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 Darius the king, that the word of Yahweh came unto Zechariah, on the fourth of the ninth month, in Chisleu;
2 Watu wa Betheli walikuwa wamemtuma Shareza na Regem-Meleki pamoja na watu wao, kumsihi Bwana
yea when Bethel sent Sherezer and Regemmelech, and his men, —to pacify the face of Yahweh:
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 unto the priests that pertained to the house of Yahweh of hosts, and unto the prophets, saying, —Shall I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?
4 Kisha neno la Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote likanijia kusema:
Then came the word of Yahweh 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?
Speak thou unto all the people of the land, and unto the priests, saying, —When ye fasted and lamented in the fifth and in the seventh, even these seventy years, did ye, really fast, unto, me?
6 Na mlipokuwa mkila na kunywa, je, hamkuwa mnasherehekea kwa ajili ya nafsi zenu?
And, when ye used to eat and when ye used to drink, was it not, of your own accord, ye did eat, and, of your own accord, ye did 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?’”
Should ye not [have been doing] the things which Yahweh, had proclaimed, by the hand of the former prophets, while yet Jerusalem was inhabited and in peace, with her cities round about her, —and the South and the Lowland were inhabited?
8 Neno la Bwana likamjia tena Zekaria:
And the word of Yahweh came unto Zechariah, saying:
9 “Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: ‘Fanyeni hukumu za haki, onyesheni rehema na huruma ninyi kwa ninyi.
Thus, spake Yahweh of hosts, saying, —With true justice, give ye judgment, and, lovingkindness and compassions, observe ye, one with another;
10 Msimwonee mjane wala yatima, mgeni wala maskini. Msiwaziane mabaya mioyoni mwenu ninyi kwa ninyi.’
And, the widow and the fatherless, the sojourner and the humbled, do not ye oppress, —and, wickedness between one man and another, do not ye devise in your hearts.
11 “Lakini wakakataa kusikiliza, wakanipa kisogo kwa ukaidi na kuziba masikio yao.
Howbeit they refused to give heed, but put forth a rebellious shoulder, —and, their ears, made they hard of hearing, that they might not 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, turned they into adamant, that they might not hear the law, nor the words which Yahweh of hosts sent by his spirit, through the former prophets, —and so there came great wrath from Yahweh of hosts.
13 “‘Wakati nilipoita, hawakusikiliza, kwa hiyo walipoita, sikusikiliza,’ asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
Therefore came it to pass that—just as he cried out and they hearkened not, so, used they to cry out, and I used not to hearken, saith Yahweh 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.’”
But I whirled them over all the nations whom they had not known, and, the land, was made desolate after them, that none passed through and returned, —Yea they made of a delightful land—a desolation.
