Zaccharias Propheta 1

1 in mense octavo in anno secundo Darii factum est verbum Domini ad Zacchariam filium Barachiae filium Addo prophetam dicens

[I am] Zechariah, a prophet, the son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo. When Darius [had been the emperor of Persia] for almost two years, during November [of that year], Yahweh gave me this message:

2 iratus est Dominus super patres vestros iracundia

“I was very angry with your ancestors.

3 et dices ad eos haec dicit Dominus exercituum convertimini ad me ait Dominus exercituum et convertar ad vos dicit Dominus exercituum

So tell this to the people: [I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, say, ‘Return to me, and [if you do that], I will [help] you again.

4 ne sitis sicut patres vestri ad quos clamabant prophetae priores dicentes haec dicit Dominus exercituum convertimini de viis vestris malis et cogitationibus vestris pessimis et non audierunt neque adtenderunt ad me dicit Dominus

Do not be like your ancestors. [Other] prophets, who have now died, [continually] proclaimed to your ancestors that they should stop doing the evil things that they were continually doing. But they refused to pay attention to what I said.

5 patres vestri ubi sunt et prophetae numquid in sempiternum vivent

Your ancestors [have died and are now in their graves] [RHQ]. And the prophets did not [RHQ] live forever, [either].

6 verumtamen verba mea et legitima mea quae mandavi servis meis prophetis numquid non conprehenderunt patres vestros et conversi sunt et dixerunt sicut cogitavit Dominus exercituum facere nobis secundum vias nostras et secundum adinventiones nostras fecit nobis

But I punished [IDM] [the people for disobeying] the commands and the decrees which I commanded my servants the prophets [to tell to the people]. Then they (repented/turned away from their evil behavior) and said, ‘The Commander of the armies of angels has done to us what we deserved for our evil behavior, just like he said that he would do.’”

7 in die vicesima et quarta undecimo mense sabath in anno secundo Darii factum est verbum Domini ad Zacchariam filium Barachiae filium Addo prophetam dicens

[Three months later], on February 15, Yahweh gave [another] message to me.

8 vidi per noctem et ecce vir ascendens super equum rufum et ipse stabat inter myrteta quae erant in profundo et post eum equi rufi varii et albi

During the night [I had a vision. In the vision] I saw an [angel] who was on a red horse. He was in a narrow valley among some myrtle trees. Behind him were [angels on] red, brown, and white horses.

9 et dixi quid sunt isti domine mi et dixit ad me angelus qui loquebatur in me ego ostendam tibi quid sint haec

I asked the angel who had been talking to me, “Sir, who are those [angels on the horses]?” He replied, “I will show you who they are.”

10 et respondit vir qui stabat inter myrteta et dixit isti sunt quos misit Dominus ut perambularent terram

Then the [angel] who had been under the myrtle trees explained. [He said, ] “They are the [angels] whom Yahweh sent [to (patrol/see what is happening in)] the [entire] world.”

11 et responderunt angelo Domini qui stabat inter myrteta et dixerunt perambulavimus terram et ecce omnis terra habitatur et quiescit

Then those angels reported to the angel who was [there] among the myrtle trees, “We have traveled throughout the world, and we have found out that [the army of the emperor of Persia has conquered nations] throughout the world, [and that] those nations are now (helpless/unable to resist his army).”

12 et respondit angelus Domini et dixit Domine exercituum usquequo tu non misereberis Hierusalem et urbium Iuda quibus iratus es iste septuagesimus annus est

Then the angel asked, “Commander of the armies of angels, how long will you continue to not be merciful to Jerusalem and the [other] towns in Judah? You have been angry with them for 70 years!”

13 et respondit Dominus angelo qui loquebatur in me verba bona verba consolatoria

[So] Yahweh spoke kindly to the angel who had talked to me, saying things that comforted/encouraged him.

14 et dixit ad me angelus qui loquebatur in me clama dicens haec dicit Dominus exercituum zelatus sum Hierusalem et Sion zelo magno

Then the angel who had been talking with me said to me, “Proclaim this [to the people of Jerusalem]: The Commander of the armies of angels says that he is very concerned about [the people who live on] Zion [Hill] and [in the other parts of] Jerusalem.

15 et ira magna ego irascor super gentes opulentas quia ego iratus sum parum ipsi vero adiuverunt in malum

But he is very angry with the nations that are [proud and feel] safe. He was only a little bit angry [with the people of Judah], but [he is very angry with the surrounding nations because] they caused [the people of Judah to experience] complete disaster.

16 propterea haec dicit Dominus revertar ad Hierusalem in misericordiis domus mea aedificabitur in ea ait Dominus exercituum et perpendiculum extendetur super Hierusalem

Therefore, this is what he says: ‘I will again be merciful to [the people of] Jerusalem, and they will rebuild my temple. Men will measure [all the land in] the city [before they start rebuilding the houses].’

17 adhuc clama dicens haec dicit Dominus exercituum adhuc affluent civitates meae bonis et consolabitur Dominus adhuc Sion et eliget adhuc Hierusalem

The Commander of the armies of angels [also] said this: ‘Tell the people that [the people in] my towns [in Judah] will soon be very prosperous again, and I will encourage [the people of] Jerusalem, and their city will again be my chosen [city].’”

18 et levavi oculos meos et vidi et ecce quattuor cornua

Then I looked up, and I saw in front of me four [animal] horns.

19 et dixi ad angelum qui loquebatur in me quid sunt haec et dixit ad me haec sunt cornua quae ventilaverunt Iudam et Israhel et Hierusalem

I asked the angel who had been speaking to me, “What are those [horns]?” He replied, “Those horns [represent the armies that] forced [the people of] Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah and Israel to go [to other countries].”

20 et ostendit mihi Dominus quattuor fabros

Then Yahweh showed me four (craftsmen/men who make things from metal).

21 et dixi quid isti veniunt facere qui ait dicens haec sunt cornua quae ventilaverunt Iudam per singulos viros et nemo eorum levavit caput suum et venerunt isti deterrere ea ut deiciant cornua gentium quae levaverunt cornu super terram Iuda ut dispergerent eam

I asked, “What are those men coming to do?” He replied, “[The armies represented by] those horns caused [the people of] Judah to be scattered, with the result that they suffered greatly. But the craftsmen have come to cause those who attacked [IDM] Judah to be terrified and crushed.”