UZekhariya 7
1 Kwasekusithi ngomnyaka wesine kaDariyusi inkosi, ilizwi leNkosi lafika kuZekhariya ngolwesine lwenyanga yesificamunwemunye, kuKisilevi.
And it happened, in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Kislev.
2 Sebethume endlini kaNkulunkulu oSharezeri loRegem-Meleki lamadoda akhe, ukuyacela ubuso beNkosi,
And Sharezer and Regemmelech, and the men who were with them, sent to the house of God, to entreat the face of the Lord,
3 ukukhuluma kubapristi ababesendlini yeNkosi yamabandla, lakubaprofethi, besithi: Ngikhale inyembezi yini ngenyanga yesihlanu, ngokuzehlukanisa, njengoba ngenzile okweminyaka le engaka?
to speak to the priests of the house of the Lord of hosts and to the prophets, saying: “Must there be weeping with me in the fifth month, and must I sanctify myself, as I have now done for many years?”
4 Laselifika kimi ilizwi leNkosi yamabandla, lisithi:
And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying:
5 Khuluma ebantwini bonke belizwe, lakubapristi, usithi: Lapho lazila ukudla lalila ngenyanga yesihlanu leyesikhombisa, ngitsho leyominyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa, lazila lokuzila kimi, ngitsho kimi yini?
Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying: Although you may have fasted and mourned in the fifth and the seventh month for these seventy years, did you indeed keep a fast unto me?
6 Lalapho lisidla, lalapho linatha, bekungayisini yini elidlayo, lina-ke elinathayo?
And when you did eat and drink, did you not eat for yourselves, and drink only for yourselves?
7 Kakusiwo amazwi iNkosi eyawamemeza ngesandla sabaprofethi bokuqala yini, lapho iJerusalema yahlalwa iphumelela, lemizi yayo inhlangothi zonke zayo, lapho ihlalwa iningizimu legceke?
Are not these the words that the Lord has spoken by the hand of the former prophets, when Jerusalem was still inhabited, so that it would prosper, itself and the cities around it, and those inhabitants towards the South and in the plains?
8 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kuZekhariya, lisithi:
And the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying:
9 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, isithi: Yahlulelani isahlulelo esiqotho, lenze umusa lezihawu, ngulowo lalowo kumfowabo.
Thus says the Lord of hosts, saying: Judge with true judgment, and act with mercy and compassion, each and every one with his brother.
10 Lingacindezeli umfelokazi, lentandane, owemzini, lomyanga; linganakani okubi enhliziyweni yenu ngulowo emelene lomfowabo.
And do not find fault with the widow, and the orphan, and the newcomer, and the poor. And let not a man consider evil in his heart towards his brother.
11 Kodwa bala ukulalela, banika ihlombe elenkani, benza indlebe zabo zaba nzima, ukuze bangezwa.
But they were not willing to pay attention, and they turned aside their shoulder to depart, and they pressed upon their ears, so that they would not hear.
12 Yebo, benza inhliziyo yabo yaba njengelitshe elilukhuni, ukuze bangawuzwa umlayo, lamazwi iNkosi yamabandla eyayiwathumeze ngomoya wayo ngesandla sabaprofethi bokuqala. Ngakho kwaba khona intukuthelo enkulu ivela eNkosini yamabandla.
And they set their heart like the hardest stone, so that they would not hear the law and the words that the Lord of hosts has sent with his Spirit by the hand of the former prophets. And so a great indignation came from Lord of hosts.
13 Ngakho sekwenzakele, njengoba yamemeza, kabaze bezwa; ngokunjalo bamemeza, kangaze ngezwa, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
And it happened, just as he had spoken, and they did not pay attention. So then, they shall cry out, and I will not heed, says the Lord of hosts.
14 Kodwa ngabahlakaza ngesivunguzane phakathi kwezizwe zonke ababengazazi. Ngakho ilizwe lachithakala emva kwabo, ukuze kungabi khona odlulayo lophendukayo; ngoba benza ilizwe eliloyisekayo laba yincithakalo.
And I dispersed them throughout all the kingdoms that they did not know. And the land was left desolate behind them, so that no one was passing through or returning. And they made the desirable land into a deserted place.
