UZakhariya 1

1 ¹Ngonyaka wesibili kaDariyusi, ngenyanga yesishiyagalombili, izwi likaBaba wethu lafika kuZakariya indodana kaBerekiya, indodana ka-Ido umprofethi, lathi: ²uBaba wethu wayebathukuthelele kakhulu okhokho benu.

³Ngakho batshele uthi: Nakhu okushiwo nguBaba wamabutho asezulwini: Buyelani kimi, kusho uBaba wamabutho asezulwini, nami ngiyakubuyela kini. Usho kanjalo uBaba wamabutho asezulwini. ⁴Ningabi njengokhokho benu. Abaprofethi bokuqala babememezela kubo bethi: Nakhu okushiwo nguBaba wamabutho asezulwini: Phendukani manje ezindleleni zenu ezimbi nasezenzweni zenu ezimbi. Kodwa abazange balalele futhi banginake, kusho uBaba wethu.

⁵Okhokho benu—baphi manje na? Nabaprofethi, baphila phakade na?

⁶Kodwa amazwi ami nezimiso zami, engayala ngazo izinceku zami abaprofethi—azange yini afice okhokho benu? Base bephenduka bathi, “Njengoba uBaba wamabutho asezulwini ayehlose ukusenza, ngokwezindlela zethu nangokwezenzo zethu, kanjalo usenzile.”

uBaba Uthumela Abagibeli Bakhe

⁷Ngosuku lwamashumi amabili nane lwenyanga yeshumi nanye, uShebati, ngonyaka wesibili kaDariyusi, izwi likaBaba wethu lafika kuZakariya indodana kaBerekiya, indodana ka-Ido umprofethi, lathi: ⁸Ebusuku ngaba nombono—bheka, kwakukhona indoda igibele ihhashi elibomvu, imi phakathi kwezihlahla zemitili esigodini, ngemuva kwayo kwakukhona amahhashi abomvu, ansundu, namhlophe. ⁹Ngabuza ngathi, “Ayini lawa, nkosi yami?” Ingelosi eyayikhuluma nami yathi, “Ngizakukukhombisa ukuthi ayini.”

¹⁰Indoda eyayiphakathi kwezihlahla zemitili yaphendula yathi, “Yilawa uBaba wethu awathuma ukuba ahambahambe emhlabeni.”

¹¹Abikela isithunywa sikaBaba wethu esasimi phakathi kwezihlahla zemitili athi, “Sihambahambe emhlabeni; umhlaba wonke uhlezi uphumule unokuthula.”

¹²Khona-ke isithunywa sikaBaba wethu sathi, “Baba wamabutho asezulwini, koze kube nini ugodla isihawu kulo iJerusalema nasemizini yakwaJuda, ubathukuthelele le minyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa na?”

¹³UBaba wethu wayesekhuluma amazwi amnene nawenduduzo kuyo ingelosi eyayikhuluma nami.

¹⁴Khona-ke ingelosi eyayikhuluma nami yathi, “Memezela uthi: Nakhu okushiwo nguBaba wamabutho asezulwini: Nginomhawu omkhulu ngeJerusalema neZiyoni,” ¹⁵kodwa ngizithukuthelele kakhulu izizwe ezizizwa zivikelekile; ngangithukuthele kancane nje, kodwa zona zengeza ekulimazeni. ¹⁶Ngakho uBaba wethu uthi: Ngizakubuyela eJerusalema ngesihawu; lapho indlu yami izakwakhiwa kabusha, kusho uBaba wamabutho asezulwini, nentambo yokulinganisa izakweluliwa phezu kweJerusalema.

¹⁷Memezela futhi uthi: Usho kanjalo uBaba wamabutho asezulwini: Imizi yami izakuphinde igcwale ukuchuma; uBaba wethu uzakuphinde aduduze iZiyoni, aphinde akhethe iJerusalema.

Izimpondo Nezingcweti

¹⁸Ngase ngiphakamisa amehlo, bheka, kwakukhona izimpondo ezine phambi kwami. ¹⁹Ngabuza ingelosi eyayikhuluma nami, “Ziyini lezi na?” Yathi, “Yilezi izimpondo ezahlakaza uJuda, u-Israyeli, neJerusalema.”

²⁰Khona-ke uBaba wethu wangikhombisa izingcweti ezine. ²¹Ngabuza ngathi, “Lezi zizela ukwenzani na?” Wathi, “Lezi zimpondo zahlakaza uJuda kangangokuba akekho owayengaphakamisa ikhanda lakhe; kodwa lezi zingcweti zize ukuzesabisa nokuwisa izimpondo izizwe ezaziziphakamisele ezweni lakwaJuda ukuze zilihlakaze.”