Zekkaliya 1
1 Mu mwaka ogwokubiri ogw’obufuzi bwa kabaka Daliyo omufuzi w’e Buperusi mu mwezi ogw’omunaana, ekigambo kya Mukama ne kijjira Zekkaliya omwana wa Berekiya, omwana wa Iddo nnabbi, nga kigamba nti:
[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 “Mukama yasunguwalira nnyo bajjajjammwe.
“I was very angry with your ancestors.
3 Naye kaakano mubagambe nti: Bw’atyo bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda ow’eggye nti, ‘Mudde gye ndi,’ bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye, ‘nange nadda gye muli,’ bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye.
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 Temuba nga bajjajjammwe, bannabbi ab’edda be baakoowoolanga nti, ‘Muve mu makubo gammwe amabi, n’ebikolwa byammwe ebikyamu.’ Naye tebampuliriza wadde okuŋŋondera, bw’ayogera Mukama.
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 Ye bajjajjammwe bali ludda wa? Ye bannabbi babeera balamu emirembe gyonna?
Your ancestors [have died and are now in their graves] [RHQ]. And the prophets did not [RHQ] live forever, [either].
6 Ebigambo byange n’ebiragiro bye nalagira abaddu bange, bannabbi, eri bajjajjammwe tebyatuukirira? “Ne balyoka beenenya ne bagamba nti, ‘Mukama ow’Eggye bye yasuubiza okutukola olw’empisa zaffe embi n’ebikolwa byaffe ebitali bya butuukirivu, bw’atyo bw’atukoledde ddala.’”
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 Ku lunaku olw’amakumi abiri mu ennya, mu mwezi ogw’ekkumi n’ogumu gwe bayita Sebati, mu mwaka ogwokubiri ogw’obufuzi bwa kabaka Daliyo, ekigambo kya Mukama ne kijjira Zekkaliya mutabani wa Berekiya, omwana wa Iddo nnabbi nga kigamba nti.
[Three months later], on February 15, Yahweh gave [another] message to me.
8 Nalaba ekiro ng’omusajja yeebagadde embalaasi emyufu era yali ayimiridde mu miti emikadasi mu kiwonvu. Emabega we waaliyo embalaasi endala, enjeru, n’eza kikuusikuusi, n’emyufu.
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 Awo ne mbuuza nti, “Mukama wange bino bitegeeza ki?” Malayika eyali ayogera nange n’aŋŋamba nti, “Nzija kukulaga kye bitegeeza.”
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 Awo omusajja eyali ayimiridde mu miti n’addamu nti, “Ezo embalaasi Mukama z’asindise okulawuna ensi.”
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 Ne ziddamu malayika wa Mukama eyali ayimiridde mu miti nti, “Tubunye ensi yonna, era laba ensi yonna esiriikiridde teriimu kanyego eteredde mirembe.”
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 Awo malayika wa Mukama n’agamba nti, “Ayi Mukama ow’Eggye, olituusa ddi obutakwatirwa Yerusaalemi n’ebibuga bya Yuda kisa, by’osunguwalidde okumala emyaka ensanvu?”
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 Mukama n’alyoka addamu malayika eyali ayogera nange ebigambo ebirungi, ebigambo ebizzaamu amaanyi.
[So] Yahweh spoke kindly to the angel who had talked to me, saying things that comforted/encouraged him.
14 Awo malayika eyali ayogera nange n’agamba nti, “Langirira ogambe nti, Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye nti, ‘Yerusaalemi ne Sayuuni mbikwatiririddwa obuggya obw’amaanyi,
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 naye nyiigidde nnyo amawanga agali mu mirembe, kubanga abantu bange nnali mbanyiigiddeko katono naye bo ne bababonyaabonyeza ddala.’
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 “Noolwekyo, bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama nti, ‘Nkomyewo mu Yerusaalemi n’ekisa. Ennyumba yange ne Yerusaalemi kyonna, bijja kuzimbibwa,’ bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda ow’Eggye.
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 “Yogera n’eddoboozi ery’omwanguka nti, Mukama Katonda ow’Eggye alangiridde nti, ‘Ebibuga byange bijja kuddamu okukulukuta obugagga, era Mukama alizzaamu Sayuuni amaanyi, ne yeeroboza Yerusaalemi.’”
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 Awo ne nnyimusa amaaso gange, era laba, ne ndaba amayembe ana.
Then I looked up, and I saw in front of me four [animal] horns.
19 Malayika eyali ayogera nange ne mubuuza nti, “Amayembe ago gategeeza ki?” N’anziramu nti, “Gategeeza obuyinza obwasaasaanya abantu ab’omu Yuda, n’ab’omu Isirayiri, n’ab’omu Yerusaalemi.”
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 Awo Mukama n’andaga abaweesi bana.
Then Yahweh showed me four (craftsmen/men who make things from metal).
21 Ne mbuuza nti, “Abo bazze kukola ki?” N’addamu nti, “Ago amayembe, bwe buyinza obwasaasaanya Yuda nga tewali na muntu ayimusa mutwe gwe; naye abaweesi abana bazze okubatiisa era n’okubazikiriza, ago amawanga agaasitukira ku nsi ya Yuda okusaasaanya abantu baamu.”
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.”
