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 Chislev.
2 Abantu baseBhetheli babethume uShareza loRegemi-Meleki, kanye lamadoda asuka kubo ukuyancenga uThixo uSomandla
Now [they of] Beth-el had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech, and their men, to entreat the favour of 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 of 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 in the seventh [month], even these seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?
6 Njalo nxa lalisidla, linatha, angithi lalizikholisela lina na?
And when ye eat, and when ye drink, do 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, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?
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 hath the LORD of hosts spoken, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassion 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 had sent by his spirit by the hand of the former prophets: therefore came there great wrath from the LORD of hosts.
13 ‘Ngababiza, kodwa kabalalelanga; yikho labo sebememeza kangibalalelanga,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
And it came to pass that, as he cried, and they would not hear; so they shall cry, and I will not hear, said 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 will scatter them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.
