1
Neno la Bwana wa majeshi likanijia, kusema,
Again the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying:
2
Bwana wa majeshi asema hivi, Mimi nina wivu kwa ajili ya Sayuni, wivu mkuu, nami nina wivu kwa ajili yake kwa ghadhabu kuu.
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “I am jealous for Zion with great zeal; I am jealous for her with great fervor.”
3
Bwana asema hivi, Mimi nimerudi Sayuni, nami nitakaa katikati ya Yerusalemu; na Yerusalemu utaitwa, Mji wa kweli; na Mlima wa Bwana wa majeshi utaitwa, Mlima mtakatifu.
This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.”
4
Bwana wa majeshi asema hivi, Wazee wanaume na wazee wanawake watakaa tena katika njia za Yerusalemu, kila mtu ana mkongojo wake mkononi, kwa kuwa ni mzee sana.
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Old men and old women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each with a staff in hand because of great age.
5
Na hizo njia za mji zitajaa wavulana, na wasichana, wakicheza katika njia zake.
And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing there.”
6
Bwana wa majeshi asema hivi, Ingawa hili ni neno lililo gumu mbele ya macho ya mabaki ya watu hawa katika siku hizo, je! Liwe neno gumu mbele ya macho yangu? Asema Bwana wa majeshi.
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “If this is impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be impossible in My eyes?” declares the LORD of Hosts.
7
Bwana wa majeshi asema hivi, Tazama, nitawaokoa watu wangu toka nchi ya mashariki, na toka nchi ya magharibi;
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west.
8
nami nitawaleta, nao watakaa katikati ya Yerusalemu; nao watakuwa watu wangu, nami nitakuwa Mungu wao, katika kweli na katika haki.
I will bring them back to dwell in Jerusalem, where they will be My people, and I will be their faithful and righteous God.”
9
Bwana wa majeshi asema hivi, Mikono yenu na iwe hodari, ninyi mnaosikia siku hizi maneno haya kwa vinywa vya manabii, waliokuwapo siku hiyo ulipowekwa msingi wa nyumba ya Bwana wa majeshi; yaani, hekalu hilo; ili lijengwe.
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Let your hands be strong, you who now hear these words spoken by the prophets who were present when the foundations were laid to rebuild the temple, the house of the LORD of Hosts.
10
Maana kabla ya siku zile hapakuwa na ijara kwa mwanadamu, wala hapakuwa na ijara kwa mnyama; wala hapakuwa na amani kwake yeye aliyetoka, wala kwake yeye aliyeingia, kwa sababu ya adui; nami nalimwacha kila mtu kugombana na jirani yake.
For before those days neither man nor beast received wages, nor was there safety from the enemy for anyone who came or went, for I had turned every man against his neighbor.
11
Lakini sasa sitakuwa kwa mabaki ya watu hawa kama nilivyokuwa siku zile za kwanza, asema Bwana wa majeshi.
But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as I did in the past,” declares the LORD of Hosts.
12
Kwa maana itakuwako mbegu ya amani; mzabibu utatoa matunda yake, nayo ardhi itatoa mazao yake, na hizo mbingu zitatoa umande wake; nami nitawarithisha mabaki ya watu hawa vitu hivi vyote.
“For the seed will be prosperous, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will yield its produce, and the skies will give their dew. To the remnant of this people I will give all these things as an inheritance.
13
Kisha itakuwa, kama vile mlivyokuwa laana katika mataifa, Ee nyumba ya Yuda, na nyumba ya Israeli, ndivyo nitakavyowaokoa, nanyi mtakuwa baraka; msiogope, lakini mikono yenu na iwe hodari.
As you have been a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid; let your hands be strong.”
14
Maana Bwana wa majeshi asema hivi, Kama vile nilivyoazimia kuwatenda ninyi mabaya, baba zenu waliponikasirisha, asema Bwana wa majeshi, wala mimi sikujuta;
For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Just as I resolved to bring disaster upon you when your fathers provoked Me to anger, and I did not relent,” says the LORD of Hosts,
15
vivyo hivyo nimeazimia katika siku hizi kuutendea Yerusalemu mema, na nyumba ya Yuda pia; msiogope.
“so now I have resolved to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid.
16
Haya ndiyo mtakayoyatenda; kila mtu na aseme kweli na jirani yake; hukumuni kweli na hukumu ya amani malangoni mwenu;
These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another, render true and sound judgments in your gates,
17
wala mtu wa kwenu asiwaze mabaya moyoni mwake juu ya jirani yake; wala msipende kiapo cha uongo; maana hayo yote ndiyo niyachukiayo, asema Bwana.
do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely, for I hate all these things,” declares the LORD.
18
Tena neno la Bwana wa majeshi likanijia, kusema,
Then the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying,
19
Bwana wa majeshi asema hivi, Saumu ya mwezi wa nne, na saumu ya mwezi wa tano, na saumu ya mwezi wa saba, na saumu ya mwezi wa kumi, zitakuwa furaha na shangwe, na sikukuu za kuchangamkia, kwa nyumba ya Yuda; basi zipendeni kweli na amani.
“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: The fasts of the fourth, the fifth, the seventh, and the tenth months will become times of joy and gladness, cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore you are to love both truth and peace.”
20
Bwana wa majeshi asema hivi, Itatokea halafu ya kwamba watakuja mataifa na wenyeji wa miji mingi;
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Peoples will yet come—the residents of many cities—
21
wenyeji wa mji huu watauendea mji huu, wakisema, Haya! Twendeni zetu kwa haraka tuombe fadhili za Bwana, na kumtafuta Bwana wa majeshi; Mimi nami nitakwenda.
and the residents of one city will go to another, saying: ‘Let us go at once to plead before the LORD and to seek the LORD of Hosts. I myself am going.’
22
Naam, watu wa kabila nyingi na mataifa hodari watakuja Yerusalemu kumtafuta Bwana wa majeshi, na kuomba fadhili za Bwana.
And many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Hosts in Jerusalem and to plead before the LORD.”
23
Bwana wa majeshi asema hivi, Siku hizo watu kumi, wa lugha zote za mataifa, wataushika upindo wa nguo yake yeye aliye Myahudi; naam, wataushika wakisema, Tutakwenda pamoja nanyi, kwa maana tumesikia kwamba Mungu yu pamoja nanyi.
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue will tightly grasp the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”