< Zekaria 8 >
1 Neno la Yahwe wa majeshi likanijia kusema,
Again the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying:
2 “Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Nina huzuni kwa ajili ya Sayuni kwa wivu mkuu na ninamaumivu kwa hasira nyingi!
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “I am jealous for Zion with great zeal; I am jealous for her with great fervor.”
3 Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Nitairudia Sayuni nami nitakaa kati ya Yerusalemu, kwa kuwa Yerusalemu itaitwa mji wa kweli na mlima wa Yahwe wa majeshi utaitwa Mlima Mtakatifu!
This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.”
4 Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Kwa mara nyingine tena kutakuwa na vikongwe katika mitaa ya Yerusalemu, na kila mtu ataitaji mkongojo mkononi mwake kwa vile alivyo mzee.
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Old men and old women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each with a staff in hand because of great age.
5 Pia mitaa ya mji itajazwa na vijana wa kiume na kike wachezao.
And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing there.”
6 Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: ikiwa jambo laonekana haliwezekani katika macho ya masalia ya watu hawa katika siku hizo, je haliwezekani pia machoni pangu? - asema Yahwe.
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “If this is impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be impossible in My eyes?” declares the LORD of Hosts.
7 Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Tazama, nipo tayari kuwaokoa watu wangu kutoka nchi ya mawio na ya machweo ya jua!
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west.
8 Kwa maana nitawarudisha tena, nao wataishi ndani ya Yerusalemu, hivyo watakuwa watu wangu tena, nami nitakuwa Mungu wao katika kweli na utakatifu!
I will bring them back to dwell in Jerusalem, where they will be My people, and I will be their faithful and righteous God.”
9 Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Ninyi mnaoendelea kusikia maneno yaleyale yaliyotoka katika vinywa vya manabii msingi wa nyumba yangu ulipowekwa - hii nyumba yangu, Yahwe wa majeshi: Itieni nguvu mikono yenu ili hekalu lijengwe.
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Let your hands be strong, you who now hear these words spoken by the prophets who were present when the foundations were laid to rebuild the temple, the house of the LORD of Hosts.
10 Kwani kabla ya siku hizo hakuna mazao yaliyokusanywa na yeyote ndani yake, hakukuwa na faida siyo kwa mtu hata mnyama, na hakukuwa na amani kutoka kwa adui kwa kila aliyekwenda au kuja. Nilimfanya kila mtu kuwa kinyume cha mwenzake.
For before those days neither man nor beast received wages, nor was there safety from the enemy for anyone who came or went, for I had turned every man against his neighbor.
11 Lakini sasa haitakuwa kama mwanzo, nitakuwa pamoja na masalia ya watu hawa - asema Yahwe wa majeshi.
But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as I did in the past,” declares the LORD of Hosts.
12 Kwani mbegu za amani zitapandwa; mzabibu unaokua utatoa matunda yake na nchi itatoa mazao yake; anga zitatoa umande, kwa maana nitawapa masalia ya watu hawa kumilki haya yote.
“For the seed will be prosperous, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will yield its produce, and the skies will give their dew. To the remnant of this people I will give all these things as an inheritance.
13 Ulikuwa mfano wa laana kwa mataifa mengine, enyi nyumba ya Yuda na nyumba ya Israeli. Hivyo nitawaokoa nanyi mtakuwa baraka. Msiogope; haya mikono yenu itiwe nguvu!
As you have been a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid; let your hands be strong.”
14 Kwa maana Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Kama nilivyopanga kuwatenda mabaya babu zenu walipochokoza hasira yangu - asema Yahwe wa majeshi - na wala sikujuta,
For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Just as I resolved to bring disaster upon you when your fathers provoked Me to anger, and I did not relent,” says the LORD of Hosts,
15 ndivyo nitakavyoazimia kuutenda mema tena Yerusalemu na nyumba ya Yuda katika siku hizi! Msiogope!
“so now I have resolved to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid.
16 Haya ndiyo mambo mnayopaswa kufanya: Kasemeni kweli, kila mtu na jirani yake. Hukumuni kwa haki, usawa na amani katika malango yenu.
These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another, render true and sound judgments in your gates,
17 Na asiwepo miongoni mwenu anayeazimu uovu moyoni mwake dhidi ya jirani yake, wala kuvutwa na viapo vya uongo; kwani haya yote ndiyo mambo ninayoyachukia! - asema Yahwe.”
do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely, for I hate all these things,” declares the LORD.
18 Kisha neno la Yahwe wa majeshi likanijia kusema,
Then the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying,
19 “Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Mifungo ya mwezi wa nne, mwezi wa tano, mwezi wa saba na mwezi wa kumi itakuwa nyakati za furaha ya kila aina, kwa nyumba ya Yuda! Kwa hiyo pendeni kweli na amani!
“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: The fasts of the fourth, the fifth, the seventh, and the tenth months will become times of joy and gladness, cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore you are to love both truth and peace.”
20 Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Watu watakuja tena, hata wanaoishi miji mingine.
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Peoples will yet come—the residents of many cities—
21 Watu wa mji mmoja watakwenda mji mwingine na kusema, “Haya twendeni haraka mbele ya Yahwe tukaombe na kumtafuta Yahwe wa majeshi! Sisi wenyewe tunakwenda pia.
and the residents of one city will go to another, saying: ‘Let us go at once to plead before the LORD and to seek the LORD of Hosts. I myself am going.’
22 Watu wengi na mataifa yenye nguvu yatakuja kumtafuta Yahwe wa majeshi huko Yerusalemu na kuomba upendeleo kwa Yahwe!
And many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Hosts in Jerusalem and to plead before the LORD.”
23 Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Katika siku hizo watu kumi kutoka katika kila lugha na taifa watashika upindo wa kanzu zenu na kusema, “Haya sisi nasi tutakwenda pamoja nanyi, kwani tumesikia kwamba Mungu yu pamoja nayi!”
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue will tightly grasp the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”