1 Ke kaloku ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo lafikela uZakariya ngomhla wesine kwinyanga yethoba uKislevu, kunyaka wesine wolawulo lukakumkani uDariyo.
2 Abantu baseBhetele bathumela uSherezere noRegem-meleki namanye amadoda ukuba baye endlwini kaNdikhoyo, bathandazele intsikelelo kaNdikhoyo,
3 babuze kubabingeleli bendlu kaNdikhoyo onamandla onke *nakubashumayeli, bathi: “Ngaba kusafuneka siqhubele phambili silile, sizile nokutya na, nangale yesihlanu inyanga, njengoko siqhele ukwenza iminyaka ngeminyaka?”
4 Ilizwi 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?
6 Xa benisitya nisela beningenzeli ezenu iziqu isidlo?
7 Asingawo la amazwi kaNdikhoyo awabhengezwa ngabashumayeli bamandulo, xenikweni iJerusalem needolophu eziyingqongileyo bezimiwe ngabantu zinenkqubela, nditsho zona kunye nelasezantsi namathambeka asentshonalanga?’ ”
8 Ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo liphinde lafika kuZakariya lisithi:
9 “Utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke ukuthi: ‘Wisani izigwebo ezinyanisekileyo, nenzelane ububele nenceba omnye nomnye.
10 Musani ukubacinezela abahlolokazi neenkedama, ngokunjalo nabangeneleli kunye namahlwempu, ningayili ububi ezintliziyweni zenu omnye komnye.’
11 “Kodwa zange bavume ukundiphulaphula, suka baneenkani, bandifulathela, neendlebe zabo bazivingca.
12 Ewe, 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.
14 Ndasuka ndabachitha-chitha ngesaqhwithi, bathi saa ezizweni, baba ziimbacu. Ilizwe labo lasala libharhile, kungekho nomntu lo ongenayo nophumayo. Kwaba njalo ke ukulibharhisa kwabo ilizwe elihle.’ ”