Zakari 7
1 Nan katriyèm ane wa Darius la, pawòl SENYÈ a te vini a Zacharie, nan katriyèm jou nevyèm mwa a, ki se Kisleu.
When Darius had been the emperor for almost four years, on December 7, Yahweh gave me [another] message.
2 Alò, vil Béthel te voye Scharetser, Réguem-Mélec avèk moun pa yo pou chache favè SENYÈ a,
The people of Bethel [city] sent two men, Sharezer and Regem-Melech, along with some other men, [to the temple of Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels, ] to request that Yahweh bless them.
3 pou li te pale ak prèt ki apatyen a lakay SENYÈ Dèzame Yo, a pwofèt yo pou di: “Èske mwen ta dwe kriye nan senkyèm mwa a, pou mete m apa, menm jan mwen te fè l pandan tout lane sa yo?”
They also asked the priests at Yahweh’s temple and the prophets [this question]: “For many years, during the fifth month [and during the seventh month of each year], we have mourned and (fasted/abstained from eating food). Should we [continue to do that]?”
4 Konsa, pawòl SENYÈ a te vin kote mwen. Li te di:
Then the Commander of the armies of angels gave me a message.
5 “Di a tout pèp peyi a, e a prèt yo: ‘Lè nou te fè jèn ak lamantasyon nan senkyèm jou nan setyèm mwa yo, pandan swasann-dis ane sila yo, èske se te vrèman pou Mwen ke nou te fè jèn nan?
[He said], “Tell [RHQ] the priests and all the [other] people of Judah that during the past 70 years, when they mourned and fasted during the fifth and seventh months [of each year], it was not really [RHQ] me, [Yahweh], whom they were [honoring].
6 Lè nou manje ak bwè, èske nou pa manje pou pwòp tèt nou, e èske nou pa bwè pou pwòp tèt nou?
And when they ate and drank, it was really [RHQ] to [benefit] themselves.
7 Èske se pa pawòl sila yo ke SENYÈ a te pwoklame pa ansyen pwofèt yo, lè Jérusalem te gen anpil moun, e t ap pwospere ansanm ak vil ki te antoure li yo, e lè Negev ak ti kolin yo te gen moun ki t ap viv ladan yo?’”
That is certainly [RHQ] what I continually told the former prophets to proclaim [to the people], when Jerusalem and the nearby towns were prosperous and filled with people, and people [also] lived in the desert area to the south and in the foothills [to the west].”
8 Epi pawòl SENYÈ a te vin kote Zacharie. Li te di:
Yahweh gave another message to me, saying
9 “Konsa pale SENYÈ dèzame yo: ‘Ekzekite vrè jijman, e pratike ladousè ak konpasyon, chak moun anvè frè li.
“[Tell the people that] this is what the Commander of the armies of angels says: ‘Do what is just/right, and act kindly and mercifully toward each other.
10 Pa oprime ni vèv, ni òfelen, ni etranje, ni malere. Ni pa kite pèsòn nan nou panse mal nan kè li, youn kont lòt.’
Do not (oppress/treat cruelly) widows or orphans or foreigners or poor people. Do not even think about doing evil to anyone else.’”
11 Men yo te refize koute sa. Yo te leve zepòl yo, e te bouche zòrèy yo pou yo pa tande.
But the people refused to pay attention [to what Yahweh said]. They turned their backs [to him], and put their hands over their ears in order to not hear [what he said].
12 Yo te fè kè yo di tankou silèks pou yo pa tande lalwa ak zèv ke SENYÈ dèzame yo te voye pa Lespri Li pa ansyen pwofèt yo. Akoz sa, chalè a gwo kòlè a te sòti nan SENYÈ dèzame yo.
They were very stubborn [IDM], and they would not listen to the laws [that God gave to Moses] or the messages that the Commander of the armies of angels told his Spirit to give to the prophets who were now dead. So the Commander of the armies of angels was very angry.
13 Epi menm jan Li te rele pou yo pa koute, konsa yo va rele, e Mwen p ap koute, pale SENYÈ dèzame yo.
The Commander of the armies of angels says, “When I called/spoke [to the people], they would not listen. So when they called/prayed [to me], I did not listen.
14 Men Mwen va gaye yo ak yon van tanpèt pami tout nasyon ke yo pa t konnen yo. Se konsa peyi a te vin dezole dèyè yo pou pèsòn moun pa t fè ale vini ladann. Paske yo te fè bèl peyi a vin dezole nèt.”
And I caused them to be scattered among many nations, where they were strangers. [It was as though] [MET] a whirlwind [picked them up and carried them away from their country]. The country/land that they [were forced to] leave was ruined, with the result that no one could [live there or even] travel through it. [It was previously] a delightful land, but they caused it to become (desolate/like a desert).”
