UZekhariya 4
1 Ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami yabuya futhi, yangivusa, njengomuntu ovuswa ebuthongweni bakhe.
Then the angel who had been talking with me returned, and he called to me as though I had been asleep.
2 Yathi kimi: Ubonani? Ngasengisithi: Ngibonile, khangela-ke uluthi lwesibane lwegolide lonke, lomganu phezu kwesihloko salo, lezibane zalo eziyisikhombisa phezu kwalo; kulezimpompi eziyisikhombisa leziyisikhombisa ezingasezibaneni, eziphezu kwesihloko salo.
He asked me, “What do you see?” I replied, “I see a lampstand [made] completely of gold. There is a small bowl [for olive oil] at the top, and there are seven [small] lamps around the bowl, and a place for a wick on each lamp.
3 Lezihlahla zomhlwathi ezimbili eceleni kwalo, esinye ngakwesokunene komganu, lesinye ngakwesokhohlo kwawo.
Furthermore, I see two olive trees, one at the right side of the lampstand and one at the left side.”
4 Ngasengiphendula ngikhuluma kuyo ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami, ngisithi: Lezizinto ziyini, nkosi yami?
I asked the angel who was talking with me, “Sir, what are these?”
5 Ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami yasiphendula yathi kimi: Kawazi yini ukuthi lezizinto ziyini? Ngasengisithi: Hatshi, nkosi yami.
He replied, “Surely you know [RHQ] what they are?” I replied, “No, I do not know.”
6 Yasiphendula yakhuluma lami isithi: Leli yilizwi leNkosi kuZerubhabheli, lisithi: Hatshi ngamandla, hatshi-ke ngengalo, kodwa ngomoya wami, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
Then he said to me, “This is the message that Yahweh [says that you should give] to Zerubbabel [the governor of Judah: ‘You will do what I want you to do, but it will] not be by your own strength or power. It will be [done] by [the power of] my Spirit, says the Commander of the armies of angels.
7 Ungubani wena, ntaba enkulu? Phambi kukaZerubhabheli uzakuba ligceke. Yena uzaveza ilitshe eliyinhloko ngokumemeza okukhulu: Umusa, umusa kulo!
Zerubbabel, you [have many difficult matters to handle. They are like] high mountains [MET]. But they will [become easy to handle, as though] they will become flat land. And you will bring [to the temple] the final stone [to complete the rebuilding of the temple]. When you do that, [all the people] will shout repeatedly, “It is beautiful! May God bless it!”’”
8 Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi futhi lisithi:
Then Yahweh gave me [another] message.
9 Izandla zikaZerubhabheli zibekile isisekelo salindlu; futhi izandla zakhe zizayiqeda. Njalo uzakwazi ukuthi iNkosi yamabandla ingithumile kini.
He said [to me], “Zerubbabel [SYN] laid the first stone in the foundation of the temple, and he will put the last stone in its place. When that happens, the people will know that [it is I, the Commander of the armies of angels, who] have sent you to them.” And he said, “The seven bowls represent the eyes of Yahweh, who looks back and forth at everything [that happens] on the earth.”
10 Ngoba ngubani odelele usuku lwezinto ezincinyane? Ngoba bazathokoza, babone ilitshe lomthofu esandleni sikaZerubhabheli lalawo ayisikhombisa; angamehlo eNkosi, agijima aye le lale emhlabeni wonke.
No one [RHQ] should think that little things that are done at the beginning of a big project are unimportant. [When the temple is almost finished being rebuilt, ] Zerubbabel will use a (plumb line/string with a stone fastened to it) [to see if the walls they are building are straight]; so when the people see that, they will rejoice.”
11 Ngasengiphendula ngathi kuyo: Ziyini lezizihlahla zomhlwathi ezimbili ngakwesokunene soluthi lwesibane langakwesokhohlo kwalo?
Then I asked the angel, “What is [the meaning of] the two olive trees, one on each side of the lampstand?
12 Ngasengiphendula ngokwesibili, ngathi kuyo: Ziyini lezizingatsha ezimbili zezihlahla zomhlwathi ezithi ngempompi ezimbili zegolide zithulule igolide liphume kizo?
And what [the meaning of] the two olive branches, one alongside each of the gold pipes from which [olive] oil flows to the lamps?”
13 Yasikhuluma lami isithi: Kawazi yini ukuthi lezi ziyini? Ngathi: Hatshi, nkosi yami.
He replied, “Surely [RHQ] you know what they are?” I replied, “No, sir, [I do not know.]”
14 Yasisithi: Laba bangabagcotshiweyo ababili abema ngaseNkosini yomhlaba wonke.
So he said, “They represent the two [men who have been] appointed [MTY] to serve the Lord who [rules] the entire earth.”
