Zekaraya 7
1 Nʼafọ nke anọ nke ọchịchị eze Daraiọs, okwu nke Onyenwe anyị ruru Zekaraya ntị nʼụbọchị nke anọ, nʼọnwa nke itoolu, nke bụ ọnwa Kislev.
When King Darius had been ruler for four years, on the fourth day of Kislev (which was the ninth month), the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah.
2 Nʼoge a, ndị bi nʼobodo Betel ezitela Shareza, na Regem Melek, ha na ndị ọzọ ka ha bịa rịọọ Onyenwe anyị arịrịọ,
The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek and their men to beg before the face of Yahweh.
3 ka ọ jụkwaa ndị nchụaja nọ nʼụlọnsọ ukwu nke Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile, na ndị amụma, sị, “Ọ bụ m ruo ụjụ, bukwaa ọnụ nʼọnwa nke ise, dịka m si eme kemgbe ọtụtụ afọ ndị a gara aga?”
They spoke to the priests who were at the house of Yahweh of hosts and to the prophets; they said, “Should I mourn in the fifth month by means of a fast, as I have done these many years?”
4 Mgbe ahụ, okwu nke Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile ruru m ntị,
So the word of Yahweh of hosts came to me, saying,
5 “Gwanụ ndị nchụaja na ndị niile bi nʼala a, ‘Mgbe unu na-ebu ọnụ nʼọnwa nke ise ọbụla, na nʼọnwa nke asaa ọbụla, iri afọ asaa ndị a niile gara aga, ọ bụ mụ ka unu na-eburu ọnụ?
“Speak to all the people of the land and to the priests and say, 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month for these seventy years, were you truly fasting for me?
6 Mgbe unu na-eri na-aṅụkwa, ọ bụ na unu anaghị eme ya maka nʼihi onwe unu?
When you ate and drank, did you not eat and drink for yourselves?
7 Ihe ndị a ha ọ bụghị okwu niile Onyenwe anyị kpọsara site nʼọnụ ndị amụma mbụ, mgbe Jerusalem na obodo niile dị ya gburugburu nọ nʼudo nwekwa ọganihu, nʼoge ndị mmadụ bi na Negev, ya na ala ndịda ugwu niile?’”
Were these not the same words that Yahweh proclaimed by the mouth of the former prophets, when you still inhabited Jerusalem and the surrounding cities in prosperity and were settled in the Negev, and the foothills to the west?'”
8 Mgbe ahụ, okwu nke Onyenwe anyị ruru Zekaraya ntị na-asị,
The word of Yahweh came to Zechariah, saying,
9 “Ihe ndị a ka Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile kwuru, ‘Kpeenụ ikpe ziri ezi, meerenụ ibe unu ebere, ma gosikwa ibe unu ọmịiko.
“Yahweh of hosts says this, 'Judge with true justice, covenant faithfulness, and mercy. Let each man do this for his brother.
10 Unu emegbula ụmụ nwanyị di ha nwụrụ maọbụ nwa na-enweghị nne na nna maọbụ ndị ọbịa maọbụ ndị ogbenye. Unu echela echiche ọjọọ nʼobi unu megide ibe unu.’
About the widow and orphan, the foreigner, and the poor person—do not oppress them, and let none of you plot any harm against another in your heart.'
11 “Ma ha jụrụ ige ntị; ha sitere nʼobiike ha gbakụta m azụ ha, were mkpịsịaka rụchie ntị ha, ka ha ghara ige m ntị.
But they refused to pay attention and set their shoulders stubbornly. They stopped up their ears so they would not hear.
12 Ha mere ka obi ha sie ike dịka nkume, jụ ige ntị nʼiwu, na nʼokwu nke Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile sitere na Mmụọ ya zie ndị amụma mbụ ahụ. Nʼihi ya, Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile were oke iwe.
They made their hearts as hard as rock so they would not hear the law or the words of Yahweh of hosts. He had sent these messages to the people by his Spirit in earlier times, by the mouth of the prophets. But the people refused to listen, so Yahweh of hosts was very angry with them.
13 “‘Ebe ọ bụ na mgbe m kpọrọ ha, ha egeghị ntị, agaghị m ege ntị mgbe ha ga-akpọ m,’ Ọ bụ ihe Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile na-ekwu.
It happened that when he called, they did not listen. In the same way,” said Yahweh of hosts, “they will call out to me, but I will not listen.
14 ‘Eji m oke ifufe gbasasịa ha nʼetiti mba niile, ndị ha na-amaghị. Emere m ka ala ha tọgbọrọ nʼefu, ka mmadụ ọbụla hapụ inwe ike ịpụ maọbụ ịbata nʼime ya. Otu a ka ha si mee ka ala ọma ahụ ghọọ ala tọgbọrọ nʼefu.’”
For I will scatter them with a whirlwind to all the nations that they have not seen, and the land will be desolate after them. For no one will pass through the land or return to it since the people have made their delightful land into a wasteland.”
