Zechariah 8

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

Neno la Yahwe wa majeshi likanijia kusema,

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

“Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Nina huzuni kwa ajili ya Sayuni kwa wivu mkuu na ninamaumivu kwa hasira nyingi!

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.

Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Nitairudia Sayuni nami nitakaa kati ya Yerusalemu, kwa kuwa Yerusalemu itaitwa mji wa kweli na mlima wa Yahwe wa majeshi utaitwa Mlima Mtakatifu!

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.

Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Kwa mara nyingine tena kutakuwa na vikongwe katika mitaa ya Yerusalemu, na kila mtu ataitaji mkongojo mkononi mwake kwa vile alivyo mzee.

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

Pia mitaa ya mji itajazwa na vijana wa kiume na kike wachezao.

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.

Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: ikiwa jambo laonekana haliwezekani katika macho ya masalia ya watu hawa katika siku hizo, je haliwezekani pia machoni pangu? - asema Yahwe.

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

Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Tazama, nipo tayari kuwaokoa watu wangu kutoka nchi ya mawio na ya machweo ya jua!

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.

Kwa maana nitawarudisha tena, nao wataishi ndani ya Yerusalemu, hivyo watakuwa watu wangu tena, nami nitakuwa Mungu wao katika kweli na utakatifu!

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.

Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Ninyi mnaoendelea kusikia maneno yaleyale yaliyotoka katika vinywa vya manabii msingi wa nyumba yangu ulipowekwa - hii nyumba yangu, Yahwe wa majeshi: Itieni nguvu mikono yenu ili hekalu lijengwe.

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.

Kwani kabla ya siku hizo hakuna mazao yaliyokusanywa na yeyote ndani yake, hakukuwa na faida siyo kwa mtu hata mnyama, na hakukuwa na amani kutoka kwa adui kwa kila aliyekwenda au kuja. Nilimfanya kila mtu kuwa kinyume cha mwenzake.

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

Lakini sasa haitakuwa kama mwanzo, nitakuwa pamoja na masalia ya watu hawa - asema Yahwe wa majeshi.

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.

Kwani mbegu za amani zitapandwa; mzabibu unaokua utatoa matunda yake na nchi itatoa mazao yake; anga zitatoa umande, kwa maana nitawapa masalia ya watu hawa kumilki haya yote.

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.

Ulikuwa mfano wa laana kwa mataifa mengine, enyi nyumba ya Yuda na nyumba ya Israeli. Hivyo nitawaokoa nanyi mtakuwa baraka. Msiogope; haya mikono yenu itiwe nguvu!

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:

Kwa maana Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Kama nilivyopanga kuwatenda mabaya babu zenu walipochokoza hasira yangu - asema Yahwe wa majeshi - na wala sikujuta,

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

ndivyo nitakavyoazimia kuutenda mema tena Yerusalemu na nyumba ya Yuda katika siku hizi! Msiogope!

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:

Haya ndiyo mambo mnayopaswa kufanya: Kasemeni kweli, kila mtu na jirani yake. Hukumuni kwa haki, usawa na amani katika malango yenu.

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.

Na asiwepo miongoni mwenu anayeazimu uovu moyoni mwake dhidi ya jirani yake, wala kuvutwa na viapo vya uongo; kwani haya yote ndiyo mambo ninayoyachukia! - asema Yahwe.”

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

Kisha neno la Yahwe wa majeshi likanijia kusema,

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.

“Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Mifungo ya mwezi wa nne, mwezi wa tano, mwezi wa saba na mwezi wa kumi itakuwa nyakati za furaha ya kila aina, kwa nyumba ya Yuda! Kwa hiyo pendeni kweli na amani!

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

Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Watu watakuja tena, hata wanaoishi miji mingine.

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.

Watu wa mji mmoja watakwenda mji mwingine na kusema, “Haya twendeni haraka mbele ya Yahwe tukaombe na kumtafuta Yahwe wa majeshi! Sisi wenyewe tunakwenda pia.

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

Watu wengi na mataifa yenye nguvu yatakuja kumtafuta Yahwe wa majeshi huko Yerusalemu na kuomba upendeleo kwa Yahwe!

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.

Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Katika siku hizo watu kumi kutoka katika kila lugha na taifa watashika upindo wa kanzu zenu na kusema, “Haya sisi nasi tutakwenda pamoja nanyi, kwani tumesikia kwamba Mungu yu pamoja nayi!”