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 Darius the king, that the word of Yahweh came unto Zechariah, on the fourth of the ninth month, in Chisleu;
2 Abantu baseBhetheli babethume uShareza loRegemi-Meleki, kanye lamadoda asuka kubo ukuyancenga uThixo uSomandla
yea when Bethel sent Sherezer and Regemmelech, and his men, —to pacify the face of Yahweh:
3 ngokucela abaphristi bendlu kaThixo uSomandla labaphrofethi ukuthi, “Ngilile yini njalo ngizile ukudla ngenyanga yesihlanu njengalokhu engihlala ngikwenza okweminyaka eminengi na?”
to speak unto the priests that pertained to the house of Yahweh of hosts, and unto the prophets, saying, —Shall 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 Yahweh 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 thou unto all the people of the land, and unto the priests, saying, —When ye fasted and lamented in the fifth and in the seventh, even these seventy years, did ye, really fast, unto, me?
6 Njalo nxa lalisidla, linatha, angithi lalizikholisela lina na?
And, when ye used to eat and when ye used to drink, was it not, of your own accord, ye did eat, and, of your own accord, ye did drink?
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 [have been doing] the things which Yahweh, had proclaimed, by the hand of the former prophets, while yet Jerusalem was inhabited and in peace, with her cities round about her, —and the South and the Lowland were inhabited?
8 Laphinde lafika njalo ilizwi likaThixo kuZakhariya lathi:
And the word of Yahweh came unto Zechariah, saying:
9 “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Yahlulelani ngobuqotho; litshengise isihawu lozwelo omunye komunye.
Thus, spake Yahweh of hosts, saying, —With true justice, give ye judgment, and, lovingkindness and compassions, observe ye, one with another;
10 Lingamcindezeli umfelokazi noma intandane, lowezizweni noma umyanga. Lingakhumbulelani okubi ezinhliziyweni zenu.’
And, the widow and the fatherless, the sojourner and the humbled, do not ye oppress, —and, wickedness between one man and another, do not ye devise in your hearts.
11 Kodwa bala ukulalela; baqholoza bafulathela njalo bagcika indlebe zabo.
Howbeit they refused to give heed, but put forth a rebellious shoulder, —and, their ears, made they hard of hearing, that they might 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.
and, their heart, turned they into adamant, that they might not hear the law, nor the words which Yahweh of hosts sent by his spirit, through the former prophets, —and so there came great wrath from Yahweh of hosts.
13 ‘Ngababiza, kodwa kabalalelanga; yikho labo sebememeza kangibalalelanga,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
Therefore came it to pass that—just as he cried out and they hearkened not, so, used they to cry out, and I used not to hearken, saith Yahweh 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 whirled them over all the nations whom they had not known, and, the land, was made desolate after them, that none passed through and returned, —Yea they made of a delightful land—a desolation.
