UZekhariya 7
1 Kwasekusithi ngomnyaka wesine kaDariyusi inkosi, ilizwi leNkosi lafika kuZekhariya ngolwesine lwenyanga yesificamunwemunye, kuKisilevi.
Ngomnyaka wesine wenkosi uDariyu, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuZakhariya ngelanga lesine lenyanga yesificamunye, inyanga ethiwa nguKhisilevu.
2 Sebethume endlini kaNkulunkulu oSharezeri loRegem-Meleki lamadoda akhe, ukuyacela ubuso beNkosi,
Abantu baseBhetheli babethume uShareza loRegemi-Meleki, kanye lamadoda asuka kubo ukuyancenga uThixo uSomandla
3 ukukhuluma kubapristi ababesendlini yeNkosi yamabandla, lakubaprofethi, besithi: Ngikhale inyembezi yini ngenyanga yesihlanu, ngokuzehlukanisa, njengoba ngenzile okweminyaka le engaka?
ngokucela abaphristi bendlu kaThixo uSomandla labaphrofethi ukuthi, “Ngilile yini njalo ngizile ukudla ngenyanga yesihlanu njengalokhu engihlala ngikwenza okweminyaka eminengi na?”
4 Laselifika kimi ilizwi leNkosi yamabandla, lisithi:
Laselifika ilizwi likaThixo uSomandla kimi lisithi:
5 Khuluma ebantwini bonke belizwe, lakubapristi, usithi: Lapho lazila ukudla lalila ngenyanga yesihlanu leyesikhombisa, ngitsho leyominyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa, lazila lokuzila kimi, ngitsho kimi yini?
“Buza bonke abantu belizwe kanye labaphristi uthi, ‘Lapho lalizila ukudla lilila ngenyanga yesihlanu leyesikhombisa okweminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa esidlule kambe lalizilela mina ngeqiniso na?
6 Lalapho lisidla, lalapho linatha, bekungayisini yini elidlayo, lina-ke elinathayo?
Njalo nxa lalisidla, linatha, angithi lalizikholisela lina na?
7 Kakusiwo amazwi iNkosi eyawamemeza ngesandla sabaprofethi bokuqala yini, lapho iJerusalema yahlalwa iphumelela, lemizi yayo inhlangothi zonke zayo, lapho ihlalwa iningizimu legceke?
Kawasiwo yini la amazwi amenyezelwa nguThixo ngabaphrofethi bamandulo lapho iJerusalema lamadolobho aseduzane ayelokuthula ephumelela, leNegebi kanye lamaqaqa asentshonalanga kwakhiwe kuhle na?’”
8 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kuZekhariya, lisithi:
Laphinde lafika njalo ilizwi likaThixo kuZakhariya lathi:
9 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, isithi: Yahlulelani isahlulelo esiqotho, lenze umusa lezihawu, ngulowo lalowo kumfowabo.
“Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Yahlulelani ngobuqotho; litshengise isihawu lozwelo omunye komunye.
10 Lingacindezeli umfelokazi, lentandane, owemzini, lomyanga; linganakani okubi enhliziyweni yenu ngulowo emelene lomfowabo.
Lingamcindezeli umfelokazi noma intandane, lowezizweni noma umyanga. Lingakhumbulelani okubi ezinhliziyweni zenu.’
11 Kodwa bala ukulalela, banika ihlombe elenkani, benza indlebe zabo zaba nzima, ukuze bangezwa.
Kodwa bala ukulalela; baqholoza bafulathela njalo bagcika indlebe zabo.
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.
Benza inhliziyo zabo zaba lukhuni njengelitshe kabaze balalela umlayo loba amazwi kaThixo uSomandla ayewathumile ngoMoya ngabaphrofethi bamandulo. Yikho uThixo uSomandla wathukuthela kabuhlungu.
13 Ngakho sekwenzakele, njengoba yamemeza, kabaze bezwa; ngokunjalo bamemeza, kangaze ngezwa, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
‘Ngababiza, kodwa kabalalelanga; yikho labo sebememeza kangibalalelanga,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
14 Kodwa ngabahlakaza ngesivunguzane phakathi kwezizwe zonke ababengazazi. Ngakho ilizwe lachithakala emva kwabo, ukuze kungabi khona odlulayo lophendukayo; ngoba benza ilizwe eliloyisekayo laba yincithakalo.
‘Ngabachithachitha ngesivunguzane baya ezizweni zonke lapho ababa yizihambi khona. Ilizwe lasala selilihlane nje kungasahlaleki kulo futhi kungasedluleki khona. Balenza lajujuka kanjalo ilizwe elihle laba yinkangala.’”
