Zechariah 7

1 In the fourth year of King Darius, the LORD’s word came to Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Chislev.

大流士王第四年九月，就是基斯流月初四日，耶和華的話臨到撒迦利亞。

2 The people of Bethel sent Sharezer and Regem Melech and their men to entreat the LORD’s favor,

那時伯特利人已經打發沙利色和利堅米勒，並跟從他們的人，去懇求耶和華的恩，

3 and to speak to the priests of the house of the LORD of Armies and to the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?”

並問萬軍之耶和華殿中的祭司和先知說：「我歷年以來，在五月間哭泣齋戒，現在還當這樣行嗎？」

4 Then the word of the LORD of Armies came to me, saying,

萬軍之耶和華的話就臨到我說：

5 “Speak to all the people of the land and to the priests, saying, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month for these seventy years, did you at all fast to me, really to me?

「你要宣告國內的眾民和祭司，說：『你們這七十年，在五月、七月禁食悲哀，豈是絲毫向我禁食嗎？

6 When you eat and when you drink, do not you eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?

你們吃喝，不是為自己吃，為自己喝嗎？

7 Are not these the words which the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and its cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?’”

當耶路撒冷和四圍的城邑有居民，正興盛，南地高原有人居住的時候，耶和華藉從前的先知所宣告的話，你們不當聽嗎？』」

8 The LORD’s word came to Zechariah, saying,

耶和華的話又臨到撒迦利亞說：

9 “Thus has the LORD of Armies spoken, saying, ‘Execute true judgment, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother.

「萬軍之耶和華曾對你們的列祖如此說：『要按至理判斷，各人以慈愛憐憫弟兄。

10 Do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the foreigner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.’

不可欺壓寡婦、孤兒、寄居的，和貧窮人。誰都不可心裏謀害弟兄。』」

11 But they refused to listen, and turned their backs, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.

他們卻不肯聽從，扭轉肩頭，塞耳不聽，

12 Yes, they made their hearts as hard as flint, lest they might hear the law and the words which the LORD of Armies had sent by his Spirit by the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from the LORD of Armies.

使心硬如金鋼石，不聽律法和萬軍之耶和華用靈藉從前的先知所說的話。故此，萬軍之耶和華大發烈怒。

13 It has come to pass that, as he called and they refused to listen, so they will call and I will not listen,” said the LORD of Armies;

萬軍之耶和華說：「我曾呼喚他們，他們不聽；將來他們呼求我，我也不聽！

14 “but I will scatter them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they have not known. Thus the land was desolate after them, so that no man passed through nor returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate.”

我必以旋風吹散他們到素不認識的萬國中。這樣，他們的地就荒涼，甚至無人來往經過，因為他們使美好之地荒涼了。」