Zechariah 8
1 Yahweh gave me [another] message. He said,
Asafo Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn bio.
2 “This is what [I], the Commander of the armies of angels, say: ‘I love [the people of] Jerusalem; I love them very much, and I am very angry with their enemies.’
Yei ne deɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ: “Metwe Sion ho ninkunu pa ara; metwe ne ho ninkunu anibereɛ so.”
3 So this is what I say: ‘[Some day] I will return to Zion [Hill] and I will live there. [At that time, ] Jerusalem will be called the city [where people] (are faithful to/faithfully obey) me, and [people will say that Zion] Hill [is] holy because it is where the Commander of the armies of angels dwells.’”
Deɛ Awurade seɛ nie, “Mɛsane akɔ Sion na makɔtena Yerusalem. Afei wɔbɛfrɛ Yerusalem Nokorɛ Kuropɔn, na Asafo Awurade bepɔ no, wɔbɛfrɛ no Bepɔ Kronkron.”
4 The Commander of the armies of angels also says this: “[Some day] old men and old women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each of them holding a cane because of their being very old.
Deɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ nie: “Nkɔkoraa ne mmerewa bɛtenatena Yerusalem mmɔntene so bio a obiara kura poma, ɛsiane onyini enti.
5 And the city streets with be full of boys and girls playing.”
Na mmarimaa ne mmaayewa a wɔredi agorɔ bɛhyɛ kuropɔn no mmɔntene so ma.”
6 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “[When those things happen, ] it will seem marvelous to the people who are still alive, but it certainly will not [RHQ] seem marvelous to me!”
Deɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ nie: “Nkaeɛfoɔ yi deɛ, ɛbɛyɛ wɔn nwanwa saa ɛberɛ no, na me nso ɛbɛyɛ me nwanwa anaa?”
7 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “I will rescue my people from countries to the northeast and to the southwest [to which they were forced to go].
Deɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ nie: “Mɛgye me nkurɔfoɔ afiri aman a ɛwɔ apueeɛ ne atɔeɛ no so.
8 I will bring them back [to Judah], and they will [again] live in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will be faithful [to them] and act righteously [toward them].”
Mede wɔn bɛsane aba abɛtena Yerusalem; wɔbɛyɛ me nkurɔfoɔ, na mayɛ wɔn Onyankopɔn wɔ nokorɛ ne tenenee mu.”
9 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “When the foundation for my temple was laid, there were prophets there who proclaimed messages [from me]. Some of you heard what those prophets said. [So] be brave/courageous [MTY] [while you are building] the temple, in order that you may [finish] building it.
Deɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ nie: “Mo a afei na morete nsɛm a adiyifoɔ no kaeɛ no; adiyifoɔ a na wɔwɔ hɔ ɛberɛ a wɔtoo Asafo Awurade fie fapem no, monhyɛ mo ho den, na moatumi asi asɔredan no.
10 Before [you started to rebuild the temple], [no one could hire] men or animals [to work for them, because] there was no money to pay for them. And people were afraid to go anywhere because I had caused people to oppose each other, and [they thought that] there were enemies [everywhere].
Ɛberɛ no nnya nsoeɛ no, na wɔntua apaadie ho ka mma nnipa anaa mmoa. Atamfoɔ enti, na obiara ntumi nkɔ nʼadwuma so asomdwoeɛ mu, ɛfiri sɛ na mede mpaapaemu aba wɔn mu.
11 But now I will act differently toward [you] people who are still alive, [differently] than I did previously. [That is what I], the Commander of the armies of angels, say.
Nanso, afei deɛ, merenyɛ nkaeɛfoɔ yi sɛdeɛ meyɛɛ kane no,” sɛdeɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ nie.
12 [From now on, ] it will be peaceful when you plant [your seeds], and your grapevines will produce grapes, and good crops will grow in your fields. There will be rain. I will give all those things to [you] people who are still alive.
“Aba no bɛnyini yie, bobe bɛso nʼaba, asase no bɛbɔ nʼaduane na ɔsoro nso bɛtɔ ne bosuo. Mede saa nneɛma yi nyinaa bɛma nkaeɛfoɔ yi sɛ wɔn agyapadeɛ.
13 You [people of] Judah and Israel, [the people of other] nations have cursed you. But I will rescue you, and you will be a blessing [to the people of many nations. So] do not be afraid; work hard [MTY] [to finish building the temple].”
Mo, Yuda ne Israel, moayɛ nnome wɔ aman no mu, nanso mɛgye mo na moayɛ nhyira. Monnsuro, na monhyɛ mo ho den.”
14 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “When your ancestors caused me to become very angry, I decided to punish them. And I did not change my mind.
Deɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ nie: “Sɛdeɛ meyɛɛ mʼadwene sɛ mede atoyerɛnkyɛm bɛba mo so, na mannya ahummɔborɔ ɛberɛ a mo agyanom fuu me bo no,
15 But now [I will do something different]. I am planning to do good things to [the people of] Jerusalem and [other towns in] Judah. [So] do not be afraid.
saa ara na afei mayɛ mʼadwene sɛ, mɛyɛ Yerusalem ne Yuda yie. Monnsuro.
16 These are the things that you should do: [You should always] tell the truth to each other. In the courts, [your judges must] make decisions according to what is correct and fair.
Deɛ ɛsɛ sɛ moyɛ nie: Monni mo ho mo ho nokorɛ. Mommu atɛntenenee wɔ mo asɛnniiɛ;
17 Do not plan to do evil things to others, and do not falsely promise [to do things that you know that you will not do]. I hate all those things.”
mommmɔ po bɔne ntia mo ho mo ho, na monnnɔ ntam hunu. Mekyiri saa nneɛma yi nyinaa,” sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie.
18 The Commander of the armies of angels spoke to me [again].
Asafo Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn bio.
19 This is what he said: “The times when you people of Judah (fast/abstain from food) during the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months [of each year] will become good and very happy/joyful [DOU] festivals. But you must want [to speak] truthfully and [be] peaceful.”
Deɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ nie: “Abosome ɛnan, enum, nson ne edu mu mmuadadie no bɛyɛ anigyeɛ ne ahosɛpɛ mmerɛ, na ɛbɛyɛ anigyeɛ afahyɛ ama Yuda. Enti monnɔ nokorɛ ne asomdwoeɛ.”
20 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “[Some day] people from many [people-groups and foreign] cities will come [here to Jerusalem].
Deɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ nie, “Nnipa bebree ne wɔn a wɔtete nkuropɔn bebree so bɛba ara,
21 People from one city will go to [the people in] another [city] and say, ‘Let’s [go together to Jerusalem] to worship Yahweh and ask him to bless us; we [ourselves] are going.’
na nnipa a wɔfiri kuropɔn baako so bɛkɔ foforɔ so akɔka sɛ, ‘Momma yɛnkɔ seesei ara nkɔsrɛ Awurade na yɛnhwehwɛ Asafo Awurade. Me deɛ, merekɔ.’
22 And [people from] many people-groups and [from] powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to worship Yahweh and ask him to bless them.”
Na nnipa bebree ne aman akɛseɛ bɛba Yerusalem abɛhwehwɛ Asafo Awurade no, na wɔakoto asrɛ no.”
23 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “At that time, [this is what will happen everywhere]: A group of people from one nation or a group of people who speak another language will grab the fringe/edge of the robe of a Jew and say [to him], ‘We have heard [people say] that God is with you. So allow us to go with you [to Jerusalem to worship him].’”
Deɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ nie: “Nna no mu, nnipa edu a wɔka kasa ahodoɔ na wɔfiri aman ahodoɔ so bɛba abɛsɔ Yudani atadeɛ mmuano mu na wɔbɛka sɛ, ‘Wo ne yɛn nkɔ, ɛfiri sɛ yɛate sɛ Onyankopɔn ka wo ho.’”
