Zekaria 8
1 Neno la Yahwe wa majeshi likanijia kusema,
The word of the LORD of Armies came to me.
2 “Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Nina huzuni kwa ajili ya Sayuni kwa wivu mkuu na ninamaumivu kwa hasira nyingi!
The LORD of Armies says: “I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.”
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!
The LORD says: “I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the middle of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called ‘The City of Truth;’ and the mountain of the LORD of Armies, ‘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.
The LORD of Armies says: “Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand because of their old age.
5 Pia mitaa ya mji itajazwa na vijana wa kiume na kike wachezao.
The streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.”
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.
The LORD of Armies says: “If it is marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvellous in my eyes?” says the LORD of Armies.
7 Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Tazama, nipo tayari kuwaokoa watu wangu kutoka nchi ya mawio na ya machweo ya jua!
The LORD of Armies says: “Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country.
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, and they will dwell within Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.”
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.
The LORD of Armies says: “Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of Armies was laid, even the temple, that it might be built.
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 there was no wages for man nor any wages for an animal, neither was there any peace to him who went out or came in, because of the adversary. For I set all men everyone against his neighbour.
11 Lakini sasa haitakuwa kama mwanzo, nitakuwa pamoja na masalia ya watu hawa - asema Yahwe wa majeshi.
But now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in the former days,” says the LORD of Armies.
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 of peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew. I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.
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!
It shall come to pass that, as you were a curse amongst the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Don’t 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 the LORD of Armies says: “As I thought to do evil to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath,” says the LORD of Armies, “and I didn’t repent,
15 ndivyo nitakavyoazimia kuutenda mema tena Yerusalemu na nyumba ya Yuda katika siku hizi! Msiogope!
so again I have thought in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Don’t 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 that you shall do: speak every man the truth with his neighbour. Execute the judgement of truth and peace 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.”
and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbour, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate,” says the LORD.
18 Kisha neno la Yahwe wa majeshi likanijia kusema,
The word of the LORD of Armies came to me.
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!
The LORD of Armies says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months shall be for the house of Judah joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.”
20 Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Watu watakuja tena, hata wanaoishi miji mingine.
The LORD of Armies says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come.
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.
The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, ‘Let’s go speedily to entreat the favour of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of Armies. I will go also.’
22 Watu wengi na mataifa yenye nguvu yatakuja kumtafuta Yahwe wa majeshi huko Yerusalemu na kuomba upendeleo kwa Yahwe!
Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Armies in Jerusalem and to entreat the favour of 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!”
The LORD of Armies says: “In those days, ten men out of all the languages of the nations will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, ‘We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”
