< Zakari 1 >

1 Na sanza ya mwambe, na mobu ya mibale ya bokonzi ya Dariusi, Yawe alobaki na mosakoli Zakari, mwana mobali ya Barashi, mwana mobali ya Ido:
[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 — Yawe atombokelaki bakoko na bino makasi.
“I was very angry with your ancestors.
3 Yango wana, loba na bato oyo: « Tala liloba oyo Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, alobi: ‹ Bozonga epai na Ngai, › elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, ‹ mpe Ngai nakozonga epai na bino, › elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga.
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 Bozala te lokola bakoko na bino, epai ya banani basakoli ya tango ya kala balobaki: Tala liloba oyo Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, alobi: ‹ Botika banzela mabe mpe misala na bino ya mabe, bozonga epai na Ngai! › Kasi basalaki keba te na maloba na Ngai, mpe batosaki Ngai te, elobi Yawe.
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 Wapi sik’oyo bakoko na bino? Boni, basakoli yango bazali kaka na bomoi kino na mokolo ya lelo?
Your ancestors [have died and are now in their graves] [RHQ]. And the prophets did not [RHQ] live forever, [either].
6 Maloba mpe malako na Ngai, oyo napesaki na nzela ya basakoli, basali na Ngai, ekomelaki bakoko na bino te? Solo, ekomelaki bango, babongolaki mitema mpe balobaki: ‹ Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, asaleli biso kolanda banzela mpe misala na biso, asali ndenge kaka akanaki kosala. › »
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 Na mokolo ya tuku mibale na minei ya sanza ya zomi na moko, sanza ya shebati, na mobu ya mibale ya bokonzi ya Dariusi, Yawe alobaki na nzela ya mosakoli Zakari, mwana mobali ya Barashi, mwana mobali ya Ido.
[Three months later], on February 15, Yahweh gave [another] message to me.
8 Na butu, nazwaki emoniseli moko: namonaki liboso na ngai moto moko azali kotambolisa mpunda moko ya langi ya motane; moto yango atelemaki kati na banzete ya mirite oyo ezalaki kati na lubwaku. Na sima na ye, ezalaki na bampunda mosusu ya langi ya motane, ya shokola mpe ya pembe.
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 Natunaki: — Nkolo na ngai, bampunda oyo elingi kolakisa nini? Anjelu oyo azalaki kosolola na ngai azongisaki: — Nakolakisa yo tina na yango.
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 Moto oyo azalaki kati na banzete ya mirite alimbolaki: — Ezali bato oyo Yawe atindaki mpo na kotambola na mabele.
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 Bato yango bayebisaki Anjelu ya Yawe, oyo atelemaki kati na banzete ya mirite: — Towuti kotambola na mabele mpe tokuti kimia mpe bopemi na mokili mobimba.
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 Anjelu ya Yawe alobaki: — Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, kino tango nini okoboya koyokela engumba Yelusalemi mawa mpe bingumba mosusu ya Yuda, bingumba oyo okangela kanda mibu tuku sambo mobimba?
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 Yawe abimisaki maloba ya kimia mpe ya kobondisa, na monoko ya Anjelu oyo azalaki koloba na ngai.
[So] Yahweh spoke kindly to the angel who had talked to me, saying things that comforted/encouraged him.
14 Bongo Anjelu oyo azalaki kosolola na ngai alobaki: — Tatola maloba oyo: « Tala liloba oyo Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, alobi: ‹ Nazali na zuwa makasi mpo na Yelusalemi mpe Siona.
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 Kasi nazali na kanda makasi mpo na bikolo oyo emonaka ete emikoka. Nazalaki kaka na kanda moke mpo na bato na Ngai, kasi bango bayei nde kobakisela bato na Ngai pasi. › »
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 Yango wana, tala liloba oyo Yawe alobi: « Nakozonga na Yelusalemi mpo na koyokela bango mawa; mpe kuna, bakotonga lisusu Tempelo na Ngai mpe bakosalela kati na Yelusalemi singa oyo bamekelaka molayi, » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga.
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 Tatola lisusu: « Tala liloba oyo Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, alobi: ‹ Bingumba na Ngai ekotondisama lisusu na bomengo, Yawe akobondisa lisusu Siona mpe akopona Yelusalemi. › »
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 Bongo natombolaki miso mpe namonaki maseke minei liboso na ngai.
Then I looked up, and I saw in front of me four [animal] horns.
19 Natunaki Anjelu oyo azalaki kosolola na ngai: — Maseke wana elakisi nini? Azongiselaki ngai: — Maseke wana ezali bikolo ya nguya oyo epanzaki Yuda, Isalaele mpe Yelusalemi.
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 Yawe alakisaki ngai bato minei ya misala ya maboko.
Then Yahweh showed me four (craftsmen/men who make things from metal).
21 Natunaki: — Bato oyo bayei kosala nini? Azongisaki: — Ezali maseke oyo eyaki kopanza Yuda mpo ete moto moko te akoka kotombola moto, kasi bato oyo ya misala ya maboko bayei nde kolengisa bango mpe kokweyisa nguya ya bikolo oyo etombolaki maseke na yango mpo na kobundisa Yuda mpe kopanza bato na yango.
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.”

< Zakari 1 >