UZekhariya 8
1 Laselifika ilizwi leNkosi yamabandla lisithi:
Now this message of the Lord of hosts came to me:
2 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Ngilobukhwele ngeZiyoni ngobukhwele obukhulu, yebo, ngilobukhwele ngayo ngokuvutha okukhulu.
The Lord of hosts says: I passionately care for Zion, and I am fiercely protective of her.
3 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngibuyele eZiyoni, njalo ngizahlala phakathi kweJerusalema; njalo iJerusalema izakuthiwa ngumuzi weqiniso, lentaba yeNkosi yamabandla, intaba engcwele.
The Lord says, I have returned to Zion, and 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 Holy Mountain.’
4 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Kusezakuhlala amaxhegu lezalukazi ezitaladeni zeJerusalema, ngulowo lalowo elodondolo esandleni sakhe ngenxa yobunengi bezinsuku.
The Lord of hosts says: Old men and old women will sit again in the squares of Jerusalem, each leaning on a staff because of old age.
5 Lezitalada zomuzi zizagcwala abafana lamankazana bedlala ezitaladeni zawo.
And the streets of the city will be full of boys, and of girls playing in its squares.
6 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Uba kumangalisa emehlweni ensali yalababantu ngalezozinsuku, kungamangalisa lemehlweni ami yini? itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
The Lord of hosts says: Just because it seems impossible to the remnant of this people in these days, is it also impossible for me? says the Lord of hosts.
7 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Khangela, ngizasindisa abantu bami elizweni lempumalanga, lelizweni lokutshona kwelanga;
The Lord of hosts says: I will rescue my people from the land of the east and the land of the west.
8 ngibalethe, bahlale phakathi kweJerusalema; njalo bazakuba ngabantu bami, lami ngibe nguNkulunkulu wabo, ngeqiniso langokulunga.
I will bring them and they will live in Jerusalem, and they will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and 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.
The Lord of hosts says: Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days the words of the prophets spoken when the foundations for the house of the Lord of hosts were laid.
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 were no wages for people or animals. No one could go out or return safe from enemies, because I set each against their neighbor.
11 Kodwa khathesi kangiyikuba kunsali yalababantu njengensukwini zakuqala, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
But now I will treat the remnant of the people differently from 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.
Peace will be sown. The vine will bear its fruit and the ground will yield its produce, and the skies will give their dew. I will give the remnant of this people all these things.
13 Kuzakuthi-ke njengoba laliyisiqalekiso phakathi kwabezizwe, wena ndlu kaJuda, lawe ndlu kaIsrayeli, ngokunjalo ngizalisindisa, libe yisibusiso. Lingesabi, izandla zenu kaziqine.
Just as you were accursed among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but 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 the Lord of hosts says: As I planned to do evil to you when your ancestors provoked me to anger, says the Lord of hosts, and I did not relent,
15 ngokunjalo ngibuye ngacabanga kulezinsuku ukwenza okuhle kuyo iJerusalema lakuyo indlu kaJuda; lingesabi.
so again have I planned 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 should do: Speak the truth to each other. Render peaceful decisions in your gates.
17 Lingacabangi ububi enhliziyweni yenu ngulowo lalowo emelene lomakhelwane; lingathandi isifungo samanga; ngoba zonke lezizinto yilezo engizizondayo, itsho iNkosi.
Let none of you devise evil in your heart against one another. Do not love perjury. All these are things I hate, says the Lord.
18 Ilizwi leNkosi yamabandla laselifika kimi, lisithi:
And this message 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.
The Lord of hosts says: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, will be festivals of joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.
20 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Kusezakwenzeka ukuthi kufike abantu labahlali bemizi eminengi.
The Lord of hosts says: Peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities will come,
21 Labahlali bomunye umuzi bazakuya komunye, besithi: Kasihambeni ngokuphangisa ukuyancenga phambi kweNkosi, lokudinga iNkosi yamabandla; lami ngizahamba.
and the inhabitants of one city will 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.
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.
The Lord of hosts says: In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, “We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”
