ZEḴARYAH 8

1 And the word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts came, saying,

2 “Thus said 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts, ‘I shall be jealous for Tsiyon with great jealousy, with great wrath I shall be jealous for her.’

3 “Thus said 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, ‘I shall return to Tsiyon, and I shall dwell in the midst of Yerushalayim. And Yerushalayim shall be called: City of the Truth, and the Mountain of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts, the Qodesh Mountain.’

4 “Thus said 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts, ‘Again old men and old women shall dwell in the streets of Yerushalayim, each one with his staff in his hand because of great age,

5 and the streets of the city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.’

6 “Thus said 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts, ‘If it is marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in My eyes?’ declares 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts.

7 “Thus said 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts, ‘See, l am saving My people from the land of the sunrise and from the land of the sunset.

8 ‘And I shall bring them back, and they shall dwell in the midst of Yerushalayim. And they shall be My people, and I shall be their Elohim, in truth and in righteousness.’

9 “Thus said 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts, ‘Let your hands be strong, you who are listening in these days to these words, from the mouth of the neḇi’im, of the day the foundation was laid for the House of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts, the Hĕyḵal that was to be rebuilt.

10 ‘For before these days there was not a wage for a man, nor a hire for beast, and there was no peace for him who went out or came in, because of his enemies, and I turn all men one against another.

11 ‘But now I am not as in the former days to the remnant of this people,’ declares 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts.

12 ‘Because of the sowing of peace the vine gives its fruit, the ground gives her increase, and the shamayim give their dew. And I shall cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these.

13 ‘And it shall be, as you were a curse among the gentiles, O house of Yahuḏah and house of Yisra’ĕl, so I shall save you, and you shall be a beraḵah. Do not fear, let your hands be strong.’

14 “For thus said 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts, ‘As I purposed to do evil to you when your fathers provoked Me,’ declares 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts, ‘and I did not relent,

15 so again in these days I have purposed to do good to Yerushalayim and to the house of Yahuḏah. Do not fear!

16 ‘These are the words you should do: speak the truth to one another, judge with truth and Right-Ruling for peace in your gates.

17 ‘And do not plot evil in your heart against another, and do not love a false oath. For all these I hate,’ declares 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.”

18 And the word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts came to me, saying,

19 “Thus said 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts, ‘The fast of the fourth, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, are to be joy and gladness, and pleasant Appointed Times for the house of Yahuḏah – and they shall love the truth and the peace.’

20 “Thus said 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts, ‘Peoples shall yet come, inhabitants of many cities,

21 and the inhabitants of the one go to another, saying, “Let us earnestly go and pray before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and seek 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts. I myself am going.”

22 ‘And many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts in Yerushalayim, and to pray before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.’

23 “Thus said 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all languages of the nations take hold, they shall take hold of the edge of the garment of a man, a Yahuḏi, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that Elohim is with you.” ’ ”