UZekhariya 7
1 Kwasekusithi ngomnyaka wesine kaDariyusi inkosi, ilizwi leNkosi lafika kuZekhariya ngolwesine lwenyanga yesificamunwemunye, kuKisilevi.
When King Darius had been ruler for four years, on the fourth day of Kislev (which was the ninth month), the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah.
2 Sebethume endlini kaNkulunkulu oSharezeri loRegem-Meleki lamadoda akhe, ukuyacela ubuso beNkosi,
The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek and their men to beg before the face of Yahweh.
3 ukukhuluma kubapristi ababesendlini yeNkosi yamabandla, lakubaprofethi, besithi: Ngikhale inyembezi yini ngenyanga yesihlanu, ngokuzehlukanisa, njengoba ngenzile okweminyaka le engaka?
They spoke to the priests who were at the house of Yahweh of hosts and to the prophets; they said, “Should I mourn in the fifth month by means of a fast, as I have done these many years?”
4 Laselifika kimi ilizwi leNkosi yamabandla, lisithi:
So the word of Yahweh 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 and say, 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month for these seventy years, were you truly fasting for me?
6 Lalapho lisidla, lalapho linatha, bekungayisini yini elidlayo, lina-ke elinathayo?
When you ate and drank, did you not eat and drink for yourselves?
7 Kakusiwo amazwi iNkosi eyawamemeza ngesandla sabaprofethi bokuqala yini, lapho iJerusalema yahlalwa iphumelela, lemizi yayo inhlangothi zonke zayo, lapho ihlalwa iningizimu legceke?
Were these not the same words that Yahweh proclaimed by the mouth of the former prophets, when you still inhabited Jerusalem and the surrounding cities in prosperity and were settled in the Negev, and the foothills to the west?'”
8 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kuZekhariya, lisithi:
The word of Yahweh came to Zechariah, saying,
9 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, isithi: Yahlulelani isahlulelo esiqotho, lenze umusa lezihawu, ngulowo lalowo kumfowabo.
“Yahweh of hosts says this, 'Judge with true justice, covenant faithfulness, and mercy. Let each man do this for his brother.
10 Lingacindezeli umfelokazi, lentandane, owemzini, lomyanga; linganakani okubi enhliziyweni yenu ngulowo emelene lomfowabo.
About the widow and orphan, the foreigner, and the poor person—do not oppress them, and let none of you plot any harm against another in your heart.'
11 Kodwa bala ukulalela, banika ihlombe elenkani, benza indlebe zabo zaba nzima, ukuze bangezwa.
But they refused to pay attention and set their shoulders stubbornly. They stopped up their ears so 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.
They made their hearts as hard as rock so they would not hear the law or the words of Yahweh of hosts. He had sent these messages to the people by his Spirit in earlier times, by the mouth of the prophets. But the people refused to listen, so Yahweh of hosts was very angry with them.
13 Ngakho sekwenzakele, njengoba yamemeza, kabaze bezwa; ngokunjalo bamemeza, kangaze ngezwa, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
It happened that when he called, they did not listen. In the same way,” said Yahweh of hosts, “they will call out to me, but I will not listen.
14 Kodwa ngabahlakaza ngesivunguzane phakathi kwezizwe zonke ababengazazi. Ngakho ilizwe lachithakala emva kwabo, ukuze kungabi khona odlulayo lophendukayo; ngoba benza ilizwe eliloyisekayo laba yincithakalo.
For I will scatter them with a whirlwind to all the nations that they have not seen, and the land will be desolate after them. For no one will pass through the land or return to it since the people have made their delightful land into a wasteland.”
