UZAKARIYA 7

₁Ke kaloku ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo lafikela uZakariya ngomhla wesine kwinyanga yethoba uKislevu, kunyaka wesine wolawulo lukakumkani uDariyo. ₂Abantu baseBhetele bathumela uSherezere noRegem-meleki namanye amadoda ukuba baye endlwini kaNdikhoyo, bathandazele intsikelelo kaNdikhoyo, ₃babuze kubabingeleli bendlu kaNdikhoyo onamandla onke *nakubashumayeli, bathi: “Ngaba kusafuneka siqhubele phambili silile, sizile nokutya na, nangale yesihlanu inyanga, njengoko siqhele ukwenza iminyaka ngeminyaka?”

₄Ilizwi likaNdikhoyo onamandla onke lafika kum lisithi: ₅“Baxelele bonke abantu beli lizwe, ngokunjalo nababingeleli, uthi: ‘Ngokuya benizila ukutya nilila kwinyanga yesihlanu neyesixhenxe, kule minyaka imashumi asixhenxe idlulileyo, ngaba benizila ukutya nizilela mna ngqo? ₆Xa benisitya nisela beningenzeli ezenu iziqu isidlo? ₇Asingawo la amazwi kaNdikhoyo awabhengezwa ngabashumayeli bamandulo, xenikweni iJerusalem needolophu eziyingqongileyo bezimiwe ngabantu zinenkqubela, nditsho zona kunye nelasezantsi namathambeka asentshonalanga?’ ”

₈Ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo liphinde lafika kuZakariya lisithi: ₉“Utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke ukuthi: ‘Wisani izigwebo ezinyanisekileyo, nenzelane ububele nenceba omnye nomnye. ₁₀Musani ukubacinezela abahlolokazi neenkedama, ngokunjalo nabangeneleli kunye namahlwempu, ningayili ububi ezintliziyweni zenu omnye komnye.’

₁₁“Kodwa zange bavume ukundiphulaphula, suka baneenkani, bandifulathela, neendlebe zabo bazivingca. ₁₂Ewe, iintliziyo zabo zasuka zaba lukhuni okwenyengane, abavuma ukuwaphulaphula amazwi kaNdikhoyo onamandla onke, lawo wayewathumele ngoMoya wakhe *kubashumayeli bamandulo. Ngoko ke uNdikhoyo onamandla onke waba nomsindo.

₁₃“UNdikhoyo onamandla onke uthi: ‘Ndathi ndakuthetha abaphulaphula; ngoko ke nabo bathi bakukhala andasabela. ₁₄Ndasuka ndabachitha-chitha ngesaqhwithi, bathi saa ezizweni, baba ziimbacu. Ilizwe labo lasala libharhile, kungekho nomntu lo ongenayo nophumayo. Kwaba njalo ke ukulibharhisa kwabo ilizwe elihle.’ ”