UZekhariya 8
1 Lafika njalo kimi ilizwi likaThixo uSomandla.
And there is a word of Jehovah of Hosts, saying:
2 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla: “Ngilobukhwele kabi ngeZiyoni; ngiyatsha ngobukhwele ngayo.”
'Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: I have been zealous for Zion with great zeal, With great heat I have been zealous for her.
3 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: “Ngizabuyela eZiyoni ngihlale eJerusalema. Lapho-ke iJerusalema izathiwa nguMuzi weQiniso, lentaba kaThixo uSomandla izabizwa ngokuthi yiNtaba eNgcwele.”
Thus said Jehovah: I have turned back unto Zion, And I have dwelt in the midst of Jerusalem, And Jerusalem hath been called 'The city of truth,' And the mountain of Jehovah of Hosts, 'The holy mountain.'
4 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: “Kuzakwenzakala njalo ukuthi amaxhegu lezalukazi bahlale nje ezitaladini zeJerusalema, ngulowo lodondolo lwakhe esandleni ngenxa yokuluphala.
Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Again dwell do old men and old women, In broad places of Jerusalem, And each his staff in his hand, Because of abundance of days.
5 Izitalada zedolobho zizaphithizela abafana lamantombazana bezidlalela khona.”
And broad places of the city are full of boys and girls, Playing in its broad places.
6 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: “Kungabonakala njengesimanga kwabayinsalela yalababantu ngalesosikhathi, kodwa kambe kungabonakala njengesimanga kimi na?” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Surely it is wonderful in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, Also in Mine eyes it is wonderful, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts.
7 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: “Ngizabasindisa abantu bami emazweni asempumalanga lasemazweni asentshonalanga.
Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Lo, I am saving My people from the land of the rising, And from the land of the going in, of the sun,
8 Ngizababuyisela bayehlala eJerusalema; bazakuba ngabantu bami, lami ngizathembeka njalo ngibe lokulunga kubo njengoNkulunkulu wabo.”
And I have brought them in, They have dwelt in the midst of Jerusalem, And they have been to Me for a people, And I am to them for 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 said Jehovah of Hosts: Let your hands be strong, Ye who are hearing in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets, That in the day the house of Jehovah of Hosts Hath been founded, the temple [is] to be 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 there hath been no hiring of man, Yea, a hiring of beasts there is none; And to him who is going out, And to him who is coming in, There is no peace because of the adversary, And I send all men — each against his neighbour.
11 Kodwa khathesi kangisayikwenza kulaba abayinsalela njengalokho engakwenzayo endulo,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
And now, not as [in] the former days [am] I to the remnant of this people, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts.
12 “Inhlanyelo izakhula kuhle, ivini lizakhupha izithelo zalo, umhlabathi uzakhulisa amabele, lamazulu azakwehlisa amazolo awo. Zonke lezizinto ngizazinika njengelifa kwabayinsalela yalababantu.
Because of the sowing of peace, The vine doth give her fruit, And the earth doth give her increase, And the heavens do give their dew, And I have caused the remnant of this people To inherit all these.
13 Njengoba beliyinto eqalekisiweyo phakathi kwezizwe, wena Juda lo-Israyeli, ngakho ngizalisindisa libe yisibusiso. Lingesabi, kodwa qinisani izandla zenu.”
And it hath come to pass, As ye have been a reviling among nations, O house of Judah, and house of Israel, So I save you, and ye have been a blessing, Do not fear, let your hands be strong.
14 Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla, uthi: “Kanjengalokhu ngasengimisile ukwehlisela umonakalo phezu kwenu angaze ngatshengisa uzwelo lapho okhokho benu bangizondisa,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla,
For, thus said Jehovah of Hosts, As I did purpose to do evil to you, When your fathers made Me wroth, Said Jehovah of Hosts, and I did not repent,
15 “yikho manje sengimisile ukwenza ubuhle njalo eJerusalema lakoJuda. Lingesabi.
So I have turned back, I have purposed, in these days, To do good with Jerusalem, And with the house of Judah — fear not!
16 Nanzi izinto okumele lizenze: Khulumani iqiniso omunye komunye, njalo lehlulelane ngeqiniso langokuqonda emithethwandaba yenu;
These [are] the things that ye do: Speak ye truth each with his neighbour, Truth and peaceful judgment judge in your gates,
17 lingakheli umakhelwane wenu amacebo amabi, njalo lingaze lathanda ukufunga ngokungamanga. Konke lokhu ngiyakuzonda,” kutsho uThixo.
And each the evil of his neighbour ye do not devise in your heart, And a false oath ye do not love, For all these [are] things that I have hated, An affirmation of Jehovah.'
18 Ilizwi likaThixo uSomandla laphinda labuya kimi.
And there is a word of Jehovah of Hosts unto 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 said Jehovah of Hosts: The fast of the fourth, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth [months], are to the house of Judah for joy and for rejoicing, and for pleasant appointed seasons, and the truth and the peace they have loved.
20 Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla: “Abantu abanengi lezakhamizi zamadolobho amanengi basezakuza,
Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Yet come do peoples, and inhabitants of many cities,
21 njalo izakhamizi zedolobho leli zizakuya kwezakuleliyana zifike zithi, ‘Kasihambe khathesi lokhu siyoncenga uThixo, simfune uThixo uSomandla. Mina sengihamba.’
Yea, gone have inhabitants of one To another, saying: We go diligently, To appease the face of Jehovah, To seek Jehovah of Hosts — I go, even I.
22 Kuzakuthi abantu abanengi lezizwe ezilamandla zizakuza eJerusalema ukuzafuna uThixo uSomandla bezocela kuye.”
Yea, come in have many peoples, and mighty nations, To seek Jehovah of Hosts in Jerusalem, And to appease the face of Jehovah.
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 said Jehovah of Hosts: In those days take hold do ten men of all languages of the nations, Yea, they have taken hold on the skirt of a man, a Jew, saying: We go with you, for we heard God [is] with you!
