The Lord's Promises to Zion
1 The Lord All-Powerful said to me:
2 I love Zion so much that her enemies make me angry. 3 I will return to Jerusalem and live there on Mount Zion. Then Jerusalem will be known as my faithful city, and Zion will be known as my holy mountain.
4 Very old people with walking sticks will once again sit around in Jerusalem, 5 while boys and girls play in the streets. 6 This may seem impossible for my people who are left, but it isn't impossible for me, the Lord All-Powerful. 7 I will save those who were taken to lands in the east and the west, 8 and I will bring them to live in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, faithful to bring about justice.
9 I am the Lord All-Powerful! So don't give up. Think about the message my prophets spoke when the foundation of my temple was laid. 10 Before that time, neither people nor animals were rewarded for their work, and no one was safe anywhere, because I had turned them against each other.
11 My people, only a few of you are left, and I promise not to punish you as I did before. 12 Instead, I will make sure that your crops are planted in peace and your vineyards are fruitful, that your fields are fertile, and the dew falls from the sky. 13 People of Judah and Israel, you have been a curse to the nations, but I will save you and make you a blessing to them. So don't be afraid or lose courage.
14 When your ancestors made me angry, I decided to punish you with disasters, and I didn't hold back. 15 Now you no longer need to be afraid. I have decided to treat Jerusalem and Judah with kindness. 16 But you must be truthful with each other, and in court you must give fair decisions that lead to peace. 17 Don't ever plan evil things against others or tell lies under oath. I, the Lord, hate such things.
A Time of Celebration
18 The Lord All-Powerful told me to say:
19 People of Judah, I, the Lord, demand that whenever you go without food as a way of worshiping me, it should become a time of celebration. No matter if it's the fourth month, the fifth month, the seventh month, or the tenth month, you should have a joyful festival. So love truth and live at peace.
20 I tell you that people will come here from cities everywhere. 21 Those of one town will go to another and say, “We're going to ask the Lord All-Powerful to treat us with kindness. Come and join us.”
22 Many people from strong nations will come to Jerusalem to worship me and to ask me to treat them with kindness. 23 When this happens, ten people from nations with different languages will grab a Jew by his clothes and say, “Let us go with you. We've heard that God is on your side.” I, the Lord All-Powerful, have spoken!
Muhona ma kwizike okuyarura kOjerusalem
1 Muhona Omunamasaaehe wa yandja ombuze ndji ku Sakaria a tja: 2 “Ami mba zera okuvatera Jerusalem, tjinga ambi norusuvero orunene tjinene kovature vatjo, indwi orusuvero ndwe ndji pa omazenge novanavita na tjo. 3 Ami me yaruka kOjerusalem, otjihuro tjandje otjiyapuke, nu me katura ngo. Otjo matji tjiukwa otja otjihuro otjiṱakame, nu ondundu ya Muhona Omunamasaaehe mai isanewa kutja ondundu ondjapuke. 4 Ovakururume novakurukaze mba kurupa tjinene nai nga tji ve ṱaṱera kouti mave haama rukwao motupare twotjihuro. 5 Nu nomivanda vyatjo mamu nyandere ovanatje ovengi, ovazandu novakazona.
6 “Otjiṋa hi matji munika aayo otjikumise kovandu mba votjiwaṋa hi nambano mba hupa, nungwari otjo katjikumise ku ami. 7 Ami me yama otjiwaṋa tjandje komahi ku tja twarewa, 8 nu meve kotora okuza komuhuka na kongurova kutja ve ye okutura mOjerusalem. Owo mave rire otjiwaṋa tjandje, nami me rire Ndjambi wawo ngu meve honaparere nouṱakame nousemba.
9 “Panḓipareye! Eṋe nambano mamu zuu omambo tjingewo nga hungirirwe i ovaprofete moruveze ndwi omazikameno wokutungurura ondjuwo yandje tji ya utwa. 10 Komurungu woruveze ndo omundu kaa munu ondjambi moviungura vye, nu kapa ri ovikurya kovinamuinyo; pa ri oumba ku ngamwa auhe wokurwisiwa i omunavita na ye. Ami mba handjisa ovandu kutja ve rwisasane. 11 Nungwari nambano ovandu mba votjiwaṋa hi mba hupa, meve ṱunu omuhingo warwe. 12 Owo mave kunu ovikunwa vyawo mohange. Omivite vyawo mavi eta omandjembere. Ehi mari hapisa ovihape, nu maku roko ombura onyingi tjinene. Ami me yandja ozondaya azehe nḓa kovandu votjiwaṋa tjandje mba sewa po. 13 Vajuda nOvaisrael! Momayuva nga kapita ovandu wozonganda aave sengasana nai: ‘Otjiwonga tjingetjo tji tja wire kombanda ya Juda na Israel, wina ngatji wire kombanda yeṋu!’ Nungwari ami me mu yama, nu tjazumba ovandu wozonganda mba mave mu sengi ave tja: ‘Ondaya tjingeyo ndji ndje ya kehi ra Juda nora Israel wina ngai yandjewe ku eṋe.’ Panḓipareye nu amu tira!”
14 Muhona Omunamasaaehe ma tja nai: “Ooiho mukururume tji ve ndji pindikisa, ami mbe ve tyera otjiwonga, nu hi rundururire omeripura wandje, nungwari mbe ye yenenisa. 15 Nambano ami me tye okusera ovature va Jerusalem nOvajuda ondaya. Nu amu tira. 16 Oviṋa mbi mwa sokutjita ovyo mbi: Serekarerasaneye ouatjiri; mozombanguriro pangureye nousemba, imbwi ousemba mbu eta ohange. 17 Amu ripura omihingo vyokuhihamisasana; amu yana omahongonona woposyo. Ami mba tonda ovizeze nouhasemba nozondjito zoutwe.”
18 Muhona Omunamasaaehe wa yandja ombuze ndji ku Sakaria: 19 “Omeritjaerero kovikurya nga tjitwa momueze outjaine noutjatano noutjahambombari noutjamurongo maye rire omayuva omanene wondjoroka nowenyando kotjiwaṋa tja Juda. Opu mamu sokusuvera ouatjiri nohange.”
20 Muhona Omunamasaaehe ma tja nai: “Omayuva maye ya oviwaṋa ovingi novature vovihuro ovinene mu mave ya kOjerusalem. 21 Imba mbu mave zu kotjihuro tjimwe mave tja ku imba mbu mave zu kotjihuro tjarwe: ‘Eṱe matu kerikotamene ku Muhona Omunamasaaehe nu atu kakumbira ondaya ye. Indjeye puna eṱe!’ 22 Oviwaṋa ovingi nomihoko ominamasa mavi ya kOjerusalem okurikotamena ku Muhona Omunamasaaehe nokukumbira ondaya ye. 23 Momayuva ngo ovandu wozonganda omurongo mave ya kOmujuda umwe ave tja: ‘Matu vanga okurikuta kuna eṋe, tjinga atwa zuva kutja Ndjambi u ri puna eṋe!’ ”
