UZekhariya 3

1 Yasingitshengisa uJoshuwa umpristi omkhulu emi phambi kwengilosi yeNkosi; loSathane emi esandleni sakhe sokunene ukumelana laye.

Then [Yahweh] showed me Joshua, the Supreme Priest, [who was] standing in front of the angel that Yahweh had sent. And Satan was standing at Joshua’s right side, [ready] to accuse him.

2 INkosi yasisithi kuSathane: INkosi kayikukhuze, wena Sathane, yebo kayikukhuze iNkosi, eyikhethileyo iJerusalema. Lo kayisiso isikhuni yini esophulwe emlilweni?

But Yahweh said to Satan, “Satan, I am rebuking you! I [am the one] who has chosen Jerusalem [to be my special city, and I] am rebuking you! This [man, Joshua], [has been brought back from Babylonia]; he is surely [like] [MET, RHQ] a burning stick that has been snatched from a fire.”

3 UJoshuwa-ke wayembethe izigqoko ezingcolileyo; wayemi phambi kwengilosi.

Joshua was wearing filthy clothes while he was standing in front of the angel.

4 Yasiphendula yakhuluma kulabo ababemi phambi kwayo isithi: Susani izigqoko ezingcolileyo kuye. Yasisithi kuye: Bona, ngenzile isiphambeko sakho sedlule kuwe, ngikugqokise izembatho zomkhosi.

The angel said to those [other angels] who were standing in front of him, “Take off his filthy clothes!” [After they did that, ] the angel said to Joshua, “Look! I have taken away [the guilt of] your sins, and I will put beautiful clothes on you.”

5 Ngasengisithi: Kababeke iqhiye ehlambulukileyo ekhanda lakhe. Basebebeka iqhiye ehlambulukileyo ekhanda lakhe, bamgqokisa izembatho; njalo ingilosi yeNkosi yayimi khona.

Then I said to them, “Put a clean turban on his head!” So they put a clean turban on his head and put [new] on him, while the angel sent by Yahweh was standing there.

6 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasifakaza kuJoshuwa isithi:

Then the angel said [this] to Joshua:

7 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Uba uzahamba ezindleleni zami, njalo uba uzagcina umlindo wami, lapho lawe uzakwahlulela indlu yami, ugcine lamaguma ami; njalo ngizakunika ilungelo lokuhamba phakathi kwalaba abemi khona.

“The Commander of the armies of angels says that if you do what I want you to do [IDM], and obey my instructions, you will (be in charge of/have authority over) [what is done in] my temple and its courtyard. And I will allow you to speak at any time to the angels who are standing near to me.

8 Zwana khathesi, Joshuwa mpristi omkhulu, wena labangane bakho abahlezi phambi kwakho, ngoba bangabantu besibonakaliso. Ngoba, khangela, ngizaveza inceku yami, iHlumela.

Joshua, [you are] the Supreme Priest, and your (associates/fellow priests) are sitting in front of you. They symbolize/represent things that will happen in the future. [Some day] I am going to bring someone who will work for me, someone who will be called the Branch.

9 Ngoba khangela ilitshe engilibeke phambi kukaJoshuwa; phezu kwelitshe elilodwa kuzakuba lamehlo ayisikhombisa. Khangela, ngizabhala ngokugubha okugujiweyo kwalo, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, njalo ngizasusa isiphambeko salelolizwe ngosuku olulodwa.

Look at the stone that I have put in front of Joshua. There are seven sides on the stone. I will engrave a message on that stone, and in one day I will remove the guilt of [all the people of] this country.

10 Ngalolosuku, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, lizabiza, ngulowo lalowo umngane wakhe ngaphansi kwesivini langaphansi komkhiwa.

At that time, each of you will invite his friends [to come and sit] under his grapevine and under his fig tree. [That is what] the Commander of the armies of angels declares.”