UZekhariya 1
1 Ngenyanga yesificaminwembili, ngomnyaka wesibili kaDariyusi, kwafika ilizwi leNkosi kuZekhariya, indodana kaBerekiya, indodana kaIdo umprofethi, lisithi:
In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Jehovah to Zechariah, the son of Barachiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying: —
2 INkosi yabathukuthelela oyihlo ngentukuthelo.
Jehovah hath been much displeased with your fathers.
3 Ngakho wothi kubo: Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Phendukelani kimi, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, lami ngizaphendukela kini, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
But say thou to them, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Turn ye to me, saith Jehovah of hosts, And I will turn to you, saith Jehovah of hosts.
4 Lingabi njengaboyihlo, abaprofethi bakuqala abamemeza kubo, besithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Ake liphenduke ezindleleni zenu ezimbi lezenzweni zenu ezimbi; kodwa kabezwanga, kabangilalelanga, itsho iNkosi.
Be ye not as your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried, saying, Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings! But they did not hear, nor hearken to me, saith Jehovah.
5 Oyihlo, bangaphi? Labaprofethi, baphila laphakade yini?
Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?
6 Kodwa amazwi ami lezimiso zami, engakulaya izinceku zami abaprofethi, kakubaficanga oyihlo yini? Basebephenduka bathi: Njengalokhu iNkosi yamabandla yayinakana ukukukwenza kithi, njengokwezindlela zethu lanjengokwezenzo zethu, ngokunjalo yenze kithi.
But my words and my statutes, Which I commanded my servants, the prophets, Did they not overtake your fathers? And they returned and said, Even as Jehovah of hosts thought To do to us according to our ways, and according to doings, So hath he done to us.
7 Ngosuku lwamatshumi amabili lane lwenyanga yetshumi lanye, okuyinyanga uShebati, ngomnyaka wesibili kaDariyusi, lafika ilizwi leNkosi kuZekhariya, indodana kaBerekiya, indodana kaIdo umprofethi, lisithi:
On the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Jehovah to Zechariah, the son of Barachiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying:
8 Ngabona ebusuku, khangela-ke umuntu owayegade ibhiza elibomvu, njalo wayemi phakathi kwezihlahla zamamiteli eziseliweni, lemva kwakhe kwakulamabhiza abomvu, alibhidi, lamhlophe.
I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding upon a red horse; and he stood among the myrtle-trees that were in the deep valley, and behind him were other horses, red, fox-colored, and white.
9 Ngasengisithi: Bayini laba, nkosi yami? Ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami yasisithi kimi: Mina ngizakutshengisa ukuthi laba bayini.
Then I said, What are these, my lord? And the angel that talked with me said to me, I will show thee what these are.
10 Umuntu owayemi phakathi kwezihlahla zamamiteli wasephendula wathi: Laba yibo iNkosi ebathumileyo ukuhamba besiya le lale emhlabeni.
And the man that stood among the myrtle-trees answered and said, These are they whom Jehovah hath sent to go to and fro through the earth.
11 Basebephendula ingilosi yeNkosi eyayimi phakathi kwezihlahla zamamiteli, bathi: Sihambile, saya le lale emhlabeni, khangela-ke, wonke umhlaba uhlezi uthule.
And they answered the angel of Jehovah that stood among the myrtle-trees, and said, We have gone to and fro through the earth, and behold, all the earth is still and at rest.
12 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasiphendula yathi: Nkosi yamabandla, koze kube nini wena ungabi lesihawu phezu kweJerusalema laphezu kwemizi yakoJuda, osuyithukuthelele okweminyaka le engamatshumi ayisikhombisa?
Then the angel of Jehovah answered, and said, O Jehovah of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?
13 INkosi yasiphendula ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami ngamazwi amahle, amazwi aduduzayo.
And Jehovah answered the angel that talked with me good words and comfortable words.
14 Ngakho ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami yathi kimi: Memeza, usithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Ngilobukhwele ngeJerusalema langeZiyoni ngobukhwele obukhulu.
And the angel who talked with me said to me: Proclaim thou and say, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with great jealousy,
15 Njalo ngiyathukuthela ngentukuthelo enkulu ngezizwe ezonwabileyo; ngoba mina ngizondile kancinyane, kodwa zona zancedisa ngasebubini.
And with great anger am I angry with the nations that are at ease; For I was but a little displeased, And they helped forward the affliction.
16 Ngalokho, itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngibuyele eJerusalema ngilezihawu; indlu yami izakwakhiwa kuyo, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, lentambo yokulinganisa izakwelulwa phezu kweJerusalema.
Therefore thus saith Jehovah: I return to Jerusalem with mercies; My house shall be built in it, Saith Jehovah of hosts, And a measuring-line shall be stretched forth over Jerusalem.
17 Phinda umemeze, usithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Imizi yami isezasatshalaliswa ngokuhle; njalo iNkosi isezaduduza iZiyoni, isezayikhetha iJerusalema.
Proclaim yet and say, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: My cities shall yet overflow with prosperity, And Jehovah will yet comfort Zion, And will yet choose Jerusalem.
18 Ngasengiphakamisa amehlo ami, ngabona, khangela-ke, impondo ezine.
Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, four horns.
19 Ngasengisithi kuyo ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami: Kuyini lokhu? Yasisithi kimi: Lezi zimpondo ezihlakaze uJuda, uIsrayeli, leJerusalema.
And I said to the angel that talked with me, What mean these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.
20 INkosi yasingitshengisa ingcitshi ezine.
And Jehovah showed me four smiths.
21 Ngasengisithi: Lezi zizekwenzani? Yasikhuluma isithi: Lezi zimpondo ezihlakaze uJuda, kwaze kwangabi lomuntu ophakamisa ikhanda lakhe; kodwa lezi zize ukuzethusa, ukulahla izimpondo zabezizwe, ezaphakamisa uphondo lumelene lelizwe lakoJuda ukulihlakaza.
Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head; and now these are come to terrify them, to cast out the horns of the nations which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.
