Zekaria 7
1 Katika mwaka wa nne wa utawala wa Mfalme Dario, neno la Bwana lilimjia Zekaria siku ya nne ya mwezi wa tisa, mwezi wa Kisleu.
And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the Lord came to Zacharias, in the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Casleu.
2 Watu wa Betheli walikuwa wamemtuma Shareza na Regem-Meleki pamoja na watu wao, kumsihi Bwana
When Sarasar, and Rogommelech, and the men that were with him, sent to the house of God, to entreat the face of the Lord:
3 kwa kuwauliza makuhani wa nyumba ya Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote na manabii, “Je, imempasa kuomboleza na kufunga katika mwezi wa tano, kama ambavyo nimekuwa nikifanya kwa miaka mingi?”
To speak to the priests of the house of the Lord of hosts, and to the prophets, saying: Must I weep in the fifth month, or must I sanctify myself as I have now done for many years?
4 Kisha neno la Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote likanijia kusema:
And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying:
5 “Waulize watu wote wa nchi na makuhani, ‘Je, mlipofunga na kuomboleza katika mwezi wa tano na wa saba kwa miaka sabini iliyopita, mlifunga kweli kwa ajili yangu?
Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying: When you fasted, and mourned in the fifth and the seventh month for these seventy years: did you keep a fast unto me?
6 Na mlipokuwa mkila na kunywa, je, hamkuwa mnasherehekea kwa ajili ya nafsi zenu?
And when you did eat and drink, did you not eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?
7 Je, haya sio maneno ya Bwana aliyosema kupitia manabii waliotangulia, wakati Yerusalemu pamoja na miji inayoizunguka ilipokuwa katika hali ya utulivu na ya mafanikio, wakati Negebu na Shefala zikiwa zimekaliwa na watu?’”
Are not these the words which the Lord spoke by the hand of the former prophets, when Jerusalem as yet was inhabited, and was wealthy, both itself and the cities round about it, and there were inhabitants towards the south, and in the plain?
8 Neno la Bwana likamjia tena Zekaria:
And the word of the Lord came to Zacharias, saying:
9 “Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: ‘Fanyeni hukumu za haki, onyesheni rehema na huruma ninyi kwa ninyi.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, saying: Judge ye true judgment, and shew ye mercy and compassion every man to his brother.
10 Msimwonee mjane wala yatima, mgeni wala maskini. Msiwaziane mabaya mioyoni mwenu ninyi kwa ninyi.’
And oppress not the widow, and the fatherless, and the stranger, and the poor: and let not a man devise evil in his heart against his brother.
11 “Lakini wakakataa kusikiliza, wakanipa kisogo kwa ukaidi na kuziba masikio yao.
But they would not hearken, and they turned away the shoulder to depart: and they stopped their ears, not to hear.
12 Wakaifanya mioyo yao migumu kama jiwe gumu na hawakuisikiliza sheria au maneno ambayo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote aliyatuma kwa njia ya Roho wake kupitia manabii waliotangulia. Kwa hiyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote alikasirika sana.
And they made their heart as the adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts sent in his spirit by the hand of the former prophets: so a great indignation came from the Lord of hosts.
13 “‘Wakati nilipoita, hawakusikiliza, kwa hiyo walipoita, sikusikiliza,’ asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
And it came to pass that as he spoke, and they heard not: so shall they cry, and I will not hear, saith the Lord of hosts.
14 ‘Niliwatawanya kwa upepo wa kisulisuli miongoni mwa mataifa yote, mahali ambapo walikuwa wageni. Nchi ikaachwa ukiwa nyuma yao kiasi kwamba hakuna aliyeweza kuingia au kutoka. Hivi ndivyo walivyoifanya ile nchi iliyokuwa imependeza kuwa ukiwa.’”
And I dispersed them throughout all kingdoms, which they know not: and the land was left desolate behind them, so that no man passed through or returned: and they changed the delightful land into a wilderness.
