Zechariah 8

1And the word of Jehovah of hosts cameto me, saying,

1The word of the LORD of Armies came to me, saying:

2Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.

2This is what the LORD of Armies says: I am very possessive and protective of Zion; I am burning with intense passion for her.

3Thus saith Jehovah: I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called The city of truth; and the mountain of Jehovah of hosts, The holy mountain.

3This is what the LORD says: I have returned to Zion and I will live in the middle of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called 'The City of Truth,' and the mountain of the LORD of Armies will be called 'The Holy Mountain.'

4Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for very age.

4This is what the LORD of Armies says: Once again, old men and old women will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each one holding a staff because of their great age.

5And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.

5And the city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.

6Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith Jehovah of hosts.

6This is what the LORD of Armies says: Even if this seems like a miracle to the few people left in those days, should it seem like a miracle to me? says the LORD of Armies.

7Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;

7This is what the LORD of Armies says: Look, I am going to rescue my people from the countries in the east and the countries in the west.

8and I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

8I will bring them back, and they will live in the middle of Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

9Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets that were in the day that the foundation of the house of Jehovah of hosts was laid, even the temple, that it might be built.

9This is what the LORD of Armies says: Let your hands be strong, you who are hearing these words today. These are the same words spoken by the prophets when the foundation was laid for the house of the LORD of Armies—the temple—so that it could be rebuilt.

10For before those days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in, because of the adversary: for I set all men every one against his neighbor.

10Before those days, there was no money to pay people or animals for their work. No one could travel safely because of their enemies, for I had turned everyone against their neighbor.

11But now I will not be unto the remnant of this people as in the former days, saith Jehovah of hosts.

11But now I will not treat the remaining people the way I did in the past, says the LORD of Armies.

12For there shall be the seed of peace; the vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.

12For the seeds will grow in peace; the vines will produce their fruit, the ground will produce its harvest, and the sky will provide its dew. I will give all these things as an inheritance to the people who are left.

13And it shall come to pass that, as ye were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.

13Just as you were once a symbol of a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, I will save you and you will become a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.

14For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: As I thought to do evil unto you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I repented not;

14For this is what the LORD of Armies says: Just as I determined to bring disaster on you when your ancestors made me angry, says the LORD of Armies, and I did not change my mind;

15so again have I thought in these days to do good unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.

15so now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not be afraid.

16These are the things that ye shall do: Speak ye every man the truth with his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates;

16These are the things you must do: Speak the truth to each other. Give honest and peaceful judgments in your courts.

17and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith Jehovah.

17Do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love making false promises. For I hate all these things, says the LORD.

18And the word of Jehovah of hosts came unto me, saying,

18The word of the LORD of Armies came to me, saying:

19Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love truth and peace.

19This is what the LORD of Armies says: The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will become times of joy, gladness, and happy festivals for the people of Judah. Therefore, love truth and peace.

20Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities;

20This is what the LORD of Armies says: People from many cities will still come.

21and the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to entreat the favor of Jehovah, and to seek Jehovah of hosts: I will go also.

21The people of one city will go to another and say, 'Let’s go at once to pray for the LORD's favor and to seek the LORD of Armies. I myself am going too.'

22Yea, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of Jehovah.

22Yes, many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD of Armies and to ask for the LORD's favor.

23Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, they shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.

23This is what the LORD of Armies says: In those days, ten men from different nations and languages will grab hold of the robe of one Jew and say, 'Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.'