Zekaria 8

1 Neno la Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote likanijia tena.

And there is a word of YHWH of Hosts, saying,

2 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Nina wivu sana kwa ajili ya Sayuni, ninawaka wivu kwa ajili yake.”

“Thus said YHWH of Hosts: I have been zealous for Zion with great zeal, With great heat I have been zealous for her.

3 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Nitarudi Sayuni na kufanya makao Yerusalemu. Kisha Yerusalemu utaitwa mji wa kweli, mlima wa Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote utaitwa Mlima Mtakatifu.”

Thus said YHWH: I have turned back to Zion, And I have dwelt in the midst of Jerusalem, And Jerusalem has been called The City of Truth, And The Mountain of YHWH of Hosts, The Holy Mountain.

4 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Kwa mara nyingine tena wazee wanaume kwa wanawake walioshiba umri wataketi katika barabara za Yerusalemu, kila mmoja akiwa na mkongojo wake mkononi kwa sababu ya umri wake.

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Again old men and old women dwell In broad places of Jerusalem, And each his staff in his hand, Because of abundance of days.

5 Barabara za mji zitajaa wavulana na wasichana wanaocheza humo.”

And broad places of the city are full of boys and girls, Playing in its broad places.

6 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Mambo haya yanaweza kuonekana ya ajabu kwa mabaki ya watu wakati huo, lakini yaweza kuwa ya ajabu kwangu?” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Surely it is wonderful in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, Also in My eyes it is wonderful, A declaration of YHWH of Hosts.

7 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Nitawaokoa watu wangu kutoka nchi za mashariki na magharibi.

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Behold, I am saving My people from the land of the rising, And from the land of the going in, of the sun,

8 Nitawarudisha waje kuishi Yerusalemu, watakuwa watu wangu nami nitakuwa mwaminifu na wa haki kwao kama Mungu wao.”

And I have brought them in, They have dwelt in the midst of Jerusalem, And they have been to Me for a people, And I am to them for God, In truth and in righteousness.

9 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Ninyi ambao sasa mnasikia maneno haya yanayozungumzwa na manabii ambao walikuwepo wakati wa kuwekwa kwa msingi wa nyumba ya Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, mikono yenu na iwe na nguvu ili Hekalu liweze kujengwa.

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Let your hands be strong, You who are hearing in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets, That in the day the house of YHWH of Hosts has been founded, The temple [is] to be built.

10 Kabla ya wakati huo, hapakuwepo na ujira kwa mtu wala mnyama. Hakuna mtu aliyeweza kufanya shughuli yake kwa usalama kwa sababu ya adui yake, kwa kuwa nilikuwa nimemfanya kila mtu adui wa jirani yake.

For before those days there has been no hiring of man, Indeed, a hiring of beasts there is none; And to him who is going out, And to him who is coming in, There is no peace because of the adversary, And I send all men—each against his neighbor.

11 Lakini sasa sitawatendea mabaki ya watu hawa kama nilivyowatenda zamani,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.

And now, not as [in] the former days [am] I to the remnant of this people, A declaration of YHWH of Hosts.

12 “Mbegu itakua vizuri, mzabibu utazaa matunda yake, ardhi itatoa mazao yake, na mbingu zitadondosha umande wake. Vitu hivi vyote nitawapa mabaki ya watu kama urithi wao.

Because of the sowing of peace, The vine gives her fruit, And the earth gives her increase, And the heavens give their dew, And I have caused the remnant of this people To inherit all these.

13 Jinsi mlivyokuwa kitu cha laana katikati ya mataifa, ee Yuda na Israeli, ndivyo nitakavyowaokoa, nanyi mtakuwa baraka. Msiogope, bali iacheni mikono yenu iwe na nguvu.”

And it has come to pass, As you have been a reviling among nations, O house of Judah, and house of Israel, So I save you, and you have been a blessing, Do not fear, let your hands be strong.

14 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Kama nilivyokuwa nimekusudia kuleta maangamizi juu yenu, wakati baba zenu waliponikasirisha na sikuonyesha huruma,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote,

For thus said YHWH of Hosts: As I purposed to do evil to you, When your fathers made Me angry—said YHWH of Hosts—And I did not relent,

15 “hivyo sasa nimeazimia kufanya mema tena kwa Yerusalemu na Yuda. Msiogope.

So I have turned back, I have purposed, in these days, To do good with Jerusalem, And with the house of Judah—do not fear!

16 Haya ndiyo mtakayoyafanya: Semeni kweli kila mtu kwa mwenzake, na mtoe hukumu ya kweli na haki kwenye mahakama zenu,

These [are] the things that you do: Each speak truth with his neighbor, Judge [with] truth and peaceful judgment in your gates,

17 usipange mabaya dhidi ya jirani yako, wala msipende kuapa kwa uongo. Nayachukia yote haya,” asema Bwana.

And do not devise the evil of his neighbor in your heart, And do not love a false oath, For all these [are] things that I have hated, A declaration of YHWH.”

18 Neno la Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote likanijia tena.

And there is a word of YHWH of Hosts to me, saying,

19 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Saumu za miezi ya nne, tano, saba na kumi itakuwa sikukuu za furaha na za shangwe kwa Yuda. Kwa hiyo uipende kweli na amani.”

“Thus said YHWH of Hosts: The fast of the fourth, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth [months], are to the house of Judah for joy and for rejoicing, and for pleasant appointed times, and the truth and the peace they have loved.

20 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Mataifa mengi na wakazi wa miji mingi watakuja,

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Yet peoples come, and inhabitants of many cities,

21 na wenyeji wa mji mmoja watakwenda kwenye mji mwingine na kusema, ‘Twende mara moja na tukamsihi Bwana, na kumtafuta Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote. Mimi mwenyewe ninakwenda.’

Indeed, inhabitants of one Have gone to another, saying, We go diligently, To appease the face of YHWH, To seek YHWH of Hosts—I go, even I.

22 Pia watu wa kabila nyingi na mataifa yenye nguvu yatakuja Yerusalemu kumtafuta Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote na kumsihi.”

Indeed, many peoples have come in, and mighty nations, To seek YHWH of Hosts in Jerusalem, And to appease the face of YHWH.

23 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Katika siku hizo watu kumi kutoka lugha zote na mataifa, watangʼangʼania upindo wa joho la Myahudi mmoja na kusema, ‘Twende pamoja nawe kwa sababu tumesikia kwamba Mungu yu pamoja nawe.’”

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: In those days ten men of all languages of the nations take hold, Indeed, they have taken hold on the skirt of a man, a Jew, saying, We go with you, for we heard God [is] with you!”