UZekhariya 7

1 Kwasekusithi ngomnyaka wesine kaDariyusi inkosi, ilizwi leNkosi lafika kuZekhariya ngolwesine lwenyanga yesificamunwemunye, kuKisilevi.

And it came to pass in the fourth year of Darius the king, [that] the word of the Lord came to Zacharias on the fourth [day] of the ninth month, which is Chaseleu.

2 Sebethume endlini kaNkulunkulu oSharezeri loRegem-Meleki lamadoda akhe, ukuyacela ubuso beNkosi,

And Sarasar and Arbeseer the king and his men sent to Bethel, and [that] to propitiate the Lord,

3 ukukhuluma kubapristi ababesendlini yeNkosi yamabandla, lakubaprofethi, besithi: Ngikhale inyembezi yini ngenyanga yesihlanu, ngokuzehlukanisa, njengoba ngenzile okweminyaka le engaka?

speaking to the priests that were in the house of the Lord Almighty, and to the prophets, saying, The holy offering has come in hither in the fifth month, as it has done already many years.

4 Laselifika kimi ilizwi leNkosi yamabandla, lisithi:

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

5 Khuluma ebantwini bonke belizwe, lakubapristi, usithi: Lapho lazila ukudla lalila ngenyanga yesihlanu leyesikhombisa, ngitsho leyominyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa, lazila lokuzila kimi, ngitsho kimi yini?

Speak to the whole people of the land, and to the priests, saying, Though you fasted or lamented in the fifth or seventh [months] (yes, behold, these seventy years) have you at all fasted to me?

6 Lalapho lisidla, lalapho linatha, bekungayisini yini elidlayo, lina-ke elinathayo?

And if you eat or drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves?

7 Kakusiwo amazwi iNkosi eyawamemeza ngesandla sabaprofethi bokuqala yini, lapho iJerusalema yahlalwa iphumelela, lemizi yayo inhlangothi zonke zayo, lapho ihlalwa iningizimu legceke?

Are not these the words which the Lord spoke by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and her cities round about her, and the hill country and the low country was inhabited?

8 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kuZekhariya, lisithi:

And the word of the Lord came to Zacharias, saying,

9 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, isithi: Yahlulelani isahlulelo esiqotho, lenze umusa lezihawu, ngulowo lalowo kumfowabo.

Thus says the Lord Almighty; Judge righteous judgment, and deal mercifully and compassionately every one with his brother:

10 Lingacindezeli umfelokazi, lentandane, owemzini, lomyanga; linganakani okubi enhliziyweni yenu ngulowo emelene lomfowabo.

and oppress not the widow, or the fatherless, or the stranger, or the poor; and let not one of you remember in his heart the injury of his brother.

11 Kodwa bala ukulalela, banika ihlombe elenkani, benza indlebe zabo zaba nzima, ukuze bangezwa.

But they refused to attend, and madly turned their back, and made their ears heavy, so that they should not hear.

12 Yebo, benza inhliziyo yabo yaba njengelitshe elilukhuni, ukuze bangawuzwa umlayo, lamazwi iNkosi yamabandla eyayiwathumeze ngomoya wayo ngesandla sabaprofethi bokuqala. Ngakho kwaba khona intukuthelo enkulu ivela eNkosini yamabandla.

And they made their heart disobedient, so as not to listen to my law, and the words which the Lord Almighty sent forth by his Spirit by the former prophets: so there was great wrath from the Lord Almighty.

13 Ngakho sekwenzakele, njengoba yamemeza, kabaze bezwa; ngokunjalo bamemeza, kangaze ngezwa, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.

And it shall come to pass, [that] as he spoke, and they listened not, so they shall cry, and I will not listen, says the Lord Almighty.

14 Kodwa ngabahlakaza ngesivunguzane phakathi kwezizwe zonke ababengazazi. Ngakho ilizwe lachithakala emva kwabo, ukuze kungabi khona odlulayo lophendukayo; ngoba benza ilizwe eliloyisekayo laba yincithakalo.

And I will cast them out among all the nations, whom they know not; and the land behind them shall be made utterly destitute of any going through or returning: yes they have made the choice land a desolation.