Zakkaariyaas 7
1 Bara Daariyoos Mootichaa keessa waggaa afuraffaatti, bultii afuraffaa jiʼa saglaffaa, jiʼa Kaaseluu jedhamu keessa dubbiin Waaqayyoo gara Zakkaariyaas dhufe.
When Darius had been the emperor for almost four years, on December 7, Yahweh gave me [another] message.
2 Namoonni Beetʼeel akka isaan Waaqayyoon kadhataniif Sharezerii fi Reege-Meleekin namoota isaanii wajjin ergan;
The people of Bethel [city] sent two men, Sharezer and Regem-Melech, along with some other men, [to the temple of Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels, ] to request that Yahweh bless them.
3 kunis akka isaan, “Ani akkuman waggoota hedduu godhe sana ammas jiʼa shanaffaa keessa gaddee soomuu qabaa?” jedhanii luboota mana qulqullummaa Waaqayyo Waan Hunda Dandaʼuutii fi raajota gaafataniif.
They also asked the priests at Yahweh’s temple and the prophets [this question]: “For many years, during the fifth month [and during the seventh month of each year], we have mourned and (fasted/abstained from eating food). Should we [continue to do that]?”
4 Dubbiin Waaqayyo Waan Hunda Dandaʼuu akkana jedhee gara koo dhufe;
Then the Commander of the armies of angels gave me a message.
5 “Uummata biyya kanaatii fi luboota hunda akkana jedhii gaafadhu; ‘Isin waggoota torbaataman darban yeroo jiʼa shanaffaa fi torbaffaa keessa soomtanii gadditanitti dhugumaan anaaf soomtanii?
[He said], “Tell [RHQ] the priests and all the [other] people of Judah that during the past 70 years, when they mourned and fasted during the fifth and seventh months [of each year], it was not really [RHQ] me, [Yahweh], whom they were [honoring].
6 Yeroo nyaattanii fi dhugdanittis ofuma keessaniif nyaattanii dhugdan mitii?
And when they ate and drank, it was really [RHQ] to [benefit] themselves.
7 Dubbiin kun isa Waaqayyo gaafa Yerusaalemii fi magaalaawwan naannoo ishee nagaa fi badhaadhummaadhaan jiraatanitti, yeroo Negeebii fi gaarran lixaa bira namoonni jiraachaa turanitti karaa raajota isaa kanneen duriitiin dubbate mitii?’”
That is certainly [RHQ] what I continually told the former prophets to proclaim [to the people], when Jerusalem and the nearby towns were prosperous and filled with people, and people [also] lived in the desert area to the south and in the foothills [to the west].”
8 Dubbiin Waaqayyoo ammas akkana jedhee gara Zakkaariyaas dhufe:
Yahweh gave another message to me, saying
9 “Waaqayyo Waan Hunda Dandaʼu akkana jedha: ‘Murtii qajeelaadhaan bulchaa; waliif araaramaa; garaas walii laafaa.
“[Tell the people that] this is what the Commander of the armies of angels says: ‘Do what is just/right, and act kindly and mercifully toward each other.
10 Isin haadha hiyyeessaa yookaan ijoollee abbaa hin qabne yookaan alagaa yookaan hiyyeeyyii hin hacuucinaa. Garaa keessanitti hammina walitti hin yaadinaa.’
Do not (oppress/treat cruelly) widows or orphans or foreigners or poor people. Do not even think about doing evil to anyone else.’”
11 “Isaan garuu dhagaʼuu didan; mataa jabinaanis dugda isaanii itti gatanii gurra isaanii cuqqaallatan.
But the people refused to pay attention [to what Yahweh said]. They turned their backs [to him], and put their hands over their ears in order to not hear [what he said].
12 Isaan garaa isaanii akkuma dhagaa jabeeffatanii seera yookaan dubbii Waaqayyo Waan Hunda Dandaʼu karaa raajota isaa kanneen duriitiin Hafuura isaatiin erge dhaggeeffachuu didan. Kanaafuu Waaqayyo Waan Hunda Dandaʼu akka malee aare.
They were very stubborn [IDM], and they would not listen to the laws [that God gave to Moses] or the messages that the Commander of the armies of angels told his Spirit to give to the prophets who were now dead. So the Commander of the armies of angels was very angry.
13 “‘Yeroo ani waametti, isaan na hin dhaggeeffanne; kanaafuu yoo isaan na waammatan ani isaan hin dhaggeeffadhu’ jedha Waaqayyo Waan Hunda Dandaʼu.
The Commander of the armies of angels says, “When I called/spoke [to the people], they would not listen. So when they called/prayed [to me], I did not listen.
14 ‘Ani bubbeedhaan saba isaan hin beekne hunda gidduutti isaan nan bittinneesse. Biyyi isaanii hamma namni itti galuu fi keessaan darbu tokko iyyuu dhabamutti isaan booddee ni onte. Isaan akkasiin biyya namatti toltu sana onsan.’”
And I caused them to be scattered among many nations, where they were strangers. [It was as though] [MET] a whirlwind [picked them up and carried them away from their country]. The country/land that they [were forced to] leave was ruined, with the result that no one could [live there or even] travel through it. [It was previously] a delightful land, but they caused it to become (desolate/like a desert).”
