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.
Bara Daariyoos Mootichaa keessa waggaa afuraffaatti, bultii afuraffaa jiʼa saglaffaa, jiʼa Kaaseluu jedhamu keessa dubbiin Waaqayyoo gara Zakkaariyaas dhufe.
2 The people of Bethel sent Sharezer and Regem Melech and their men to entreat the LORD’s favour,
Namoonni Beetʼeel akka isaan Waaqayyoon kadhataniif Sharezerii fi Reege-Meleekin namoota isaanii wajjin ergan;
3 and to speak to the priests of the house of the LORD of Hosts and to the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?”
kunis akka isaan, “Ani akkuman waggoota hedduu godhe sana ammas jiʼa shanaffaa keessa gaddee soomuu qabaa?” jedhanii luboota mana qulqullummaa Waaqayyo Waan Hunda Dandaʼuutii fi raajota gaafataniif.
4 Then the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying,
Dubbiin Waaqayyo Waan Hunda Dandaʼuu akkana jedhee gara koo dhufe;
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?
“Uummata biyya kanaatii fi luboota hunda akkana jedhii gaafadhu; ‘Isin waggoota torbaataman darban yeroo jiʼa shanaffaa fi torbaffaa keessa soomtanii gadditanitti dhugumaan anaaf soomtanii?
6 When you eat and when you drink, don’t you eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?
Yeroo nyaattanii fi dhugdanittis ofuma keessaniif nyaattanii dhugdan mitii?
7 Aren’t 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?’”
Dubbiin kun isa Waaqayyo gaafa Yerusaalemii fi magaalaawwan naannoo ishee nagaa fi badhaadhummaadhaan jiraatanitti, yeroo Negeebii fi gaarran lixaa bira namoonni jiraachaa turanitti karaa raajota isaa kanneen duriitiin dubbate mitii?’”
8 The LORD’s word came to Zechariah, saying,
Dubbiin Waaqayyoo ammas akkana jedhee gara Zakkaariyaas dhufe:
9 “Thus has the LORD of Hosts spoken, saying, ‘Execute true judgement, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother.
“Waaqayyo Waan Hunda Dandaʼu akkana jedha: ‘Murtii qajeelaadhaan bulchaa; waliif araaramaa; garaas walii laafaa.
10 Don’t oppress the widow, the fatherless, the foreigner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.’
Isin haadha hiyyeessaa yookaan ijoollee abbaa hin qabne yookaan alagaa yookaan hiyyeeyyii hin hacuucinaa. Garaa keessanitti hammina walitti hin yaadinaa.’
11 But they refused to listen, and turned their backs, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.
“Isaan garuu dhagaʼuu didan; mataa jabinaanis dugda isaanii itti gatanii gurra isaanii cuqqaallatan.
12 Yes, they made their hearts as hard as flint, lest they might hear the law and the words which the LORD of Hosts had sent by his Spirit by the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from the LORD of Hosts.
Isaan garaa isaanii akkuma dhagaa jabeeffatanii seera yookaan dubbii Waaqayyo Waan Hunda Dandaʼu karaa raajota isaa kanneen duriitiin Hafuura isaatiin erge dhaggeeffachuu didan. Kanaafuu Waaqayyo Waan Hunda Dandaʼu akka malee aare.
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 Hosts;
“‘Yeroo ani waametti, isaan na hin dhaggeeffanne; kanaafuu yoo isaan na waammatan ani isaan hin dhaggeeffadhu’ jedha Waaqayyo Waan Hunda Dandaʼu.
14 “but I will scatter them with a whirlwind amongst 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.”
‘Ani bubbeedhaan saba isaan hin beekne hunda gidduutti isaan nan bittinneesse. Biyyi isaanii hamma namni itti galuu fi keessaan darbu tokko iyyuu dhabamutti isaan booddee ni onte. Isaan akkasiin biyya namatti toltu sana onsan.’”
