Zechariah 1

¹ In the eight month of the second year wey Darius be emperor for Persia, God give this message to prophet Zechariah, son of Berechiah and grandson of Iddo.

² Almighty God tell Zechariah make he tell the people say, “I, the LORD, dey vex for una ancestors,

³ but now I dey tell una say, ‘Make una come back to me and I go come back to una.

⁴ Make una no be like una ancestors. Long time ago, the prophet give them my message say make dem no dey live evil and sinful life again. But dem no listen or obey me.

⁵ Una ancestors and those prophets don die.

⁶ I give una ancestors commands and warnings through my servants the prophets, but dem no obey them and dem suffer the consequences. But dem repent and gree say I, the LORD Almighty, don punish them as I suppose punish them and as I don talk say I go do.’”

⁷ For second year wey Darius be emperor, on the 24th day of the eleventh month (the month of Shebat), God give me message inside vison for night.

⁸ I see someone dey ride red horse. He don stop for valley where myrtle trees dey, and other horses dey him back – red, dappled, and white.

⁹ I ask am, “Sir, wetin be the meaning of these horses?” He tell me say, “I go show you wetin dem mean.

¹⁰ God send them to go check the earth.”

¹¹ Dem report to the angel say: “We don go all over the world and we see sey the whole world dey helpless and dem no dey happy.”

¹² The angel con talk say, “Almighty God, you don dey vex for Jerusalem and cities of Judah for seventy years now. When you go show them mercy?”

¹³ God answer the angel with sweet words,

¹⁴ and the angel tell me make I say wetin Almighty God don talk: “I get strong love and concern for Jerusalem, my holy city,

¹⁵ and I dey vex for the nations wey dey enjoy safety and peace. E don tey wey I don dey hold my anger for my people, those nations make the suffering of my people worse.

¹⁶ So I don come back to Jerusalem come show mercy on the city. I go restore my Temple and I go rebuild the city.”

¹⁷ The angel also tell me make I annonce say: “Almighty God talk say him cities go prosper again and say he go help Jerusalem again and claim the city as him own.

¹⁸ For another vision I see four ox horns.

¹⁹ I ask the angel wey don dey follow me talk say,” Wetin be the meaning of these horns?” He tell me say,” Dem stand for world powers wey don scatter the people of Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”

²⁰ Then God show me four workers wey hold hammers.

²¹ I con ask am say, “Wetin dem con do? Him tell me say, “Dem con terrify and overthrow those nations wey completely crush the land of Judah and scatter people wey dey there.