UZekhariya 8
1 Laselifika ilizwi leNkosi yamabandla lisithi:
The word of the LORD of hosts came to me.
2 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Ngilobukhwele ngeZiyoni ngobukhwele obukhulu, yebo, ngilobukhwele ngayo ngokuvutha okukhulu.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: "I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath."
3 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngibuyele eZiyoni, njalo ngizahlala phakathi kweJerusalema; njalo iJerusalema izakuthiwa ngumuzi weqiniso, lentaba yeNkosi yamabandla, intaba engcwele.
Thus says the LORD: "I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called 'The City of Truth;' and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, 'The Holy 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: "Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for very age.
5 Lezitalada zomuzi zizagcwala abafana lamankazana bedlala ezitaladeni zawo.
The streets of the city will be full of boys and girls 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 is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous 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: "Look, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;
8 ngibalethe, bahlale phakathi kweJerusalema; njalo bazakuba ngabantu bami, lami ngibe nguNkulunkulu wabo, ngeqiniso langokulunga.
and I will bring 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 righteousness."
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 strong, you who hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, even the temple, that it might 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.
For before those days there was no wages for man, nor any wages for an animal; neither was there any peace to him who went out or came in, because of the adversary. For I set all men everyone against his neighbor.
11 Kodwa khathesi kangiyikuba kunsali yalababantu njengensukwini zakuqala, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
But now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in 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.
"For the seed of peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.
13 Kuzakuthi-ke njengoba laliyisiqalekiso phakathi kwabezizwe, wena ndlu kaJuda, lawe ndlu kaIsrayeli, ngokunjalo ngizalisindisa, libe yisibusiso. Lingesabi, izandla zenu kaziqine.
It shall come to pass that, as you were a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Do not be afraid. Let your hands be strong."
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: "As I thought to do evil to you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath," says the LORD of hosts, "and I did not repent;
15 ngokunjalo ngibuye ngacabanga kulezinsuku ukwenza okuhle kuyo iJerusalema lakuyo indlu kaJuda; lingesabi.
so again have I thought in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not be afraid.
16 Lezi yizinto elizazenza: Khulumani iqiniso, ngulowo lalowo kumakhelwane wakhe; yehlulelani iqiniso lesahlulelo sokuthula emasangweni enu.
These are the things that you shall do: speak every man the truth with his neighbor. Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates,
17 Lingacabangi ububi enhliziyweni yenu ngulowo lalowo emelene lomakhelwane; lingathandi isifungo samanga; ngoba zonke lezizinto yilezo engizizondayo, itsho iNkosi.
and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbor, and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate," says the LORD.
18 Ilizwi leNkosi yamabandla laselifika kimi, lisithi:
The word of the LORD of hosts came to me.
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 fasts of the fourth fifth, seventh, and tenth months shall be for the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace."
20 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Kusezakwenzeka ukuthi kufike abantu labahlali bemizi eminengi.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come;
21 Labahlali bomunye umuzi bazakuya komunye, besithi: Kasihambeni ngokuphangisa ukuyancenga phambi kweNkosi, lokudinga iNkosi yamabandla; lami ngizahamba.
and the inhabitants of one shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go speedily to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts. I will go also.'
22 Yebo, kuzakuza abantu abanengi lezizwe ezilamandla ukuzadinga iNkosi yamabandla eJerusalema, lokuncenga phambi kweNkosi.
Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor 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, ten men will take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, they will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, 'We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"
