UZekhariya 8
1 Lafika njalo kimi ilizwi likaThixo uSomandla.
And the word of the Lord Almighty came, saying,
2 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla: “Ngilobukhwele kabi ngeZiyoni; ngiyatsha ngobukhwele ngayo.”
Thus says the Lord Almighty; I have been jealous for Jerusalem and for Sion with great jealousy, and I have been jealous for her with great fury.
3 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: “Ngizabuyela eZiyoni ngihlale eJerusalema. Lapho-ke iJerusalema izathiwa nguMuzi weQiniso, lentaba kaThixo uSomandla izabizwa ngokuthi yiNtaba eNgcwele.”
Thus says the Lord; I will return to Sion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a true city, and the mountain of the Lord Almighty a holy mountain.
4 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: “Kuzakwenzakala njalo ukuthi amaxhegu lezalukazi bahlale nje ezitaladini zeJerusalema, ngulowo lodondolo lwakhe esandleni ngenxa yokuluphala.
Thus says the Lord Almighty; There shall yet dwell old men and old women in the streets of Jerusalem, every one holding his staff in his hand for age.
5 Izitalada zedolobho zizaphithizela abafana lamantombazana bezidlalela khona.”
And the broad places of the city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.
6 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: “Kungabonakala njengesimanga kwabayinsalela yalababantu ngalesosikhathi, kodwa kambe kungabonakala njengesimanga kimi na?” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
Thus says the Lord Almighty; If it shall be impossible in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, shall it also be impossible in my sight? says the Lord Almighty.
7 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: “Ngizabasindisa abantu bami emazweni asempumalanga lasemazweni asentshonalanga.
Thus says the Lord Almighty; Behold, I [will] save my people from the east country, and the west country;
8 Ngizababuyisela bayehlala eJerusalema; bazakuba ngabantu bami, lami ngizathembeka njalo ngibe lokulunga kubo njengoNkulunkulu wabo.”
and I will bring them in, and cause [them] to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be to me a people, and I will be to them a God, in truth and in righteousness.
9 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: “Lina okwamanje eliwezwayo amazwi la akhulunywa ngabaphrofethi ababekhona kubekwa isisekelo sendlu kaThixo uSomandla, qinisani izandla zenu ukuze ithempeli lakhiwe.
Thus says the Lord Almighty; Let your hands be strong, [you that] hear in these days these words out of the mouth of the prophets, from the day that the house of the Lord Almighty was founded, and from the time that the temple was built.
10 Mandulo kwesikhathi leso kwakungekho imbadalo ngomsebenzi womuntu loba owenyamazana. Umuntu loba engubani wayengazihambeli loba azenzele okwakhe ekhululekile ngenxa yezitha, ngoba abantu ngasengibaxabanise labomakhelwane babo.
For before those days the wages of men could not be profitable, and there could be no hire of cattle, and there could be no peace by reason of the affliction to him that went out or to him that came in: for I would have let loose all men, every one against his neighbor.
11 Kodwa khathesi kangisayikwenza kulaba abayinsalela njengalokho engakwenzayo endulo,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
But now I [will] not do to the remnant of this people according to the former days, says the Lord Almighty.
12 “Inhlanyelo izakhula kuhle, ivini lizakhupha izithelo zalo, umhlabathi uzakhulisa amabele, lamazulu azakwehlisa amazolo awo. Zonke lezizinto ngizazinika njengelifa kwabayinsalela yalababantu.
But I will show peace: the vine shall yield her fruit, and the land shall yield her produce, and the heaven shall give its dew: and I will give as an inheritance all these things to the remnant of my people.
13 Njengoba beliyinto eqalekisiweyo phakathi kwezizwe, wena Juda lo-Israyeli, ngakho ngizalisindisa libe yisibusiso. Lingesabi, kodwa qinisani izandla zenu.”
And it shall come to pass, as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Juda, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing: be of good courage, and strengthen your hands.
14 Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla, uthi: “Kanjengalokhu ngasengimisile ukwehlisela umonakalo phezu kwenu angaze ngatshengisa uzwelo lapho okhokho benu bangizondisa,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla,
For thus says the Lord Almighty; As I took counsel to afflict you when your fathers provoked me, says the Lord Almighty, and I repented not:
15 “yikho manje sengimisile ukwenza ubuhle njalo eJerusalema lakoJuda. Lingesabi.
so have I prepared and taken counsel in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Juda: be you of good courage.
16 Nanzi izinto okumele lizenze: Khulumani iqiniso omunye komunye, njalo lehlulelane ngeqiniso langokuqonda emithethwandaba yenu;
These [are] the things which you shall do; speak truth every one with his neighbor; judge truth and peaceful judgment in your gates:
17 lingakheli umakhelwane wenu amacebo amabi, njalo lingaze lathanda ukufunga ngokungamanga. Konke lokhu ngiyakuzonda,” kutsho uThixo.
and let none of you devise evil in his heart against his neighbor; and love not a false oath: for all these things I hate, says the Lord Almighty.
18 Ilizwi likaThixo uSomandla laphinda labuya kimi.
And the word of the Lord Almighty came to me, saying,
19 Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla, uthi, “Amazilo awenyanga yesine, leyesihlanu, leyesikhombisa kanye leyetshumi azakuba yizikhathi zokuthokoza lokujabula, abe yimikhosi yokuthaba koJuda. Ngakho-ke thandani iqiniso lokuthula.”
Thus says the Lord Almighty, The fourth fast, and the fifth fast, and the seventh fast, and the tenth fast, shall be to the house of Juda for joy and gladness, and for good feasts; and you shall rejoice; and love you the truth and peace.
20 Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla: “Abantu abanengi lezakhamizi zamadolobho amanengi basezakuza,
Thus says the Lord Almighty; Yet shall many peoples come, and the inhabitants of many cities;
21 njalo izakhamizi zedolobho leli zizakuya kwezakuleliyana zifike zithi, ‘Kasihambe khathesi lokhu siyoncenga uThixo, simfune uThixo uSomandla. Mina sengihamba.’
and the inhabitants of five cities shall come together to one city, saying, Let us go to make supplication to the Lord, and to seek the face of the Lord Almighty; I will go also.
22 Kuzakuthi abantu abanengi lezizwe ezilamandla zizakuza eJerusalema ukuzafuna uThixo uSomandla bezocela kuye.”
And many peoples and many nations shall come to seek earnestly the face of the Lord Almighty in Jerusalem, and to obtain favor of the Lord.
23 Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla, uthi: “Ngalezonsuku amadoda alitshumi aphuma kuzozonke izindimi lezizwe azagagadlela umphetho wengubo yomJuda oyedwa athi, ‘Wothi sihambe lawe ngoba sesizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulani.’”
Thus says the Lord Almighty; In those days [my word shall be fulfilled] if ten men of all the languages of the nations should take hold—even take hold of the hem of a Jew, saying, We will go with you; for we have heard that God is with you.
