< Zekaria 1 >

1 Katika mwezi wa nane wa mwaka wa pili wa utawala wa Mfalme Dario, neno la Bwana lilimjia nabii Zekaria mwana wa Berekia, mwana wa Ido, kusema:
In the eight moneth of the second yeere of Darius, came the worde of the Lord vnto Zechariah the sonne of Berechiah, the sonne of Iddo, the Prophet, saying,
2 “Bwana aliwakasirikia sana baba zako wa zamani.
The Lord hath bene sore displeased with your fathers.
3 Kwa hiyo waambie watu: Hivi ndivyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asemavyo: ‘Nirudieni mimi,’ asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, ‘nami nitawarudia ninyi,’ asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
Therefore say thou vnto them, Thus sayth the Lord of hostes, Turne ye vnto me, saith the Lord of hostes, and I will turne vnto you, saith the Lord of hostes.
4 Msiwe kama baba zenu, ambao manabii waliotangulia waliwatangazia: Hivi ndivyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asemavyo: ‘Geukeni, mziache njia zenu mbaya na matendo yenu maovu.’ Lakini hawakunisikiliza wala kufuata maelekezo yangu, asema Bwana.
Be ye not as your fathers, vnto whome the former prophets haue cried, saying, Thus sayth the Lord of hostes, Turne you nowe from your euill wayes, and from your wicked workes: but they would not heare, nor hearken vnto me, saith the Lord.
5 Wako wapi baba zako sasa? Nao manabii, je, wanaishi milele?
your fathers, where are they? and doe the Prophets liue for euer?
6 Je, maneno yangu na amri zangu nilizowaagiza manabii watumishi wangu, hayakuwapata baba zenu?” “Kisha walitubu na kusema, ‘Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ametutenda sawasawa na njia zetu na matendo yetu yalivyostahili, kama alivyokusudia kufanya.’”
But did not my wordes and my statutes, which I commanded by my seruants ye Prophets, take holde of your fathers? and they returned, and sayd, As the Lord of hostes hath determined to doe vnto vs, according to our owne wayes, and according to our workes, so hath hee dealt with vs.
7 Katika siku ya ishirini na nne ya mwezi wa kumi na moja, yaani mwezi uitwao Shebati, katika mwaka wa pili wa utawala wa Mfalme Dario, neno la Bwana lilimjia nabii Zekaria mwana wa Berekia mwana wa Ido.
Vpon the foure and twentieth day of the eleuenth moneth, which is the moneth Shebat, in the second yeere of Darius, came the worde of the Lord vnto Zechariah the sonne of Berechiah, the sonne of Iddo the Prophet, saying,
8 Wakati wa usiku nilipata maono, mbele yangu alikuwepo mtu akiendesha farasi mwekundu! Alikuwa amesimama katikati ya miti ya mihadasi kwenye bonde. Nyuma yake walikuwepo farasi wekundu, wa kikahawia na weupe.
I saw by night, and behold a man riding vpon a red horse, and hee stood among the mirre trees, that were in a bottome, and behinde him were there red horses speckeled and white.
9 Nikauliza, “Hivi ni vitu gani bwana wangu?” Malaika aliyekuwa akizungumza na mimi akanijibu, “Nitakuonyesha kuwa ni nini.”
Then sayd I, O my Lord, what are these? And the Angel that talked with me, sayde vnto me, I wil shew thee what these be.
10 Kisha yule mtu aliyesimama katikati ya miti ya mihadasi akaeleza, “Ni wale ambao Bwana amewatuma waende duniani kote.”
And the man that stood among the mirre trees, answered, and sayd, These are they whome the Lord hath sent to go through the world.
11 Nao wakatoa taarifa kwa yule malaika wa Bwana, aliyekuwa amesimama katikati ya miti ya mihadasi, “Tumepita duniani kote na kukuta ulimwengu wote umepumzika kwa amani.”
And they answered the Angel of the Lord, that stood among the mirre trees, and sayd, We haue gone thorowe the world: and beholde, all the world sitteth still, and is at rest.
12 Kisha malaika wa Bwana akasema, “Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, utazuia mpaka lini rehema kutoka Yerusalemu na miji ya Yuda, ambayo umeikasirikia kwa miaka hii sabini?”
Then the Angel of the Lord answered and sayd, O Lord of hostes, howe long wilt thou be vnmercifull to Ierusalem, and to the cities of Iudah, with whom thou hast bene displeased now these threescore and ten yeeres?
13 Kwa hiyo Bwana akazungumza maneno ya upole na ya kufariji kwa malaika aliyezungumza nami.
And the Lord answered the Angel that talked with me, with good wordes and comfortable wordes.
14 Kisha malaika yule aliyekuwa akizungumza nami akasema, “Tangaza neno hili: Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asemalo: ‘Nina wivu sana kwa ajili ya Yerusalemu na Sayuni,
So the Angel that communed with me, said vnto me, Crie thou, and speake, Thus saith the Lord of hostes, I am ielous ouer Ierusalem and Zion with a great zeale,
15 lakini nimeyakasirikia sana mataifa yanayojisikia kuwa yako salama. Nilikuwa nimewakasirikia Israeli kidogo tu, lakini mataifa hayo yaliwazidishia maafa.’
And am greatly angrie against the carelesse heathen: for I was angrie but a litle, and they helped forward the affliction.
16 “Kwa hiyo, hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana: ‘Nitairudia Yerusalemu kwa rehema na huko nyumba yangu itajengwa tena. Nayo kamba ya kupimia itanyooshwa Yerusalemu,’ asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
Therefore thus saith the Lord, I wil returne vnto Ierusalem with tender mercie: mine house shall be builded in it, saith the Lord of hostes, and a line shall be stretched vpon Ierusalem.
17 “Endelea kutangaza zaidi kwamba: Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: ‘Miji yangu itafurika tena ustawi na Bwana atamfariji tena Sayuni na kumchagua Yerusalemu.’”
Cry yet, and speake, Thus saith the Lord of hostes, My cities shall yet be broken with plentie: the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet chuse Ierusalem.
18 Kisha nikatazama juu, na pale mbele yangu nikaona pembe nne!
Then lift I vp mine eyes and sawe, and beholde, foure hornes.
19 Nikamuuliza yule malaika aliyekuwa akizungumza nami, “Ni nini hivi?” Akanijibu, “Hizi ni zile pembe zilizowatawanya Yuda, Israeli na Yerusalemu.”
And I said vnto the Angel that talked with me, What be these? And hee answered me, These are the hornes which haue scattered Iudah, Israel, and Ierusalem.
20 Kisha Bwana akanionyesha mafundi wanne.
And the Lord shewed me foure carpenters.
21 Nikauliza, “Hawa wanakuja kufanya nini?” Akanijibu, “Hizi ndizo pembe zilizowatawanya Yuda ili asiwepo atakayeweza kuinua kichwa chake, lakini mafundi wamekuja kuzitia hofu na kuzitupa chini hizi pembe za mataifa ambayo yaliinua pembe zao dhidi ya nchi ya Yuda na kuwatawanya watu wake.”
Then said I, What come these to doe? And he answered, and said, These are the hornes, which haue scattered Iudah, so that a man durst not lift vp his head: but these are come to fray them, and to cast out the hornes of the Gentiles, which lift vp their horne ouer the land of Iudah, to scatter it.

< Zekaria 1 >