UZekhariya 8
1 Laselifika ilizwi leNkosi yamabandla lisithi:
And the word of Jehovah of hosts came to me, saying,
2 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Ngilobukhwele ngeZiyoni ngobukhwele obukhulu, yebo, ngilobukhwele ngayo ngokuvutha okukhulu.
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I have been jealous for Zion with great jealousy, And with great wrath have I been jealous for her.
3 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngibuyele eZiyoni, njalo ngizahlala phakathi kweJerusalema; njalo iJerusalema izakuthiwa ngumuzi weqiniso, lentaba yeNkosi yamabandla, intaba engcwele.
Thus saith Jehovah: I have returned to Zion, And I will dwell in Jerusalem; And Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth, And the mountain of Jehovah of hosts the holy mountain.
4 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Kusezakuhlala amaxhegu lezalukazi ezitaladeni zeJerusalema, ngulowo lalowo elodondolo esandleni sakhe ngenxa yobunengi bezinsuku.
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: There shall yet old men and old women dwell In the streets of Jerusalem, Every one with his staff in his hand for great age.
5 Lezitalada zomuzi zizagcwala abafana lamankazana bedlala ezitaladeni zawo.
And the streets of the city shall be full Of boys and girls playing in her streets.
6 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Uba kumangalisa emehlweni ensali yalababantu ngalezozinsuku, kungamangalisa lemehlweni ami yini? itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: If it be difficult in the eyes Of the residue of this people in these days, Is it therefore difficult in my eyes, Saith Jehovah of hosts?
7 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Khangela, ngizasindisa abantu bami elizweni lempumalanga, lelizweni lokutshona kwelanga;
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Behold, I will save my people From the land of the rising, and from the land of the setting sun.
8 ngibalethe, bahlale phakathi kweJerusalema; njalo bazakuba ngabantu bami, lami ngibe nguNkulunkulu wabo, ngeqiniso langokulunga.
And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in Jerusalem; And they shall 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 saith Jehovah of hosts: Let your hands be strong, Ye that hear in these days These words by the mouth of the prophets, Who were in the day when the foundation of the house of Jehovah of hosts was laid, 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 these days There was no recompense for men, Nor was there any recompense for beasts; Nor to him that went out, nor to him that came in, was there security from the enemy; For I set all men one against another.
11 Kodwa khathesi kangiyikuba kunsali yalababantu njengensukwini zakuqala, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
But now I will not be as in former days Toward the residue of this people, Saith Jehovah 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 shall be prosperous; The vine shall yield its fruit, And the earth shall yield her increase, And the heavens shall yield their dew; And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these.
13 Kuzakuthi-ke njengoba laliyisiqalekiso phakathi kwabezizwe, wena ndlu kaJuda, lawe ndlu kaIsrayeli, ngokunjalo ngizalisindisa, libe yisibusiso. Lingesabi, izandla zenu kaziqine.
And it shall be, that as ye were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, So will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing. Fear not; 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 saith Jehovah of hosts: As I thought to do you evil, When your fathers provoked me to anger, Saith Jehovah of hosts, And I repented not,
15 ngokunjalo ngibuye ngacabanga kulezinsuku ukwenza okuhle kuyo iJerusalema lakuyo indlu kaJuda; lingesabi.
So have I again thought in these days To do good to Jerusalem, And to the house of Judah. Fear ye not!
16 Lezi yizinto elizazenza: Khulumani iqiniso, ngulowo lalowo kumakhelwane wakhe; yehlulelani iqiniso lesahlulelo sokuthula emasangweni enu.
These are the things which ye shall do: Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbor; Judge according to truth, and for peace in your gates;
17 Lingacabangi ububi enhliziyweni yenu ngulowo lalowo emelene lomakhelwane; lingathandi isifungo samanga; ngoba zonke lezizinto yilezo engizizondayo, itsho iNkosi.
And meditate not evil against one another in your hearts, And love not a false oath! For all these are things which I hate, saith Jehovah.
18 Ilizwi leNkosi yamabandla laselifika kimi, lisithi:
And the word of Jehovah 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 saith Jehovah of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth month, And the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month, Shall be to the house of Judah for joy and gladness, And cheerful festivals. But love ye truth and peace!
20 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Kusezakwenzeka ukuthi kufike abantu labahlali bemizi eminengi.
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: It shall yet come to pass, that many nations shall come, And the inhabitants of many cities;
21 Labahlali bomunye umuzi bazakuya komunye, besithi: Kasihambeni ngokuphangisa ukuyancenga phambi kweNkosi, lokudinga iNkosi yamabandla; lami ngizahamba.
And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, “Let us go speedily to pray before Jehovah, And to seek Jehovah of hosts! I will go also!”
22 Yebo, kuzakuza abantu abanengi lezizwe ezilamandla ukuzadinga iNkosi yamabandla eJerusalema, lokuncenga phambi kweNkosi.
Then shall come many nations and mighty kingdoms, To seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem, And to pray before Jehovah.
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 saith Jehovah of hosts: In those days shall ten men of all languages of the nations take hold, They shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, Saying, “We will go with you, For we have heard that God is with you.”
