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 unto Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, in Kislev;
2 Watu wa Betheli walikuwa wamemtuma Shareza na Regem-Meleki pamoja na watu wao, kumsihi Bwana
When they had sent unto Beth-el Sherezer and Regem-melech, and his men, to make entreaty before 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?”
[And] to say unto the priests who were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Shall I weep in the fifth month with abstinence, as I have done already these many years?
4 Kisha neno la Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote likanijia kusema:
Then came the word of the Lord of hosts unto 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?
Say unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, as followeth, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh [month], already these seventy years, did ye in anywise fast for me, yea, for me?
6 Na mlipokuwa mkila na kunywa, je, hamkuwa mnasherehekea kwa ajili ya nafsi zenu?
And if ye do eat, and if ye do drink, are ye not yourselves those that eat, and yourselves those that drink?
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 hath proclaimed by means of the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, with her cities round about her, when [men] inhabited the south, and the lowlands?
8 Neno la Bwana likamjia tena Zekaria:
And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying,
9 “Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: ‘Fanyeni hukumu za haki, onyesheni rehema na huruma ninyi kwa ninyi.
Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true justice, and show kindness and mercy every man to his brother;
10 Msimwonee mjane wala yatima, mgeni wala maskini. Msiwaziane mabaya mioyoni mwenu ninyi kwa ninyi.’
And defraud not the widow, or the fatherless, the stranger, or the poor; and imagine not evil in your heart one against the other.
11 “Lakini wakakataa kusikiliza, wakanipa kisogo kwa ukaidi na kuziba masikio yao.
But they refused to listen, and turned away rebelliously the shoulder, and stopped their ears, so as 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 their heart they rendered as an adamant, so as not to hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent through his spirit, by means of the former prophets: wherefore came a great anger from the Lord of hosts.
13 “‘Wakati nilipoita, hawakusikiliza, kwa hiyo walipoita, sikusikiliza,’ asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
And it is come to pass, that as he proclaimed, and they would not hear: so had they to call, and I would 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 resolved to scatter them with a storm-wind among all the nations that they had not known; and the land was left desolate after them, without any one to pass through it forward or backward; and the pleasant land have they changed into a desert.
