Zekaria 1

1 Katika mwezi wa nane wa mwaka wa pili wa utawala wa Mfalme Dario, neno la Bwana lilimjia nabii Zekaria mwana wa Berekia, mwana wa Ido, kusema:

In the eighth month, in the second year of Daryavesh, the word of Jehovah came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying,

2 “Bwana aliwakasirikia sana baba zako wa zamani.

"Jehovah was very displeased with your fathers.

3 Kwa hiyo waambie watu: Hivi ndivyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asemavyo: ‘Nirudieni mimi,’ asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, ‘nami nitawarudia ninyi,’ asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.

Therefore tell them: Thus says Jehovah of hosts: 'Return to me,' says Jehovah of hosts, 'and I will return to you,' says Jehovah of hosts.

4 Msiwe kama baba zenu, ambao manabii waliotangulia waliwatangazia: Hivi ndivyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asemavyo: ‘Geukeni, mziache njia zenu mbaya na matendo yenu maovu.’ Lakini hawakunisikiliza wala kufuata maelekezo yangu, asema Bwana.

Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying: Thus says Jehovah of hosts, 'Return now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings;' but they did not hear, nor listen to me, says Jehovah.

5 Wako wapi baba zako sasa? Nao manabii, je, wanaishi milele?

Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?

6 Je, maneno yangu na amri zangu nilizowaagiza manabii watumishi wangu, hayakuwapata baba zenu?” “Kisha walitubu na kusema, ‘Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ametutenda sawasawa na njia zetu na matendo yetu yalivyostahili, kama alivyokusudia kufanya.’”

But my words and my statutes, which I commanded by my Spirit to my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? Then they repented and said, 'Just as Jehovah of hosts determined to do to us, according to our ways, and according to our practices, so he has dealt with us.'"

7 Katika siku ya ishirini na nne ya mwezi wa kumi na moja, yaani mwezi uitwao Shebati, katika mwaka wa pili wa utawala wa Mfalme Dario, neno la Bwana lilimjia nabii Zekaria mwana wa Berekia mwana wa Ido.

On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Daryavesh, the word of Jehovah came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying,

8 Wakati wa usiku nilipata maono, mbele yangu alikuwepo mtu akiendesha farasi mwekundu! Alikuwa amesimama katikati ya miti ya mihadasi kwenye bonde. Nyuma yake walikuwepo farasi wekundu, wa kikahawia na weupe.

"I had a vision in the night, and look, a man riding on a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in a ravine; and behind him there were red, brown, and white horses.

9 Nikauliza, “Hivi ni vitu gani bwana wangu?” Malaika aliyekuwa akizungumza na mimi akanijibu, “Nitakuonyesha kuwa ni nini.”

Then I asked, 'My lord, what are these?'" The angel who talked with me said to me, "I will show you what these are."

10 Kisha yule mtu aliyesimama katikati ya miti ya mihadasi akaeleza, “Ni wale ambao Bwana amewatuma waende duniani kote.”

The man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said to me, "They are the ones Jehovah has sent to go back and forth through the earth."

11 Nao wakatoa taarifa kwa yule malaika wa Bwana, aliyekuwa amesimama katikati ya miti ya mihadasi, “Tumepita duniani kote na kukuta ulimwengu wote umepumzika kwa amani.”

They reported to the angel of Jehovah who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, "We have walked back and forth through the earth, and look, all the earth is at rest and in peace."

12 Kisha malaika wa Bwana akasema, “Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, utazuia mpaka lini rehema kutoka Yerusalemu na miji ya Yuda, ambayo umeikasirikia kwa miaka hii sabini?”

Then the angel of Jehovah replied, "Jehovah of hosts, how long will you not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which you have had indignation these seventy years?"

13 Kwa hiyo Bwana akazungumza maneno ya upole na ya kufariji kwa malaika aliyezungumza nami.

Jehovah answered the angel who talked with me with kind and comforting words.

14 Kisha malaika yule aliyekuwa akizungumza nami akasema, “Tangaza neno hili: Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asemalo: ‘Nina wivu sana kwa ajili ya Yerusalemu na Sayuni,

So the angel who talked with me said to me, "Proclaim, saying, 'Thus says Jehovah of hosts: "I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.

15 lakini nimeyakasirikia sana mataifa yanayojisikia kuwa yako salama. Nilikuwa nimewakasirikia Israeli kidogo tu, lakini mataifa hayo yaliwazidishia maafa.’

I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for I was but only a little angry, but they added to the calamity."

16 “Kwa hiyo, hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana: ‘Nitairudia Yerusalemu kwa rehema na huko nyumba yangu itajengwa tena. Nayo kamba ya kupimia itanyooshwa Yerusalemu,’ asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.

Therefore thus says Jehovah: "I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy. My house will be built in it," says Jehovah of hosts, "and a line shall be stretched forth over Jerusalem."'

17 “Endelea kutangaza zaidi kwamba: Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: ‘Miji yangu itafurika tena ustawi na Bwana atamfariji tena Sayuni na kumchagua Yerusalemu.’”

"Proclaim further, saying, 'Thus says Jehovah of hosts: "My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and Jehovah will again comfort Zion, and will again choose Jerusalem."'"

18 Kisha nikatazama juu, na pale mbele yangu nikaona pembe nne!

I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and look, four horns.

19 Nikamuuliza yule malaika aliyekuwa akizungumza nami, “Ni nini hivi?” Akanijibu, “Hizi ni zile pembe zilizowatawanya Yuda, Israeli na Yerusalemu.”

I asked the angel who talked with me, "What are these?" He answered me, "These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."

20 Kisha Bwana akanionyesha mafundi wanne.

Jehovah showed me four craftsmen.

21 Nikauliza, “Hawa wanakuja kufanya nini?” Akanijibu, “Hizi ndizo pembe zilizowatawanya Yuda ili asiwepo atakayeweza kuinua kichwa chake, lakini mafundi wamekuja kuzitia hofu na kuzitupa chini hizi pembe za mataifa ambayo yaliinua pembe zao dhidi ya nchi ya Yuda na kuwatawanya watu wake.”

Then I asked, "What are these coming to do?" He said, "These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head; but these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations, which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it."