UZekhariya 1
1 Ngenyanga yesificaminwembili, ngomnyaka wesibili kaDariyusi, kwafika ilizwi leNkosi kuZekhariya, indodana kaBerekiya, indodana kaIdo umprofethi, lisithi:
The Lord sent a message to Zechariah the prophet, son of Berekiah, son of Iddo, in the eighth month of the second year of king Darius' reign, saying:
2 INkosi yabathukuthelela oyihlo ngentukuthelo.
The Lord was very angry with your forefathers.
3 Ngakho wothi kubo: Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Phendukelani kimi, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, lami ngizaphendukela kini, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
So tell the people this: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty.
4 Lingabi njengaboyihlo, abaprofethi bakuqala abamemeza kubo, besithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Ake liphenduke ezindleleni zenu ezimbi lezenzweni zenu ezimbi; kodwa kabezwanga, kabangilalelanga, itsho iNkosi.
You must not be like your forefathers. They were told by previous prophets: Give up your evil ways, and the evil things you do. But they would not listen or pay any attention to me, says the Lord.
5 Oyihlo, bangaphi? Labaprofethi, baphila laphakade yini?
Where are your forefathers now? And the prophets, did they live forever?
6 Kodwa amazwi ami lezimiso zami, engakulaya izinceku zami abaprofethi, kakubaficanga oyihlo yini? Basebephenduka bathi: Njengalokhu iNkosi yamabandla yayinakana ukukukwenza kithi, njengokwezindlela zethu lanjengokwezenzo zethu, ngokunjalo yenze kithi.
But didn't all my instructions and warnings that I ordered my servants the prophets to communicate, didn't all that I said happen to your forefathers? So they repented and said, “What the Lord Almighty planned to do to us was what we deserved because of our ways and our actions. He did what he said he would.”
7 Ngosuku lwamatshumi amabili lane lwenyanga yetshumi lanye, okuyinyanga uShebati, ngomnyaka wesibili kaDariyusi, lafika ilizwi leNkosi kuZekhariya, indodana kaBerekiya, indodana kaIdo umprofethi, lisithi:
The Lord sent a message to Zechariah the prophet, son of Berekiah, son of Iddo, on the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (the month of Shebat) of the second year of king Darius' reign:
8 Ngabona ebusuku, khangela-ke umuntu owayegade ibhiza elibomvu, njalo wayemi phakathi kwezihlahla zamamiteli eziseliweni, lemva kwakhe kwakulamabhiza abomvu, alibhidi, lamhlophe.
During the night I saw a man sitting on a red horse that stood among some myrtle trees in a narrow valley. Behind him were red, brown, and white horses with their riders.
9 Ngasengisithi: Bayini laba, nkosi yami? Ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami yasisithi kimi: Mina ngizakutshengisa ukuthi laba bayini.
I asked him, “My lord, what are these?” The angel I was talking to replied, “I will show you.”
10 Umuntu owayemi phakathi kwezihlahla zamamiteli wasephendula wathi: Laba yibo iNkosi ebathumileyo ukuhamba besiya le lale emhlabeni.
The man who was there among the myrtle trees said, “These are the ones the Lord has sent out to patrol the earth.”
11 Basebephendula ingilosi yeNkosi eyayimi phakathi kwezihlahla zamamiteli, bathi: Sihambile, saya le lale emhlabeni, khangela-ke, wonke umhlaba uhlezi uthule.
The riders reported to the angel of the Lord who was among the myrtle trees, “We have been patrolling the earth and saw that the whole earth has been pacified.”
12 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasiphendula yathi: Nkosi yamabandla, koze kube nini wena ungabi lesihawu phezu kweJerusalema laphezu kwemizi yakoJuda, osuyithukuthelele okweminyaka le engamatshumi ayisikhombisa?
Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord Almighty, how long will it be before you have mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah which you have been angry with for the past seventy years?”
13 INkosi yasiphendula ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami ngamazwi amahle, amazwi aduduzayo.
So the Lord replied to the angel I was talking to with kind and comforting words.
14 Ngakho ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami yathi kimi: Memeza, usithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Ngilobukhwele ngeJerusalema langeZiyoni ngobukhwele obukhulu.
Then the angel I was talking with told me, This is what you are to announce. The Lord Almighty says this: I am jealously protective of Jerusalem and Mount Zion,
15 Njalo ngiyathukuthela ngentukuthelo enkulu ngezizwe ezonwabileyo; ngoba mina ngizondile kancinyane, kodwa zona zancedisa ngasebubini.
and I am extremely angry with the arrogant nations who think they are secure. I was only a little angry with my people, but they made the punishment far worse.
16 Ngalokho, itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngibuyele eJerusalema ngilezihawu; indlu yami izakwakhiwa kuyo, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, lentambo yokulinganisa izakwelulwa phezu kweJerusalema.
Therefore this is what the Lord says: I have returned to be merciful to Jerusalem. My Temple shall be rebuilt there, as well as the city, declares the Lord Almighty.
17 Phinda umemeze, usithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Imizi yami isezasatshalaliswa ngokuhle; njalo iNkosi isezaduduza iZiyoni, isezayikhetha iJerusalema.
Announce this as well, says the Lord Almighty: Prosperity will flood out of my cities. I the Lord will comfort Zion, and Jerusalem will be my chosen city.
18 Ngasengiphakamisa amehlo ami, ngabona, khangela-ke, impondo ezine.
Then I looked and saw four animal horns.
19 Ngasengisithi kuyo ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami: Kuyini lokhu? Yasisithi kimi: Lezi zimpondo ezihlakaze uJuda, uIsrayeli, leJerusalema.
“What are these?” I asked the angel I was talking to. “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem,” he replied.
20 INkosi yasingitshengisa ingcitshi ezine.
Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen.
21 Ngasengisithi: Lezi zizekwenzani? Yasikhuluma isithi: Lezi zimpondo ezihlakaze uJuda, kwaze kwangabi lomuntu ophakamisa ikhanda lakhe; kodwa lezi zize ukuzethusa, ukulahla izimpondo zabezizwe, ezaphakamisa uphondo lumelene lelizwe lakoJuda ukulihlakaza.
“What are these men coming to do?” I asked. The angel replied, “The four horns—these nations—scattered Judah, humbling the people so that they could not lift up their heads. These craftsmen have to come to terrify these nations, and to destroy them—those who used their power against the land of Judah, scattering the people.”
