Zekaria 12
1 Hili ni neno la Bwana kuhusu Israeli. Bwana, yeye azitandaye mbingu, awekaye misingi ya dunia na aiumbaye roho ya mwanadamu ndani yake, asema:
[This is] a message from Yahweh concerning Israel. Yahweh is the one who stretched out the sky, who created the earth, and who (gave life to humans/caused humans to be alive). This is what he says:
2 “Nitakwenda kufanya Yerusalemu kuwa kikombe cha kuyumbisha mataifa yote yanayoizunguka. Yuda utazingirwa kwa vita na Yerusalemu pia.
“I will soon cause Jerusalem to be [like] [MET] a cup full [of very strong alcoholic drink], and the people of other nations who drink it will stagger around. And they will come and attack Jerusalem and [the other towns in] Judah.
3 Katika siku hiyo, wakati mataifa yote ya dunia yatakapokusanyika dhidi yake, nitaufanya Yerusalemu kuwa jabali lisilosogezwa kwa mataifa yote. Wote watakaojaribu kulisogeza watajiumiza wenyewe.
At that time, [the armies of] all the nations will gather to attack Jerusalem, but I will cause [the leaders of] Judah to be [like] [SIM] a very heavy rock, and all who [try to] lift it will be badly injured.
4 Katika siku hiyo nitampiga kila farasi kwa hofu ya ghafula, naye ampandaye nitampiga kwa uwazimu,” asema Bwana. “Nitalielekeza jicho langu la ulinzi juu ya nyumba ya Yuda, nami nitawapofusha farasi wote wa mataifa.
At that time I will cause every [one of their enemies’] horses to panic, and their riders to become crazy. I [IDM] will protect the people of Judah, but I will cause all their enemies’ horses to become blind.
5 Kisha viongozi wa Yuda watasema mioyoni mwao, ‘Watu wa Yerusalemu wana nguvu kwa sababu Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ni Mungu wao.’
Then the leaders of Judah will say to themselves, ‘The people in Jerusalem are strong because the Commander of the armies of angels is their God.’
6 “Katika siku hiyo nitawafanya viongozi wa Yuda kuwa kama kigae cha moto ndani ya lundo la kuni, kama mwenge uwakao kati ya miganda. Watateketeza kulia na kushoto mataifa yote yanayowazunguka, lakini Yerusalemu utabaki salama mahali pake.
At that time I will enable the leaders of Judah to be like [SIM] a pan containing hot coals [that is put] in a woodpile [to set it on fire], or like [SIM] a burning torch [that is put] in a [field of] ripe grain [to set it on fire]. The leaders of Judah [and their army] will destroy the people of the surrounding nations in all directions. But [the people of] Jerusalem will remain safe.
7 “Bwana atayaokoa makao ya Yuda kwanza, ili heshima ya nyumba ya Daudi na wakazi wa Yerusalemu isiwe kubwa zaidi kuliko ile ya Yuda.
And [I], Yahweh, will protect the tents of [the soldiers in other places in] Judah before [I rescue the people of Jerusalem], in order that the leaders of Jerusalem [DOU] will not be honored more than [the people in other places in] Judah [are honored].
8 Katika siku hiyo, Bwana atawakinga wale waishio Yerusalemu, ili kwamba aliye dhaifu kupita wote miongoni mwao awe kama Daudi, nayo nyumba ya Daudi itakuwa kama Mungu, kama Malaika wa Bwana akiwatangulia.
At that time, I will protect [MET] the people of Jerusalem. When that happens, even the weakest people in Jerusalem will be [strong] like [King] David [was]. And the descendants [MTY] of David will [rule the people] like I [would], as though an angel sent from [me], Yahweh, was their leader.
9 Katika siku hiyo nitatoka kuangamiza mataifa yote yatakayoshambulia Yerusalemu.
At that time, I will prepare to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.”
10 “Nami nitamiminia nyumba ya Daudi na wakazi wa Yerusalemu roho ya neema na maombi. Watanitazama mimi, yule waliyemchoma. Nao watamwombolezea kama mtu anayemwombolezea mwanawe wa pekee na kusikitika kwa uchungu kama anayemsikitikia mzaliwa wake wa kwanza wa kiume.
“I, [Yahweh, ] will cause the descendants [MTY] of [King] David to act very kindly and mercifully. They will look at me, [the one] who has been stabbed, and they will cry bitterly, like people cry for a firstborn son [who has died] [DOU].
11 Katika siku hiyo kilio kitakuwa kikubwa Yerusalemu, kama kilio cha Hadad-Rimoni katika tambarare ya Megido.
At that time, many people in Jerusalem will be crying bitterly, like people cried [when King Josiah was killed in the battle] at Hadad-Rimmon on the Megiddo Plain.
12 Nchi itaomboleza, kila ukoo peke yake, nao wake zao peke yao. Ukoo wa nyumba ya Daudi na wake zao, ukoo wa nyumba ya Nathani na wake zao,
Many people in Judah will cry, each family by themselves: the male descendants of David by themselves, and their wives by themselves, the male descendants of [David’s son] Nathan by themselves, and their wives by themselves,
13 ukoo wa nyumba ya Lawi na wake zao, ukoo wa Shimei na wake zao,
the male descendants [MTY] of Levi by themselves, and their wives by themselves, the male descendants of [Levi’s grandson] Shimei by themselves, and their wives by themselves,
14 na koo zote zilizobaki na wake zao.
and all the other members [of the kings’ clans and the priests’ clans] by themselves, and their wives by themselves.”
