Zekaria 1
1 “Mumwedzi worusere wegore rechipiri raDhariasi, shoko raJehovha rakasvika kuna muprofita Zekaria mwanakomana waBherekia, mwanakomana waIdho richiti:
[I am] Zechariah, a prophet, the son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo. When Darius [had been the emperor of Persia] for almost two years, during November [of that year], Yahweh gave me this message:
2 “Jehovha akatsamwira madzibaba enyu zvikuru.
“I was very angry with your ancestors.
3 Naizvozvo udza vanhu kuti: Zvanzi naJehovha Wamasimba Ose: ‘Dzokerai kwandiri,’ ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha Wamasimba Ose, ‘neni ndichadzokera kwamuri,’ ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha Wamasimba Ose.
So tell this to the people: [I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, say, ‘Return to me, and [if you do that], I will [help] you again.
4 Musaita samadzibaba enyu, avo vakaudzwa navaprofita vokutanga kuti: Zvanzi naJehovha Wamasimba Ose, ‘Dzokai kubva panzira dzenyu dzakaipa nepazvakaipa zvamunoita.’ Asi havana kunzwa kana kuteerera kwandiri, ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
Do not be like your ancestors. [Other] prophets, who have now died, [continually] proclaimed to your ancestors that they should stop doing the evil things that they were continually doing. But they refused to pay attention to what I said.
5 Aripiko madzibaba enyu zvino? Uye vaprofita vacho, vanorarama zvandakarayira nokusingaperi here?
Your ancestors [have died and are now in their graves] [RHQ]. And the prophets did not [RHQ] live forever, [either].
6 Asi mashoko angu nemitemo yangu, zvandakarayira varanda vangu ivo vaprofita, hazvina kurarama kupfuura madzibaba enyu here? “Ipapo vakatendeuka ndokuti, ‘Jehovha Wamasimba Ose akatiitira zvakafanira mabasa edu nenzira dzedu, sezvaakafunga kuita.’”
But I punished [IDM] [the people for disobeying] the commands and the decrees which I commanded my servants the prophets [to tell to the people]. Then they (repented/turned away from their evil behavior) and said, ‘The Commander of the armies of angels has done to us what we deserved for our evil behavior, just like he said that he would do.’”
7 Pazuva ramakumi maviri namana romwedzi wegumi nomumwe, mwedzi weShebhati, mugore rechipiri raDhariasi, shoko raJehovha rakasvika kuna muprofita Zekaria mwanakomana waBherekia mwanakomana waIdho.
[Three months later], on February 15, Yahweh gave [another] message to me.
8 Panguva dzousiku ndakaona chiratidzo, hapo pamberi pangu paiva nomurume akanga akatasva bhiza dzvuku! Akanga akamira pakati pemiti yaiva mumupata. Shure kwake kwaiva namabhiza matsvuku, mashava uye namachena.
During the night [I had a vision. In the vision] I saw an [angel] who was on a red horse. He was in a narrow valley among some myrtle trees. Behind him were [angels on] red, brown, and white horses.
9 Ipapo ndakati, “Izvi zviiko, ishe wangu?” Mutumwa akanga achitaura neni akapindura akati, “Ndichakuratidza kuti zvii.”
I asked the angel who had been talking to me, “Sir, who are those [angels on the horses]?” He replied, “I will show you who they are.”
10 Ipapo murume akanga amire pakati pemiti yemitire akatsanangura achiti, “Ava ndivo vakatumwa naJehovha kuti vaende munyika yose.”
Then the [angel] who had been under the myrtle trees explained. [He said, ] “They are the [angels] whom Yahweh sent [to (patrol/see what is happening in)] the [entire] world.”
11 Uye vakapindura mutumwa waJehovha akanga akamira pakati pemiti yemitire vachiti, “Taenda munyika yose tikaona nyika yose yakazorora uye ino runyararo.”
Then those angels reported to the angel who was [there] among the myrtle trees, “We have traveled throughout the world, and we have found out that [the army of the emperor of Persia has conquered nations] throughout the world, [and that] those nations are now (helpless/unable to resist his army).”
12 Ipapo mutumwa waJehovha akati, “Jehovha Wamasimba Ose muchasvika rinhiko musinganzwiri Jerusarema namaguta eJudha tsitsi amakatsamwira kwamakore makumi manomwe aya?”
Then the angel asked, “Commander of the armies of angels, how long will you continue to not be merciful to Jerusalem and the [other] towns in Judah? You have been angry with them for 70 years!”
13 Saka Jehovha akataura mashoko akanaka anonyaradza kumutumwa akataura neni.
[So] Yahweh spoke kindly to the angel who had talked to me, saying things that comforted/encouraged him.
14 Ipapo mutumwa aitaura neni akati, “Danidzira shoko iri rokuti: Zvanzi naJehovha Wamasimba Ose: ‘Ndine godo kwazvo pamusoro peJerusarema neZioni,
Then the angel who had been talking with me said to me, “Proclaim this [to the people of Jerusalem]: The Commander of the armies of angels says that he is very concerned about [the people who live on] Zion [Hill] and [in the other parts of] Jerusalem.
15 asi ndakatsamwira zvikuru ndudzi dzinoti dzakagarika. Ndakanga ndakatsamwa zvishoma, asi ivo vakawedzera padambudziko iri.’
But he is very angry with the nations that are [proud and feel] safe. He was only a little bit angry [with the people of Judah], but [he is very angry with the surrounding nations because] they caused [the people of Judah to experience] complete disaster.
16 “Naizvozvo, zvanzi naJehovha: ‘Ndichadzokera kuJerusarema ndine tsitsi, uye ipapo imba yangu ichavakwazve. Uye rwodzi rwokuyera ruchatambanudzwa pamusoro peJerusarema,’ ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha Wamasimba Ose.
Therefore, this is what he says: ‘I will again be merciful to [the people of] Jerusalem, and they will rebuild my temple. Men will measure [all the land in] the city [before they start rebuilding the houses].’
17 “Danidzirazve uti: Zvanzi naJehovha Wamasimba Ose, ‘Maguta angu achafashukirazve noupfumi, uye Jehovha achanyaradzazve Zioni uye agosarudza Jerusarema.’”
The Commander of the armies of angels [also] said this: ‘Tell the people that [the people in] my towns [in Judah] will soon be very prosperous again, and I will encourage [the people of] Jerusalem, and their city will again be my chosen [city].’”
18 Ipapo ndakasimudza meso angu, zvino hapo pamberi pangu paiva nenyanga ina!
Then I looked up, and I saw in front of me four [animal] horns.
19 Ndakabvunza mutumwa aitaura neni ndikati, “Zviiko izvi?” Akandipindura achiti, “Idzi inyanga dzakaparadzira Judha, Israeri neJerusarema.”
I asked the angel who had been speaking to me, “What are those [horns]?” He replied, “Those horns [represent the armies that] forced [the people of] Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah and Israel to go [to other countries].”
20 Ipapo Jehovha akandiratidza mhizha ina.
Then Yahweh showed me four (craftsmen/men who make things from metal).
21 Ndakabvunza ndikati, “Ko, ava vari kuuya kuzoitei?” Akapindura akati, “Idzi ndidzo nyanga dzakaparadzira Judha kuti pashayikwe kana mumwe angasimudza musoro wake, asi mhizha dzauya kuzodzityisa uye kuti dzigokanda pasi nyanga idzi dzendudzi dzakasimudza nyanga dzadzo kuti dzirwise nyika yeJudha kuti dziparadzire vanhu vayo.”
I asked, “What are those men coming to do?” He replied, “[The armies represented by] those horns caused [the people of] Judah to be scattered, with the result that they suffered greatly. But the craftsmen have come to cause those who attacked [IDM] Judah to be terrified and crushed.”
