A call to return to the Lord
1In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo:
2‘The Lord was very angry with your ancestors. 3Therefore tell the people: this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Return to me,” declares the Lord Almighty, “and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. 4Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.” But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. 5Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live for ever? 6But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors?
‘Then they repented and said, “The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.” ’
The man among the myrtle trees
7On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo.
8During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.
9I asked, ‘What are these, my lord?’
The angel who was talking with me answered, ‘I will show you what they are.’
10Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, ‘They are the ones the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth.’
11And they reported to the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, ‘We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace.’
12Then the angel of the Lord said, ‘Lord Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years?’ 13So the Lord spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.
14Then the angel who was speaking to me said, ‘Proclaim this word: this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion, 15and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they went too far with the punishment.”
16‘Therefore this is what the Lord says: “I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,” declares the Lord Almighty.
17‘Proclaim further: this is what the Lord Almighty says: “My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.” ’
Four horns and four craftsmen
18Then I looked up, and there before me were four horns. 19I asked the angel who was speaking to me, ‘What are these?’
He answered me, ‘These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.’
20Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21I asked, ‘What are these coming to do?’
He answered, ‘These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no-one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people.’1:21 In Hebrew texts 1:18-21 is numbered 2:1-4.
Yuda Abwerera kwa Yehova
1Mwezi wachisanu ndi chitatu, mʼchaka chachiwiri cha ulamuliro wa Dariyo, Yehova anayankhula ndi mneneri Zekariya mwana wa Berekiya, mwana wa Ido, kuti:
2“Yehova anakwiya kwambiri ndi makolo anu. 3Choncho awuze anthuwa kuti, ‘Yehova Wamphamvuzonse akuti, ‘Bwererani kwa Ine,’ akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse. ‘Ndipo Ine ndidzabwerera kwa inu,’ akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse. 4Musakhale ngati makolo anu, amene aneneri akale anawalalikira kuti: Yehova Wamphamvuzonse akuti, ‘Tsopano lekani njira zanu zoyipa ndi machitidwe anu oyipawo.’ Koma iwo sanamvere kapena kulabadira za Ine, akutero Yehova. 5Kodi makolo anuwo ali kuti tsopano? Nanga aneneri, kodi amakhalapo mpaka muyaya? 6Kodi mawu anga ndi malangizo anga, amene ndinawawuza atumiki anga aneneri, suja anawachitira makolo anu?
“Tsono iwo analapa ndi kunena kuti, ‘Yehova Wamphamvuzonse watichitira zomwe zikuyenera njira zathu ndi machitidwe athu, monga anatsimikiza kuti adzachita.’ ”
Munthu Pakati pa Mitengo ya Mchisu
7Tsiku la 24 la mwezi wa 11, mwezi wa Sebati, chaka chachiwiri cha ulamuliro wa Dariyo, Yehova anayankhula ndi Zekariya mwana wa Berekiya, mwana wa Ido.
8Nthawi ya usiku ndinaona masomphenya. Ndinaona munthu atakwera pa kavalo wofiira. Iye anayima pakati pa mitengo ya mchisu mʼchigwa. Kumbuyo kwake kunali akavalo ofiira, akhofi ndi oyera.
9Ine ndinafunsa kuti, “Mbuye wanga, kodi zimenezi ndi chiyani?”
Mngelo amene amayankhula nane anayankha kuti, “Ndidzakuonetsa kuti zimenezi ndi chiyani.”
10Pamenepo munthu amene anayima pakati pa mitengo ya mchisu anafotokoza kuti, “Amenewa ndiwo amene Yehova wawatuma kuti ayendere dziko lonse lapansi.”
11Ndipo okwera pa akavalo enawo anafotokoza kwa mngelo wa Yehova, amene anayima pakati pa mitengo ya mchisu kuti, “Ife tayendera dziko lonse lapansi ndipo tapeza kuti dziko lonselo lili pa bata ndi mtendere.”
12Tsono mngelo wa Yehova anati, “Yehova Wamphamvuzonse, kodi mpaka liti mudzakhala osaonetsa chifundo chanu kwa Yerusalemu ndi mizinda ya Yuda, amene mwawakwiyira kwa zaka izi 70?” 13Choncho Yehova anayankhula mawu abwino ndi achitonthozo kwa mngelo amene ankayankhula nane.
14Pamenepo mngelo amene ankayankhula nane anati, “Lengeza mawu awa: Yehova Wamphamvuzonse akuti, ‘Ine ndikuchitira nsanje Yerusalemu ndi Ziyoni, 15koma ndakwiya kwambiri ndi anthu a mitundu ina amene akuganiza kuti ali pa mtendere. Ndinakwiyira anthu anga pangʼono pokha, koma iwo anawonjeza kuzunza anthu angawo.’
16“Choncho, Yehova akuti, ‘Ndidzabwerera ku Yerusalemu ndi mtima wachifundo, nyumba yanga adzayimanganso kumeneko. Ndipo adzatenganso chingwe choyezera kuti amange Yerusalemu,’ akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse.
17“Lengezanso kuti, Yehova Wamphamvuzonse akuti, ‘Mizinda yanga idzakhalanso ndi zokoma zosefukira ndipo Yehova adzatonthoza Ziyoni ndi kusankhanso Yerusalemu.’ ”
Nyanga Zinayi ndi Amisiri Azitsulo Anayi
18Kenaka ndinayangʼananso, ndipo patsogolo panga panali nyanga zinayi. 19Ndinamufunsa mngelo amene amayankhula nane kuti, “Kodi zimenezi ndi chiyani?”
Iye anandiyankha kuti, “Izi ndi nyanga zimene zinabalalitsa Yuda, Israeli ndi Yerusalemu.”
20Kenaka Yehova anandionetsa amisiri azitsulo anayi. 21Ndinafunsa kuti, “Amisiri a zitsulowa akudzachita chiyani?”
Iye anayankha kuti, “Izi ndi nyanga zimene zinabalalitsa Yuda kotero kuti panalibe wina amene akanalimbana nazo, koma amisiri a zitsulowa abwera kudzaziopseza ndi kugwetsa nyanga zimenezi za mitundu ya anthu amene analimbana ndi dziko la Yuda ndi kubalalitsa anthu ake.”
