.
On that day, Yahweh our God will save his people [like a shepherd saves] his flock [of sheep from danger]. In their land, they will be like [SIM] jewels that sparkle on a crown.
17 Aleke woahanyo eye woahadze anii! Bli ana ɖekakpuiawo natsi nyuie, eye wain yeye ana ɖetugbiawo hã natsi nyuie.
They will be delightful and beautiful. The young men will become strong from [eating] grain, and the young women will [become strong] from [drinking] new wine.
