UZekhariya 8
1 Laselifika ilizwi leNkosi yamabandla lisithi:
And the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying:
2 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Ngilobukhwele ngeZiyoni ngobukhwele obukhulu, yebo, ngilobukhwele ngayo ngokuvutha okukhulu.
Thus says the Lord of hosts: I have been zealous for Zion with a great zeal, and with a great indignation have I been zealous for her.
3 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngibuyele eZiyoni, njalo ngizahlala phakathi kweJerusalema; njalo iJerusalema izakuthiwa ngumuzi weqiniso, lentaba yeNkosi yamabandla, intaba engcwele.
Thus says the Lord of hosts: I have been turned back towards Zion, and I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And Jerusalem will be called: “The City of Truth,” and “The Mountain of the Lord of Hosts, the Sanctified Mountain.”
4 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Kusezakuhlala amaxhegu lezalukazi ezitaladeni zeJerusalema, ngulowo lalowo elodondolo esandleni sakhe ngenxa yobunengi bezinsuku.
Thus says the Lord of hosts: Then elderly men and elderly women will dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man will be with his walking stick in his hand, because of the multitude of days.
5 Lezitalada zomuzi zizagcwala abafana lamankazana bedlala ezitaladeni zawo.
And the streets of the city will be filled with toddlers and children, playing in its streets.
6 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Uba kumangalisa emehlweni ensali yalababantu ngalezozinsuku, kungamangalisa lemehlweni ami yini? itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it seems difficult in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, could it indeed be difficult in my eyes, says the Lord of hosts?
7 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Khangela, ngizasindisa abantu bami elizweni lempumalanga, lelizweni lokutshona kwelanga;
Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the land of the East, and from the land of the setting of the sun.
8 ngibalethe, bahlale phakathi kweJerusalema; njalo bazakuba ngabantu bami, lami ngibe nguNkulunkulu wabo, ngeqiniso langokulunga.
And I will lead them, and they will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in justice.
9 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Izandla zenu kaziqine, lina elizwayo ngalezinsuku amazwi la ngomlomo wabaprofethi, ababekhona mhla isisekelo sendlu yeNkosi yamabandla sibekwa, ukuze ithempeli lakhiwe.
Thus says the Lord of hosts: Let your hands be strengthened, you who, in those days, are listening to these words by the mouth of the prophets, in the day that the house of the Lord of hosts has been founded, so that the temple may be built.
10 Ngoba ngaphambi kwalezonsuku kwakungelaholo lomuntu, kwakungekho iholo lenyamazana; futhi kungekho ukuthula kulowo owayephuma kumbe owayengena ngenxa yenhlupheko; ngoba ngathuma wonke umuntu ngulowo emelene lomakhelwane wakhe.
Indeed, before those days, there was no pay for men, nor was there pay for beasts of burden, and neither was there peace for those entering, nor for those exiting, because of the tribulation. And I had dismissed all men, each one against his neighbor.
11 Kodwa khathesi kangiyikuba kunsali yalababantu njengensukwini zakuqala, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
But now, I will not act towards the remnant of this people according to the former days, says the Lord of hosts.
12 Ngoba inhlanyelo izaphumelela, ivini lithele izithelo zalo, lomhlabathi uphe isivuno sawo, lamazulu aphe amazolo awo; njalo ngizakwenza insali yalababantu ukuthi idle ilifa lazo zonke lezizinto.
But there will be a seed of peace: the vine will give her fruit, and the earth will give her seedlings, and the heavens will give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.
13 Kuzakuthi-ke njengoba laliyisiqalekiso phakathi kwabezizwe, wena ndlu kaJuda, lawe ndlu kaIsrayeli, ngokunjalo ngizalisindisa, libe yisibusiso. Lingesabi, izandla zenu kaziqine.
And this shall be: just as you were a curse among the Gentiles, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid. Let your hands be strengthened.
14 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Njengoba nganginakane ukwenza okubi kini, lapho oyihlo bengithukuthelisa, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, njalo kangizisolanga;
For thus says the Lord of hosts: Just as I intended to afflict you, when your fathers had provoked me to wrath, says the Lord,
15 ngokunjalo ngibuye ngacabanga kulezinsuku ukwenza okuhle kuyo iJerusalema lakuyo indlu kaJuda; lingesabi.
and I did not show mercy, so have I turned back, thinking in these days to do good to the house of Judah and to Jerusalem. Do not be afraid.
16 Lezi yizinto elizazenza: Khulumani iqiniso, ngulowo lalowo kumakhelwane wakhe; yehlulelani iqiniso lesahlulelo sokuthula emasangweni enu.
Therefore, these are the words that you shall do: Speak the truth, each one to his neighbor. With truth and a judgment of peace, judge at your gates.
17 Lingacabangi ububi enhliziyweni yenu ngulowo lalowo emelene lomakhelwane; lingathandi isifungo samanga; ngoba zonke lezizinto yilezo engizizondayo, itsho iNkosi.
And let not anyone think up evil against his friend in your hearts. And do not choose to swear falsely. For all these are things that I hate, says the Lord.
18 Ilizwi leNkosi yamabandla laselifika kimi, lisithi:
And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying:
19 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Ukuzila ukudla kwenyanga yesine, lokuzila ukudla kweyesihlanu, lokuzila ukudla kweyesikhombisa, lokuzila ukudla kweyetshumi, kuzakuba yintokozo, lokuthaba, lezikhathi ezimisiweyo zezinjabulo kuyo indlu yakoJuda. Ngakho thandani iqiniso lokuthula.
Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth will be for the house of Judah in joy and gladness and with bright solemnities. So then, love truth and peace.
20 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Kusezakwenzeka ukuthi kufike abantu labahlali bemizi eminengi.
Thus says the Lord of hosts, then the people may arrive and dwell in many cities,
21 Labahlali bomunye umuzi bazakuya komunye, besithi: Kasihambeni ngokuphangisa ukuyancenga phambi kweNkosi, lokudinga iNkosi yamabandla; lami ngizahamba.
and the inhabitants may hurry, one saying to another: “Let us go and entreat the face of the Lord, and let us seek the Lord of hosts. I will go also.”
22 Yebo, kuzakuza abantu abanengi lezizwe ezilamandla ukuzadinga iNkosi yamabandla eJerusalema, lokuncenga phambi kweNkosi.
And many peoples and strong nations will approach, seeking the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the face of the Lord.
23 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Ngalezonsuku kuzakuthi abambe amadoda alitshumi ezindimini zonke zezizwe, yebo abambe umphetho wesembatho somuntu ongumJuda, athi: Sizahamba lani; ngoba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulani.
Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days, then, ten men from every language of the Gentiles will grasp and cling to the hem of one man of Judea, saying: “We will go with you. For we have heard that God is with you.”
