Zechariah 8

1 Now this message of the Lord of hosts came to me:

And the word of Jehovah of hosts came [unto me], saying,

2 The Lord of hosts says: I passionately care for Zion, and I am fiercely protective of her.

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great fury.

3 The Lord says, I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and Jerusalem will be called, “The City of Truth” and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, “The Holy Mountain.”

Thus saith Jehovah: I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem shall be called, The city of truth; and the mountain of Jehovah of hosts, The holy mountain.

4 The Lord of hosts says: Old men and old women will sit again in the squares of Jerusalem, each leaning on a staff because of old age.

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: There shall yet old men and old women sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each one with his staff in his hand for multitude of days.

5 And the streets of the city will be full of boys, and of girls playing in its squares.

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

6 The Lord of hosts says: Just because it seems impossible to the remnant of this people in these days, is it also impossible for me? says the Lord of hosts.

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: If it be wonderful in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be wonderful in mine eyes? saith Jehovah of hosts.

7 The Lord of hosts says: I will rescue my people from the land of the east and the land of the west.

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

8 I will bring them and they will live in Jerusalem, and they will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness.

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 The Lord of hosts says: Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days the words of the prophets spoken when the foundations for the house of the Lord of hosts were laid.

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, that were in the day that the foundation of the house of Jehovah of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.

10 For before those days there were no wages for people or animals. No one could go out or return safe from enemies, because I set each against their neighbour.

For before those days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; and there was no peace for him that went out or that came in, because of the distress: for I let loose all men, every one against his neighbour.

11 But now I will treat the remnant of the people differently from former days, says the Lord of hosts.

But now I will not be unto the remnant of this people as in the former days, saith Jehovah of hosts;

12 Peace will be sown. The vine will bear its fruit and the ground will yield its produce, and the skies will give their dew. I will give the remnant of this people all these things.

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

13 Just as you were accursed among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.

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

14 For the Lord of hosts says: As I planned to do evil to you when your ancestors provoked me to anger, says the Lord of hosts, and I did not relent,

For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Like as I thought to do you evil when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I repented not;

15 so again have I planned in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not be afraid.

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

16 These are the things that you should do: Speak the truth to each other. Render peaceful decisions in your gates.

These are the things that ye shall do: Speak truth every one with his neighbour; execute truth and the judgment of peace in your gates;

17 Let none of you devise evil in your heart against one another. Do not love perjury. All these are things I hate, says the Lord.

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

18 And this message of the Lord of hosts came to me:

And the word of Jehovah of hosts came unto me, saying,

19 The Lord of hosts says: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, will be festivals of joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.

Thus saith Jehovah 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 gatherings. Love ye then truth and peace.

20 The Lord of hosts says: Peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities will come,

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Yet again shall there come peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities;

21 and the inhabitants of one city will go to another, saying, ‘Let us go speedily to entreat the favour of the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; I will go also.’

and the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to supplicate Jehovah, and to seek Jehovah of hosts: I will go also.

22 Many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favour of the Lord.

And many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem, and to supplicate Jehovah.

23 The Lord of hosts says: In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: In those days shall ten men take hold, out of all languages of the nations, 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.