UZekhariya 1
1 Ngenyanga yesificaminwemibili yomnyaka wesibili kaDariyu, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kumphrofethi uZakhariya indodana kaBherekhiya, indodana ka-Ido lisithi:
In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, a word of YHWH has been to Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
2 “UThixo wazondiswa kakhulu ngokhokho benu.
“YHWH was angry against your fathers—wrath!
3 Ngakho tshela abantu uthi: Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla: ‘Buyelani kimi,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla, ‘lami ngizabuya kini,’ utsho njalo uThixo uSomandla.
And you have said to them, Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Return to Me, A declaration of YHWH of Hosts, And I return to you, said YHWH of Hosts.
4 Lingabi njengabokhokho benu, okwatsho kubo abaphrofethi bamandulo, bathi: Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Phendukani ezindleleni zenu zobubi lezenzo zenu ezimbi.’ Kodwa kabafunanga ukulalela loba ukukunanza okwakutshiwo, kutsho uThixo.
You will not be as your fathers, To whom the former prophets called, Saying, Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Please turn back from your evil ways and from your evil doings, And they did not listen, Nor attend to Me—a declaration of YHWH.
5 Bangaphi manje okhokho benu na? Bona abaphrofethi kambe baphila okungapheliyo na?
Your fathers—where [are] they? And the prophets—do they live for all time?
6 Kodwa amazwi ami lemithetho yami engangilaye ngakho izinceku zami abaphrofethi kakuzange kuze kubafice yini okhokho benu? Kwayikhona bephenduka besithi, ‘UThixo uSomandla wenzile kithi okufanele izindlela zethu lezenzo njengalokho amisa ukukwenza.’”
Only, My words and My statutes, That I commanded My servants the prophets, Have they not overtaken your fathers? And they turn back and say: As YHWH of Hosts designed to do to us, According to our ways, and according to our doings, So He has done to us.”
7 Ngelanga lamatshumi amabili lane ngenyanga yetshumi lanye, inyanga uShebhathi, ngomnyaka wesibili kaDariyu, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kumphrofethi uZakhariya indodana kaBherekhiya, indodana ka-Ido.
On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (it [is] the month of Sebat), in the second year of Darius, a word of YHWH has been to Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo the prophet. [He was] saying:
8 Ebusuku ngafikelwa ngumbono, khonapho phambi kwami kwakulendoda egade ibhiza elibomvu! Yayimi phakathi kwezihlahla zomethile edongeni. Ngemva kwayo kwakulamanye amabhiza, elibomvu, eliyinsundu lelimhlophe.
I have seen by night, and behold, one riding on a red horse, and he is standing between the myrtles that [are] in the shade, and behind him [are] horses, red, bay, and white.
9 Ngayibuza ngathi, “Kuyini lokhu, nkosi yami na?” Ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami yaphendula yathi, “Ngizakutshengisa ukuthi kuyini.”
And I say, “What [are] these, my lord?” And the messenger who is speaking with me says to me, “I show you what these [are].”
10 Kwasekusithi leyondoda eyayimi ezihlahleni zomethile yachaza yathi, “Laba yibo uThixo abathumileyo ukuba bahambe emhlabeni wonke.”
And the one who is standing between the myrtles answers and says, “These [are] they whom YHWH has sent to walk up and down in the land.”
11 Basebebika engilosini kaThixo eyayimi phakathi kwezihlahla zomethile bathi, “Sesiwuhambile wonke umhlaba safumana ukuthi ilizwe lihlezi kuhle phakathi kokuthula.”
And they answer the Messenger of YHWH who is standing between the myrtles, and say, “We have walked up and down in the land, and behold, all the land is sitting still, and at rest.”
12 Ingilosi kaThixo yasisithi, “Thixo Somandla, koze kube nini ulokhu ugodla isihawu sakho phezu kweJerusalema lamadolobho akoJuda olokhu uwathukuthelele yonke iminyaka le engamatshumi ayisikhombisa?”
And the Messenger of YHWH answers and says, “YHWH of Hosts! Until when do You not pity Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, that You have abhorred these seventy years?”
13 Ngakho uThixo wasekhuluma amazwi omusa, aduduzayo kuleyongilosi eyayikhuluma lami.
And YHWH answers the messenger, who is speaking with me, good words, comfortable words.
14 Kwasekusithi ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami yathi, “Memezela leli ilizwi: Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Ngilobukhwele ngeJerusalema leZiyoni,
And the messenger who is speaking with me, says to me, “Call, saying, Thus said YHWH of Hosts: I have been zealous for Jerusalem, And for Zion [with] great zeal.
15 kodwa ngizondile ngalezozizwe ezihlezi zanaba zaziba. Ngangithukuthele kancane kodwa zawengezelela lowo monakalo.’
And [with] great wrath I am angry against the nations who are at ease, For I was a little angry, and they assisted—for evil.
16 Ngakho-ke nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Ngizabuya eJerusalema ngilomusa, khonapho indlu yami izakwakhiwa kutsha. Intambo yesilinganiso izakwelulwa eJerusalema,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
Therefore, thus said YHWH: I have turned to Jerusalem with mercies, My house is built in it, A declaration of YHWH of Hosts, And a line is stretched over Jerusalem.
17 Memezela njalo uthi: Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Amadolobho ami azaphinda njalo aphuphume ngenotho, njalo uThixo uzaphinda ayiduduze iZiyoni, ayikhethe iJerusalema.’”
Again call, saying, Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Again My cities overflow from good, And YHWH has again comforted Zion, And He has fixed again on Jerusalem.”
18 Ngase ngiphakamisa amehlo ami, phambi kwami kwakulempondo ezine!
And I lift up my eyes, and look, and behold, four horns.
19 Ngabuza ingilosi leyo eyayikhuluma lami, ngathi, “Kuyini lokhu?” Yaphendula yathi, “Lezi yizo impondo ezachitha uJuda, lo-Israyeli leJerusalema.”
And I say to the messenger who is speaking with me, “What [are] these?” And he says to me, “These [are] the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”
20 UThixo wasengitshengisa abakhandi abane.
And YHWH shows me four artisans.
21 Ngabuza ngathi, “Laba bazekwenzani na?” Waphendula wathi, “Lezi yimpondo ezachitha uJuda ukuze angabikhona ovusa ikhanda, kodwa abakhandi balande ukuxegisa amadolo abo, bazilahlele phansi impondo lezi ezezizwe ezaphakamisa impondo zazo phezu kwelizwe lakoJuda ukuchitha abantu balo.”
And I say, “What [are] these coming to do?” And He speaks, saying, “These [are] the horns that have scattered Judah, so that no one has lifted up his head, and these come to trouble them, to cast down the horns of the nations who are lifting up a horn against the land of Judah—to scatter it.”
