Zekaria 1

1 Katika mwezi wa nane mwaka wa pili wa kutawala kwake Dario, neno la Yahwe lilimjia nabii Zekaria, mwana wa Berekia mwana wa Ido, kusema,

In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, hath a word of Jehovah been unto Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, the prophet, saying:

2 “Yawhe alikuwa na hasira sana juu ya baba zenu!

'Jehovah was wroth against your fathers — wrath!

3 Wambie, 'Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Nirudieni! - nami nitawarudia ninyi, asema Yahwe wa majeshi.

And thou hast said unto them, Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, turn back unto Me, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, And I turn back unto you, said Jehovah of Hosts.

4 Msiwe kama baba zenu ambao hapo zamani manabii waliwambia, wakisema, “Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Geukeni kutoka katika njia zenu za mbaya na matendo yenu mabaya!” Lakini hawakuweza kusikia wala kunijari - asema Yahwe.'

Ye shall not be as your fathers, To whom the former prophets called, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, Turn back I pray you, From your evil ways and from your evil doings, And they did not hearken, Nor attend to Me — an affirmation of Jehovah.

5 Wako wapi baba zenu? Na manabii, je wapo hapa daima?

Your fathers — where [are] they? And the prophets — to the age do they live?

6 Lakini maneno yangu na maagizo niliyowaamru watumishi wangu manabii, je hayakuwapata baba zenu? Hivyo walitubu na kusema, 'Kama vile Yahwe wa majeshi alivyokusudia kututenda kwa kadili zinavyostahili njia na matendo yetu, ndivyo alivyotutenda.”

Only, My words, and My statutes, That I commanded My servants the prophets, Have they not overtaken your fathers, And they turn back and say: As Jehovah of Hosts designed to do to us, According to our ways, and according to our doings, So He hath done to us?'

7 Katika siku ya ishirini na nne ya mwezi wa kumi na moja, ndiyo mwezi wa Shebati, mwaka wa pili wa utawala wa Dario, neno la Yahwe lilimjia nabii Zekaria mwana wa Berekia mwana wa Ido, akasema,

On the twenty and fourth day of the eleventh month, (it [is] the month of Sebat, ) in the second year of Darius, hath a word of Jehovah been unto Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, the prophet, saying:

8 “niliona wakati wa usiku, na tazama! mtu alikuwa amepanda farasi mwekundu, naye alikuwa kati ya miti ya mihadasi iliyoko bondeni; na nyuma yake kulikuwa na farasi mwekundu, farasi wa kijivu, na farasi mweupe.”

I have seen by night, and lo, one riding on a red horse, and he is standing between the myrtles that [are] in the shade, and behind him [are] horses, red, bay, and white.

9 Nikauliza, “Bwana, hivi ni vitu gani?” Malaika aliyesema nami akaniambia, “Nitakueleza vitu hivi ni nini.”

And I say, 'What [are] these, my lord?' And the messenger who is speaking with me saith unto me, 'I — I do shew thee what these [are].'

10 Kisha mtu aliyesimama kati ya miti ya mihadasi akajibu na kusema, “Hawa ndiyo Yahwe aliowatuma kuzunguka katika dunia yote.”

And the one who is standing between the myrtles doth answer and say, 'These [are] they whom Jehovah hath sent to walk up and down in the land.'

11 Wakamjibu malaika wa Yahwe aliyekuwa amesimama kati ya miti ya mihadasi na kumwambia, “Tumekuwa tukizunguka duniani pote; tazama, dunia yote imekaa na kutulia.”

And they answer the messenger of Jehovah who is standing between the myrtles, and say, 'We have walked up and down in the land, and lo, all the land is sitting still, and at rest.'

12 Ndipo malaika wa Yahwe alipojibu na kusema, “Yahwe wa majeshi, hata lini usiuhurumie Yerusalemu na miji ya Yuda ambayo imeteswa na kudhurumiwa miaka hii sabini?”

And the messenger of Jehovah answereth and saith, 'Jehovah of Hosts! till when dost Thou not pity Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, that Thou hast abhorred these seventy years?'

13 Yahwe akamjibu malaika aliyekuwa amesema nami, kwa maneno mazuri, maneno ya faraja.

And Jehovah answereth the messenger, who is speaking with me, good words, comfortable words.

14 Hivyo malaika aliyekuwa anaongea nami akaniambia, “Ita kwa sauti na useme 'Yahwe wa majeshi asema: Nina wivu kwa ajili ya Yerusalemu yaani Sayuni kwa uchungu mkubwa!

And the messenger who is speaking with me, saith unto me, 'Call, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: I have been zealous for Jerusalem, and for Zion [with] great zeal.

15 Nami nina hasira juu ya mataifa yaliyo na utulivu. Kwa maana nilikasirika kidogo tu, lakini wao wakasababisha madhara mabaya.

And [with] great wrath I am wroth against the nations who are at ease, For I was a little wroth, and they assisted — for evil.

16 Kwa hiyo Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Nimeirudia Yerusalema kwa huruma. Hivyo nyumba yangu itajengwa ndani yake - asema Yahwe wa majeshi. Kipimo kitanyoshwa juu ya Yerusalemu!

Therefore, thus said Jehovah: I have turned to Jerusalem with mercies, My house is built in it, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, And a line is stretched over Jerusalem.

17 Ita tena, ukisema, 'Yahwe wa majeshi asema hivi: Miji yangu kwa mara nyingine itajawa na uzuri, na Yahwe ataifariji tena Sayuni, na kuichagua Yerusalemu kwa mara nyingine tena.”

Again call, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, Again do my cities overflow from good, And Jehovah hath again comforted Zion, And He hath fixed again on Jerusalem.'

18 Kisha nikainua macho na kuona pembe nne!

And I lift up mine eyes, and look, and lo, four horns.

19 Nikaongea na malaika aliyesema nami, “Hivi ni vitu gani? Akanijibu “hizi ni pembe zilisosababisha kutawanyika kwa Yuda, Israeli, na Yerusalemu.”

And I say unto the messenger who is speaking with me, 'What [are] these?' And he saith unto me, 'These [are] the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.'

20 Kisha Yahwe akanionesha mafundi stadi wanne.

And Jehovah doth shew me four artisans.

21 Nikasema, “Watu hawa wanakuja kufanya nini?” Akajibu na kusema, “Hizi ni pembe zililoitawanya Yuda na hakuna mtu angeweza kuinua kichwa chake. Lakini watu hawa wanakuja kuziondoa, kutupa chini pembe za mataifa yaliyoinua nguvu zao kinyume cha nchi ya Yuda na kuisambaza.”

And I say, 'What [are] these coming in to do?' And He speaketh, saying: 'These [are] the horns that have scattered Judah, so that no one hath lifted up his head, and these come in to trouble them, to cast down the horns of the nations who are lifting up a horn against the land of Judah — to scatter it.'