1 In the fourth year of king Darius, Yahweh’s word came to Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Chislev. 2 The people of Bethel sent Sharezer and Regem Melech and their men to entreat Yahweh’s favor, 3 and to speak to the priests of the house of Yahweh of Armies and to the prophets, saying, "Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?"

4 Then the word of Yahweh of Armies came to me, saying, 5 "Speak to all the people of the land and to the priests, saying, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month for these seventy years, did you at all fast to me, really to me? 6 When you eat and when you drink, don’t you eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves? 7 Aren’t these the words which Yahweh proclaimed by the former prophets when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and its cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?’"

8 Yahweh’s word came to Zechariah, saying, 9 "Thus has Yahweh of Armies spoken, saying, ‘Execute true judgment, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother. 10 Don’t oppress the widow, the fatherless, the foreigner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.’ 11 But they refused to listen, and turned their backs, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear. 12 Yes, they made their hearts as hard as flint, lest they might hear the law and the words which Yahweh of Armies had sent by his Spirit by the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from Yahweh of Armies. 13 It has come to pass that, as he called and they refused to listen, so they will call and I will not listen," said Yahweh of Armies; 14 "but I will scatter them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they have not known. Thus the land was desolate after them, so that no man passed through nor returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate."

1 大利乌王第四年九月， 就是基斯流月初四日， 耶和华的话临到撒迦利亚。

2 那时， 伯特利人差派了沙利色、利坚米勒和他的随从， 去恳求耶和华施恩。

3 他们询问万军之耶和华殿里的众祭司， 以及众先知说： "我们还要在五月哭泣和禁食， 像我们这许多年来所行的吗？"

4 万军之耶和华的话临到我， 说：

5 "你要告诉这地的人民和祭司说： ‘这七十年来， 你们在五月和七月禁食哀哭， 岂是真的为我禁食呢？

6 你们吃， 你们喝， 岂不是为你们自己吃， 为你们自己喝吗？

7 这些话耶和华不是曾借着从前的先知宣告了吗？那时， 耶路撒冷和四围的城镇都有人居住， 很是兴旺， 南地和高地都有人居住。’"

8 耶和华的话又临到撒迦利亚说：

9 "万军之耶和华曾这样告诉你们的列祖说： ‘你们要执法公正， 各人要以慈爱和怜悯待自己的兄弟。

10 寡妇、孤儿、寄居的和贫穷人， 你们都不可欺压， 也不可各自心里图谋恶事， 陷害自己的兄弟。’

11 但他们不肯听从， 反而硬着颈项， 充耳不闻。

12 他们使自己的心刚硬如金钢石， 不肯听从律法和万军之耶和华借着他的灵、透过从前的先知所说的话。因此， 万军之耶和华非常忿怒。

13 我曾呼唤他们， 他们不听； 照样， 将来他们呼求我， 我也不听。这是万军之耶和华说的。

14 我用旋风把他们吹散到他们不认识的列国去， 他们留下的地就荒凉了， 以致无人来往经过， 因为他们使这美好之地变为荒凉了。"