Zechariah 1
1 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:
Ngenyanga yesificaminwemibili yomnyaka wesibili kaDariyu, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kumphrofethi uZakhariya indodana kaBherekhiya, indodana ka-Ido lisithi:
2 The Lord was very angry with your forefathers.
“UThixo wazondiswa kakhulu ngokhokho benu.
3 So tell the people this: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty.
Ngakho tshela abantu uthi: Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla: ‘Buyelani kimi,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla, ‘lami ngizabuya kini,’ utsho njalo uThixo uSomandla.
4 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.
Lingabi njengabokhokho benu, okwatsho kubo abaphrofethi bamandulo, bathi: Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Phendukani ezindleleni zenu zobubi lezenzo zenu ezimbi.’ Kodwa kabafunanga ukulalela loba ukukunanza okwakutshiwo, kutsho uThixo.
5 Where are your forefathers now? And the prophets, did they live forever?
Bangaphi manje okhokho benu na? Bona abaphrofethi kambe baphila okungapheliyo na?
6 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.”
Kodwa amazwi ami lemithetho yami engangilaye ngakho izinceku zami abaphrofethi kakuzange kuze kubafice yini okhokho benu? Kwayikhona bephenduka besithi, ‘UThixo uSomandla wenzile kithi okufanele izindlela zethu lezenzo njengalokho amisa ukukwenza.’”
7 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:
Ngelanga lamatshumi amabili lane ngenyanga yetshumi lanye, inyanga uShebhathi, ngomnyaka wesibili kaDariyu, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kumphrofethi uZakhariya indodana kaBherekhiya, indodana ka-Ido.
8 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.
Ebusuku ngafikelwa ngumbono, khonapho phambi kwami kwakulendoda egade ibhiza elibomvu! Yayimi phakathi kwezihlahla zomethile edongeni. Ngemva kwayo kwakulamanye amabhiza, elibomvu, eliyinsundu lelimhlophe.
9 I asked him, “My lord, what are these?” The angel I was talking to replied, “I will show you.”
Ngayibuza ngathi, “Kuyini lokhu, nkosi yami na?” Ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami yaphendula yathi, “Ngizakutshengisa ukuthi kuyini.”
10 The man who was there among the myrtle trees said, “These are the ones the Lord has sent out to patrol the earth.”
Kwasekusithi leyondoda eyayimi ezihlahleni zomethile yachaza yathi, “Laba yibo uThixo abathumileyo ukuba bahambe emhlabeni wonke.”
11 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.”
Basebebika engilosini kaThixo eyayimi phakathi kwezihlahla zomethile bathi, “Sesiwuhambile wonke umhlaba safumana ukuthi ilizwe lihlezi kuhle phakathi kokuthula.”
12 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?”
Ingilosi kaThixo yasisithi, “Thixo Somandla, koze kube nini ulokhu ugodla isihawu sakho phezu kweJerusalema lamadolobho akoJuda olokhu uwathukuthelele yonke iminyaka le engamatshumi ayisikhombisa?”
13 So the Lord replied to the angel I was talking to with kind and comforting words.
Ngakho uThixo wasekhuluma amazwi omusa, aduduzayo kuleyongilosi eyayikhuluma lami.
14 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,
Kwasekusithi ingilosi eyayikhuluma lami yathi, “Memezela leli ilizwi: Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Ngilobukhwele ngeJerusalema leZiyoni,
15 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.
kodwa ngizondile ngalezozizwe ezihlezi zanaba zaziba. Ngangithukuthele kancane kodwa zawengezelela lowo monakalo.’
16 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.
Ngakho-ke nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Ngizabuya eJerusalema ngilomusa, khonapho indlu yami izakwakhiwa kutsha. Intambo yesilinganiso izakwelulwa eJerusalema,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
17 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.
Memezela njalo uthi: Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla, uthi: ‘Amadolobho ami azaphinda njalo aphuphume ngenotho, njalo uThixo uzaphinda ayiduduze iZiyoni, ayikhethe iJerusalema.’”
18 Then I looked and saw four animal horns.
Ngase ngiphakamisa amehlo ami, phambi kwami kwakulempondo ezine!
19 “What are these?” I asked the angel I was talking to. “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem,” he replied.
Ngabuza ingilosi leyo eyayikhuluma lami, ngathi, “Kuyini lokhu?” Yaphendula yathi, “Lezi yizo impondo ezachitha uJuda, lo-Israyeli leJerusalema.”
20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen.
UThixo wasengitshengisa abakhandi abane.
21 “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.”
Ngabuza ngathi, “Laba bazekwenzani na?” Waphendula wathi, “Lezi yimpondo ezachitha uJuda ukuze angabikhona ovusa ikhanda, kodwa abakhandi balande ukuxegisa amadolo abo, bazilahlele phansi impondo lezi ezezizwe ezaphakamisa impondo zazo phezu kwelizwe lakoJuda ukuchitha abantu balo.”
