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.
In the fourth year of King Darius, the LORD’s word came to Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Chislev.
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 sent Sharezer and Regem Melech and their men to entreat the LORD’s favour,
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?”
and to speak to the priests of the house of the LORD of Armies and to the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?”
4 Mgbe ahụ, okwu nke Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile ruru m ntị,
Then the word of the LORD of Armies 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, saying, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month for these seventy years, did you at all fast to me, really to me?
6 Mgbe unu na-eri na-aṅụkwa, ọ bụ na unu anaghị eme ya maka nʼihi onwe unu?
When you eat and when you drink, don’t you eat for yourselves 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?’”
Aren’t these the words which the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and its cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?’”
8 Mgbe ahụ, okwu nke Onyenwe anyị ruru Zekaraya ntị na-asị,
The LORD’s word 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.
“Thus has the LORD of Armies spoken, saying, ‘Execute true judgement, and show kindness and compassion every man to 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.’
Don’t oppress the widow, the fatherless, the foreigner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother 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 listen, and turned their backs, and stopped their ears, that they might 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.
Yes, they made their hearts as hard as flint, lest they might hear the law and the words which the LORD of Armies had sent by his Spirit by the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from the LORD of Armies.
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 has come to pass that, as he called and they refused to listen, so they will call and I will not listen,” said the LORD of Armies;
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.’”
“but I will scatter them with a whirlwind amongst all the nations which they have not known. Thus the land was desolate after them, so that no man passed through nor returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate.”
