Sakaria 8

1 Asafo Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn bio.

Again the word of the LORD of hosts came [to me], saying,

2 Sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade se: “Metwe Sion ho ninkunu pa ara; metwe ne ho ninkunu anibere so.”

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.

3 Nea Awurade se ni, “Mɛsan akɔ Sion na makɔtena Yerusalem. Afei wɔbɛfrɛ Yerusalem Nokware Kuropɔn, na Asafo Awurade bepɔw no, wɔbɛfrɛ no Bepɔw Kronkron.”

Thus saith the LORD; I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.

4 Nea Asafo Awurade se ni: “Nkwakoraa ne mmerewa bɛtenatena Yerusalem mmɔnten so bio a obiara kura pema, esiane onyin nti.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.

5 Na mmarimaa ne mmeawa a wɔredi agoru bɛhyɛ kuropɔn no mmɔnten so ma.”

And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.

6 Nea Asafo Awurade se ni: “Nkae no de, ɛbɛyɛ wɔn nwonwa saa bere no, na me nso ɛbɛyɛ me nwonwa ana?”

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.

7 Nea Asafo Awurade se ni: “Megye me nkurɔfo afi aman a ɛwɔ apuei ne atɔe no so.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;

8 Mede wɔn bɛsan aba abɛtena Yerusalem; wɔbɛyɛ me nkurɔfo, na mayɛ wɔn Nyankopɔn wɔ nokware ne trenee mu.”

And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

9 Nea Asafo Awurade se ni: “Mo a afei na morete nsɛm a adiyifo no kae no; adiyifo a na wɔwɔ hɔ bere a wɔtoo Asafo Awurade fi fapem no, monhyɛ mo ho den, na moatumi asi asɔredan no.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, who [were] in the day [when] the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.

10 Bere no nnya nsoe no, na wontua apaade mma nnipa anaa mmoa. Atamfo nti, na obiara ntumi nkɔ nʼadwuma so asomdwoe mu, efisɛ na mede mpaapaemu aba wɔn mu.

For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither [was there any] peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbor.

11 Nanso afei de, merenyɛ nkae yi sɛnea meyɛɛ kan no,” sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni.

But now I [will] not [be] to the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts.

12 “Aba no benyin yiye, bobe bɛsow nʼaba, asase no bɛbɔ nʼaduan na ɔsoro nso bɛtɔ ne bosu. Mede saa nneɛma yi nyinaa bɛma nkae yi sɛ wɔn agyapade.

For the seed [shall be] prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these [things].

13 Mo, Yuda ne Israel, moayɛ nnome wɔ aman no mu, nanso megye mo na moayɛ nhyira. Munnsuro, na monhyɛ mo ho den.”

And it shall come to pass, [that] as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, let your hands be strong.

14 Nea Asafo Awurade se ni: “Sɛnea meyɛɛ mʼadwene sɛ mede atoyerɛnkyɛm bɛba mo so, na mannya ahummɔbɔ bere a mo agyanom fuw me bo no,

For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not;

15 saa ara na afei mayɛ mʼadwene sɛ mɛyɛ Yerusalem ne Yuda yiye. Munnsuro.

So again have I thought in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.

16 Nea ɛsɛ sɛ moyɛ ni: Munni mo ho mo ho nokware. Mummu atɛntrenee wɔ mo asennii;

These [are] the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:

17 mommmɔ pɔw bɔne ntia mo ho mo ho, na monnnɔ ntam hunu. Mikyi saa nneɛma yi nyinaa,” sɛnea Awurade se ni.

And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these [are things] that I hate, saith the LORD.

18 Asafo Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn bio.

And the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,

19 Nea Asafo Awurade se ni: “Asram anan, anum, ason ne du mu mmuadadi no bɛyɛ anigye ne ahosɛpɛwmmere, na ɛbɛyɛ anigye afahyɛ ama Yuda. Enti monnɔ nokware ne asomdwoe.”

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth [month], and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.

20 Nea Asafo Awurade se ni, “Nnipa bebree ne wɔn a wɔtete nkuropɔn bebree so bɛba ara,

Thus saith the LORD of hosts: [It shall] yet [come to pass], that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities:

21 na nnipa a wofi kuropɔn baako so bɛkɔ foforo so akɔka se, ‘Momma yɛnkɔ mprempren ara nkɔsrɛ Awurade na yɛnhwehwɛ Asafo Awurade. Me de, merekɔ.’

And the inhabitants of one [city] shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also.

22 Na nnipa bebree ne aman akɛse bɛba Yerusalem abɛhwehwɛ Asafo Awurade no, na wɔakotow asrɛ no.”

And many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.

23 Nea Asafo Awurade se ni: “Nna no mu, nnipa du a wɔka kasa ahorow na wofi aman ahorow so bɛba abeso Yudani atade mmuano mu, na wɔbɛka se, ‘Wo ne yɛn nkɔ, efisɛ yɛate sɛ Onyankopɔn ka wo ho.’”

Thus saith the LORD of hosts: In those days [it shall come to pass], that ten men out of all languages of the nations, shall take hold, shall even take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard [that] God [is] with you.