Zechariah 8

1 Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,

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

2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.

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

3 Thus saith the LORD; I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.

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.’

4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.

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.

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

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

6 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it is marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in my eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.

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.

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

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

8 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.

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.

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

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.

10 For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.

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 neighbor.

11 But now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts.

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

12 For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.

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.

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

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.

14 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not:

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,

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

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

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

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

17 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 the LORD.

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.

18 And the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,

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

19 Thus saith the LORD 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 feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.

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.

20 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities:

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

21 And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also.

and the inhabitants of one city will go to another, saying, “Let us go speedily to entreat the favor of the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; I will go also.”

22 And many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.

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

23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men out of all languages of the nations, shall take hold, 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.

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.”