< Zekaria 13 >

1 “Katika siku hiyo, chemchemi itafunguliwa kwa nyumba ya Daudi na wakazi wa Yerusalemu, kuwatakasa dhambi na unajisi.
At that time [it will be as though] [MET] there will be a fountain from which water flows continually to cleanse the descendants [MTY] of [King] David and [all] the [other] people in Jerusalem from the guilt of the sins that they have committed, [especially] from becoming unacceptable to me [by worshiping idols].
2 “Katika siku hiyo, nitayakatilia mbali majina ya sanamu kutoka nchi, nayo hayatakumbukwa tena,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote. “Nitaondoa manabii wao pamoja na roho ya uchafu katika nchi.
The Commander of the armies of angels says, “At that time, I will prevent [people from even mentioning] the names of the idols in their country, and no one will remember them any more. I will also expel from the land all the people who falsely claim that they are prophets [DOU].
3 Ikiwa yupo yeyote atakayeendelea kutabiri, baba yake na mama yake waliomzaa watamwambia, ‘Ni lazima ufe, kwa sababu umesema uongo kwa jina la Bwana.’ Atakapotabiri, wazazi wake mwenyewe watampasua tumbo.
If someone continues to prophesy [falsely], his parents must say to him, ‘You have told lies saying that Yahweh [MTY] gave those messages to you, so you must be executed.’ [So] if someone prophesies [like that], his own father and mother must stab him [and kill him].
4 “Katika siku hiyo, kila nabii ataaibika kwa maono ya unabii wake. Hatavaa vazi la kinabii la nywele ili apate kudanganya watu.
At that time, the false prophets will be ashamed [that they claimed to have received messages from me in] their visions and prophesies [that they told to people]. They will no [longer] deceive people by wearing the clothes [that prophets usually wear], clothes made of [animals’] hair.
5 Atasema, ‘Mimi sio nabii. Mimi ni mkulima; ardhi imekuwa kazi yangu tangu ujana wangu.’
[So] each of them will say, ‘I am not [really] a prophet; I am a farmer, and I have been a farmer on my land ever since I was a boy!’
6 Ikiwa mtu atamuuliza, ‘Majeraha haya yaliyo mwilini mwako ni ya nini?’ Atajibu, ‘Ni majeraha niliyoyapata katika nyumba ya rafiki zangu.’
But someone, [seeing the wounds on one of those prophet’s bodies, will suspect that he injured himself during rituals to worship idols, and he] will ask ‘Why are those wounds on your body?’ And he [will lie, saying] ‘I was injured [when I was] at my friend’s house.’”
7 “Amka, ee upanga, dhidi ya mchungaji wangu, dhidi ya mtu aliye karibu nami!” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote. “Mpige mchungaji, nao kondoo watatawanyika, nami nitageuza mkono wangu dhidi ya walio wadogo,
The Commander of the armies of angels says, “[My] sword [APO] must strike [the one who is like] [MET] my shepherd, the man who is (my companion/very (close/dear) to me). When the shepherd is killed, [those who are like] [MET] his sheep will scatter. [And those who are like] [MET] my little sheep will [also] be attacked [IDM].”
8 katika nchi yote,” asema Bwana, “theluthi mbili watapigwa na kuangamia; hata hivyo theluthi moja watabaki ndani yake.
Yahweh [also] says, “Two-thirds [of the people in Judah] will die [DOU]. [Only] one-third [of the people in Judah] will remain alive.
9 Hii theluthi moja nitaileta katika moto; nitawasafisha kama fedha isafishwavyo na kuwajaribu kama dhahabu. Wataliitia Jina langu nami nitawajibu; nitasema, ‘Hawa ni watu wangu,’ nao watasema, ‘Bwana ni Mungu wetu.’”
And I will test the ones that remain alive [by causing them to experience great difficulties, to find out if they will continue to worship me]. I will purify them like [MET] a man purifies gold or silver by putting it into a [very hot] fire. [Then] my people will call to me [MTY] [for help], and I will answer them. I will say [to them], ‘You are my people,’ and they will say, ‘Yahweh is our God.’”

< Zekaria 13 >