UZekhariya 7
1 Ngomnyaka wesine wenkosi uDariyu, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuZakhariya ngelanga lesine lenyanga yesificamunye, inyanga ethiwa nguKhisilevu.
AND it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu;
2 Abantu baseBhetheli babethume uShareza loRegemi-Meleki, kanye lamadoda asuka kubo ukuyancenga uThixo uSomandla
When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regem-melech, and their men, to pray before the Lord,
3 ngokucela abaphristi bendlu kaThixo uSomandla labaphrofethi ukuthi, “Ngilile yini njalo ngizile ukudla ngenyanga yesihlanu njengalokhu engihlala ngikwenza okweminyaka eminengi na?”
And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?
4 Laselifika ilizwi likaThixo uSomandla kimi lisithi:
Then came the word of the Lord of hosts unto me, saying,
5 “Buza bonke abantu belizwe kanye labaphristi uthi, ‘Lapho lalizila ukudla lilila ngenyanga yesihlanu leyesikhombisa okweminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa esidlule kambe lalizilela mina ngeqiniso na?
Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?
6 Njalo nxa lalisidla, linatha, angithi lalizikholisela lina na?
And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?
7 Kawasiwo yini la amazwi amenyezelwa nguThixo ngabaphrofethi bamandulo lapho iJerusalema lamadolobho aseduzane ayelokuthula ephumelela, leNegebi kanye lamaqaqa asentshonalanga kwakhiwe kuhle na?’”
Should ye not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?
8 Laphinde lafika njalo ilizwi likaThixo kuZakhariya lathi:
And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying,
9 “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Yahlulelani ngobuqotho; litshengise isihawu lozwelo omunye komunye.
Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:
10 Lingamcindezeli umfelokazi noma intandane, lowezizweni noma umyanga. Lingakhumbulelani okubi ezinhliziyweni zenu.’
And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.
11 Kodwa bala ukulalela; baqholoza bafulathela njalo bagcika indlebe zabo.
But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
12 Benza inhliziyo zabo zaba lukhuni njengelitshe kabaze balalela umlayo loba amazwi kaThixo uSomandla ayewathumile ngoMoya ngabaphrofethi bamandulo. Yikho uThixo uSomandla wathukuthela kabuhlungu.
Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts.
13 ‘Ngababiza, kodwa kabalalelanga; yikho labo sebememeza kangibalalelanga,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts:
14 ‘Ngabachithachitha ngesivunguzane baya ezizweni zonke lapho ababa yizihambi khona. Ilizwe lasala selilihlane nje kungasahlaleki kulo futhi kungasedluleki khona. Balenza lajujuka kanjalo ilizwe elihle laba yinkangala.’”
But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.
