And it happenedוַיְהִיin the fourthבִּ אַרְבַּעyearשְׁנַתof Dariusלְדָרְיָוֶשׁthe kingהַמֶּלֶךְthat the wordדְבַרof YHWHיְהוָהcameהָיָהtoאֶלZechariahזְכַרְיָהon the fourthבְּאַרְבָּעָהday of the ninthלַ הַתְּשִׁעִיmonth,חֹדֶשׁin Chislev.בְּכִסְלֵו
And Bethelוַ בֵּית אֵלsentיִּשְׁלַחSharezerשַׂר אֶצֶרand Regem-melechוְרֶגֶם מֶלֶךְand his menוַאֲנָשָׁיוto imploreלְחַלּוֹתthe faceפְּנֵיof YHWH,יְהוָה
to speakלֵאמֹרtoאֶלthe priestsהַכֹּהֲנִיםwhoאֲשֶׁרbelonged to the houseלְבֵיתof YHWHיְהוָהTsevaotצְבָאוֹתand toוְאֶלthe prophets,הַנְּבִיאִיםsaying,לֵאמֹר“Shall I weepהַאֶבְכֶּהin the fifthבַּ הַחֲמִשִׁיmonth,חֹדֶשׁabstaining,הִנָּזֵרasכַּאֲשֶׁרI have doneעָשִׂיתִיtheseזֶהso manyכַּמֶּהyears?”שָׁנִים
And the wordוַ דְּבַרof YHWHיְהוָהTsevaotצְבָאוֹתcameיְהִיto me,אֵלַיsaying,לֵאמֹר
“Sayאֱמֹרtoאֶלallכָּלthe peopleעַםof the landהָאָרֶץand toוְאֶלthe priests,הַכֹּהֲנִיםsaying,לֵאמֹרWhenכִּיyou fastedצַמְתֶּםand lamentedוְסָפוֹדin the fifthבַּחֲמִישִׁיand in the seventh,וּבַשְּׁבִיעִיand thisוְזֶהfor seventyשִׁבְעִיםyears,שָׁנָהdid you truly fastהֲצוֹם צַמְתֻּfor me,נִיfor me?אָנִי
And whenוְכִיyou eatתֹאכְלוּand whenוְכִיyou drink,תִשְׁתּוּis it notהֲלוֹאyouאַתֶּםwho eat,הָאֹכְלִיםand youוְאַתֶּםwho drink?הַשֹּׁתִים
Are notהֲלוֹאthese the wordsהַדְּבָרִיםthatאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהproclaimedקָרָאthroughבְּיַדthe formerהָרִאשֹׁנִיםprophets,הַנְּבִיאִיםwhen Jerusalemבִּהְיוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַםwas inhabitedיֹשֶׁבֶתand at ease,וּשְׁלֵוָהand its citiesוְעָרֶיaround it,הָ סְבִיבֹתֶיהָand the Negevוְהַנֶּגֶבand the Shephelahוְהַשְּׁפֵלָהwere inhabited?”יֹשֵׁב
And the wordוַ דְּבַרof YHWHיְהוָהcameיְהִיtoאֶלZechariah,זְכַרְיָהsaying,לֵאמֹר
“ThusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWHיְהוָהTsevaot,צְבָאוֹתsaying:לֵאמֹרJudgeשְׁפֹטוּwith judgmentמִשְׁפַּטof truth,אֱמֶתand practiceעֲשׂוּloyal loveוְחֶסֶדand mercyוְרַחֲמִיםeachאִישׁwith his brother;אֶת אָחִיו
and the widowוְאַלְמָנָהand the orphan,וְיָתוֹםthe resident alienגֵּרand the afflicted,וְעָנִיdo notאַלexploit;תַּעֲשֹׁקוּand evilוְרָעַתagainst his brother,אָחִיוeach one,אִישׁdo notאַלplanתַּחְשְׁבוּin your heart.”בִּלְבַבְכֶם
But they refusedוַיְמָאֲנוּto pay attention,לְהַקְשִׁיבand gaveוַיִּתְּנוּa rebelliousסֹרָרֶתshoulder,כָתֵףand their earsוְאָזְנֵיהֶםthey made heavyהִכְבִּידוּso as not to hear.מִשְּׁמוֹעַ
And their heartוְלִבָּםthey madeשָׂמוּlike diamond,שָׁמִירso as not to hearמִשְּׁמוֹעַthe instructionהַתּוֹרָהand the wordsוְ הַדְּבָרִיםthatאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהTsevaotצְבָאוֹתsentשָׁלַחby his spiritבְּרוּחוֹthroughבְּיַדthe formerהָרִאשֹׁנִיםprophets;הַנְּבִיאִיםand there wasוַיְהִיgreatגָּדוֹלangerקֶצֶףfromמֵאֵתYHWHיְהוָהTsevaot.צְבָאוֹת
And it happenedוַיְהִיthat, asכַאֲשֶׁרhe calledקָרָאand they did notוְלֹאlisten,שָׁמֵעוּsoכֵּןthey will callיִקְרְאוּand I will notוְלֹאlisten,אֶשְׁמָעsaysאָמַרYHWHיְהוָהTsevaot.צְבָאוֹת
And I scattered them with a whirlwindוְאֵסָעֲרֵםamongעַלallכָּלthe nationsהַגּוֹיִםthatאֲשֶׁרthey had notלֹאknown;יְדָעוּםand the landוְהָאָרֶץwas left desolateנָשַׁמָּהbehind them,אַחֲרֵיהֶםwith no one passing throughמֵעֹבֵרor returning;וּמִשָּׁבand they madeוַיָּשִׂימוּthe pleasantחֶמְדָּהlandאֶרֶץa horror.לְשַׁמָּה