Zekaria 7
1 Mwaka wa minne wa utawala mfalme Dario, siku ya nne ya mwezi wa Kisleu(ambao ni mwezi wa tisa), neno la Yahwe lilimjia Zekaria kusema.
And it came to pass in the fourth year of Darius the king, [that] the word of the Lord came to Zacharias on the fourth [day] of the ninth month, which is Chaseleu.
2 Watu wa Betheli wamemtuma Shareza, Regemu Meleki na watu wao kuomba mbele ya uso wa Yahwe.
And Sarasar and Arbeseer the king and his men sent to Bethel, and [that] to propitiate the Lord,
3 Wakaongea na makuhani waliokuwa katika nyumba ya Yahwe wa majeshi na kwa manabii; wakasema, “Je niomboleze katika mwezi wa tano kwa njia ya kufunga, kama nilivyofanya miaka mingi hii?”
speaking to the priests that were in the house of the Lord Almighty, and to the prophets, saying, The holy offering has come in hither in the fifth month, as it has done already many years.
4 Ndipo neno la Yahwe wa majeshi liliponijia kusema,
And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying,
5 “Ongea na watu wote wa nchi na makuhani uwaambie, “Mlipofunga na kuomboleza katika mwezi wa tano na wa saba katika hii miaka sabini, je kweli mlifunga kwa ajili yangu?
Speak to the whole people of the land, and to the priests, saying, Though ye fasted or lamented in the fifth or seventh [months] (yea, behold, these seventy years) have ye at all fasted to me?
6 Na mlipokula na kunywa, hamkula na kunywa kwa ajili yenu wenyewe?
And if ye eat or drink, do ye not eat and drink for yourselves?
7 Je hayo siyo maneno aliyosema Yahwe kwa vinywa vya manabii wa zamani, mlipokuwa bado mnaishi Yerusalemu na miji ya kandokando yenye mafanikio na iliyokaa Negebu, na upande wa magharibi chini ya vilima?”
Are not these the words which the Lord spoke by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and her cities round about her, and the hill country and the low country was inhabited?
8 Neno la Yahwe likamjia Zekaria kusema,
And the word of the Lord came to Zacharias, saying,
9 “Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi, 'Hukumuni kwa haki, uaminifu wa agano, na rehema. Kila mtu na amtendee hivi ndugu yake.
Thus saith the Lord Almighty; Judge righteous judgment, and deal mercifully and compassionately every one with his brother:
10 Juu ya mjane na yatima, mgeni, na masikini - usiwanyanyase, na asiwepo miongoni mwenu anayepanga madhara yoyote dhidi ya mwingine mioyoni mwenu.
and oppress not the widow, or the fatherless, or the stranger, or the poor; and let not one of you remember in his heart the injury of his brother.
11 Lakini waliyashupaza mabega yao na hawakujari. Waliziba masikio yao ili wasisikie.
But they refused to attend, and madly turned their back, and made their ears heavy, so that they should not hear.
12 Waliifanya mioyo yao kuwa migumu kama mwamba ili wasiisikie sheria au neno la Yahwe wa majeshi. Alipeleka ujumbe kwa watu nyakati za zamani kwa Roho wake, kwa vinywa vya manabii. Lakini watu hawakusikia, hivyo Yahwe wa majeshi aliwakasirikia sana.
And they made their heart disobedient, so as not to hearken to my law, and the words which the Lord Almighty sent forth by his Spirit by the former prophets: so there was great wrath from the Lord Almighty.
13 Hata ikawa alipoita hawakusikia. Vilevile,” asema Yahwe wa majeshi, “wataniita, lakini sitasikiliza.
And it shall come to pass, [that] as he spoke, and they hearkened not, so they shall cry, and I will not hearken, saith the Lord Almighty.
14 Kwa maana nitawatawanya kwa upepo wa kisurisuri katika mataifa yote ambayo hawajawai kuyaona, na baada yao nchi itakuwa wazi. Kwa kuwa hakuna hata mmoja atakayepita au kukaa katika hiyo nchi kwa kuwa wameigeuza nchi yao yenye kupendeza kuwa isiyofaa.
And I will cast them out among all the nations, whom they know not; and the land behind them shall be made utterly destitute of any going through or returning: yea they have made the choice land a desolation.
