1 ¶ And it came to pass in the fourth year of King Darius that the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu;

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 w hen they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regemmelech and their men, to pray before the LORD

The people of Bethel sent Sharezer and Regem Melech, and their men, to entreat Yahweh’s favor,

3 a nd to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of the hosts and to the prophets, saying, Should we weep in the fifth month? Should we do abstinence as we have done these so many years?

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 T hen the word of the LORD of the hosts came unto me, saying,

Then the word of Yahweh of Armies came to me, saying,

5 S peak unto all the people of the land and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?

“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 A nd when ye ate, and when ye drank, did ye not eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?

When you eat, and when you drink, don’t you eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?

7 A re these not the words which the LORD has published by the former prophets when Jerusalem was inhabited and quiet and the cities thereof round about her and when the south and the plain were inhabited?

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 ¶ And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying,

Yahweh’s word came to Zechariah, saying,

9 T hus hath the LORD of the hosts spoken, saying, Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassion each one to his brother;

“Thus has Yahweh of Armies spoken, saying, ‘Execute true judgment, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother.

10 a nd do not oppress the widow nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

Don’t oppress the widow, nor the fatherless, the foreigner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.’

11 B ut they refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear.

But they refused to listen, and turned their backs, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.

12 Y ea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone lest they should hear the law and the words which the LORD of the hosts has sent by his Spirit by the hand of the former prophets; therefore came great wrath from the LORD of the hosts.

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 T herefore it is come to pass that as he cried and they would not hear, so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of the hosts:

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 b ut I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the Gentiles whom they did not know. Thus the land was desolate after them that no man passed through nor returned; for they laid the desirable land desolate.

“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.”