Zekaria 1
1 Katika mwezi wa nane mwaka wa pili wa kutawala kwake Dario, neno la Yahwe lilimjia nabii Zekaria, mwana wa Berekia mwana wa Ido, kusema,
The Lord sent a message to Zechariah the prophet, son of Berekiah, son of Iddo, in the eighth month of the second year of king Darius' reign, saying:
2 “Yawhe alikuwa na hasira sana juu ya baba zenu!
The Lord was very angry with your forefathers.
3 Wambie, 'Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Nirudieni! - nami nitawarudia ninyi, asema Yahwe wa majeshi.
So tell the people this: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty.
4 Msiwe kama baba zenu ambao hapo zamani manabii waliwambia, wakisema, “Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Geukeni kutoka katika njia zenu za mbaya na matendo yenu mabaya!” Lakini hawakuweza kusikia wala kunijari - asema Yahwe.'
You must not be like your forefathers. They were told by previous prophets: Give up your evil ways, and the evil things you do. But they would not listen or pay any attention to me, says the Lord.
5 Wako wapi baba zenu? Na manabii, je wapo hapa daima?
Where are your forefathers now? And the prophets, did they live forever?
6 Lakini maneno yangu na maagizo niliyowaamru watumishi wangu manabii, je hayakuwapata baba zenu? Hivyo walitubu na kusema, 'Kama vile Yahwe wa majeshi alivyokusudia kututenda kwa kadili zinavyostahili njia na matendo yetu, ndivyo alivyotutenda.”
But didn't all my instructions and warnings that I ordered my servants the prophets to communicate, didn't all that I said happen to your forefathers? So they repented and said, “What the Lord Almighty planned to do to us was what we deserved because of our ways and our actions. He did what he said he would.”
7 Katika siku ya ishirini na nne ya mwezi wa kumi na moja, ndiyo mwezi wa Shebati, mwaka wa pili wa utawala wa Dario, neno la Yahwe lilimjia nabii Zekaria mwana wa Berekia mwana wa Ido, akasema,
The Lord sent a message to Zechariah the prophet, son of Berekiah, son of Iddo, on the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (the month of Shebat) of the second year of king Darius' reign:
8 “niliona wakati wa usiku, na tazama! mtu alikuwa amepanda farasi mwekundu, naye alikuwa kati ya miti ya mihadasi iliyoko bondeni; na nyuma yake kulikuwa na farasi mwekundu, farasi wa kijivu, na farasi mweupe.”
During the night I saw a man sitting on a red horse that stood among some myrtle trees in a narrow valley. Behind him were red, brown, and white horses with their riders.
9 Nikauliza, “Bwana, hivi ni vitu gani?” Malaika aliyesema nami akaniambia, “Nitakueleza vitu hivi ni nini.”
I asked him, “My lord, what are these?” The angel I was talking to replied, “I will show you.”
10 Kisha mtu aliyesimama kati ya miti ya mihadasi akajibu na kusema, “Hawa ndiyo Yahwe aliowatuma kuzunguka katika dunia yote.”
The man who was there among the myrtle trees said, “These are the ones the Lord has sent out to patrol the earth.”
11 Wakamjibu malaika wa Yahwe aliyekuwa amesimama kati ya miti ya mihadasi na kumwambia, “Tumekuwa tukizunguka duniani pote; tazama, dunia yote imekaa na kutulia.”
The riders reported to the angel of the Lord who was among the myrtle trees, “We have been patrolling the earth and saw that the whole earth has been pacified.”
12 Ndipo malaika wa Yahwe alipojibu na kusema, “Yahwe wa majeshi, hata lini usiuhurumie Yerusalemu na miji ya Yuda ambayo imeteswa na kudhurumiwa miaka hii sabini?”
Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord Almighty, how long will it be before you have mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah which you have been angry with for the past seventy years?”
13 Yahwe akamjibu malaika aliyekuwa amesema nami, kwa maneno mazuri, maneno ya faraja.
So the Lord replied to the angel I was talking to with kind and comforting words.
14 Hivyo malaika aliyekuwa anaongea nami akaniambia, “Ita kwa sauti na useme 'Yahwe wa majeshi asema: Nina wivu kwa ajili ya Yerusalemu yaani Sayuni kwa uchungu mkubwa!
Then the angel I was talking with told me, This is what you are to announce. The Lord Almighty says this: I am jealously protective of Jerusalem and Mount Zion,
15 Nami nina hasira juu ya mataifa yaliyo na utulivu. Kwa maana nilikasirika kidogo tu, lakini wao wakasababisha madhara mabaya.
and I am extremely angry with the arrogant nations who think they are secure. I was only a little angry with my people, but they made the punishment far worse.
16 Kwa hiyo Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Nimeirudia Yerusalema kwa huruma. Hivyo nyumba yangu itajengwa ndani yake - asema Yahwe wa majeshi. Kipimo kitanyoshwa juu ya Yerusalemu!
Therefore this is what the Lord says: I have returned to be merciful to Jerusalem. My Temple shall be rebuilt there, as well as the city, declares the Lord Almighty.
17 Ita tena, ukisema, 'Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Miji yangu kwa mara nyingine itajawa na uzuri, na Yahwe ataifariji tena Sayuni, na kuichagua Yerusalemu kwa mara nyingine tena.”
Announce this as well, says the Lord Almighty: Prosperity will flood out of my cities. I the Lord will comfort Zion, and Jerusalem will be my chosen city.
18 Kisha nikainua macho na kuona pembe nne!
Then I looked and saw four animal horns.
19 Nikaongea na malaika aliyesema nami, “Hivi ni vitu gani? Akanijibu “hizi ni pembe zilisosababisha kutawanyika kwa Yuda, Israeli, na Yerusalemu.”
“What are these?” I asked the angel I was talking to. “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem,” he replied.
20 Kisha Yahwe akanionesha mafundi stadi wanne.
Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen.
21 Nikasema, “Watu hawa wanakuja kufanya nini?” Akajibu na kusema, “Hizi ni pembe zililoitawanya Yuda na hakuna mtu angeweza kuinua kichwa chake. Lakini watu hawa wanakuja kuziondoa, kutupa chini pembe za mataifa yaliyoinua nguvu zao kinyume cha nchi ya Yuda na kuisambaza.”
“What are these men coming to do?” I asked. The angel replied, “The four horns—these nations—scattered Judah, humbling the people so that they could not lift up their heads. These craftsmen have to come to terrify these nations, and to destroy them—those who used their power against the land of Judah, scattering the people.”
