A Call to Justice and Mercy
1 וַֽיְהִי֙ (And it came to pass) בִּשְׁנַ֣ת (in year) אַרְבַּ֔ע (four) לְדָרְיָ֖וֶשׁ (of Darius), הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ (the king) הָיָ֨ה (that came) דְבַר־ (the word) יְהוָ֜ה (of YHWH) אֶל־ (to) זְכַרְיָ֗ה (Zechariah) בְּאַרְבָּעָ֛ה (on the fourth day) לַחֹ֥דֶשׁ (of the month), הַתְּשִׁעִ֖י (ninth) בְּכִסְלֵֽו׃ (in Chislev);
2 וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ (had sent) בֵּֽית־ (and Beth-) אֵ֔ל (el) שַׂר־ (Sar-) אֶ֕צֶר (ezer) וְרֶ֥גֶם (and Regem-) מֶ֖לֶךְ (and melech), וַֽאֲנָשָׁ֑יו (and his men) לְחַלּ֖וֹת (to ask for favor) אֶת־ (-) פְּנֵ֥י (before) יְהוָֽה׃ (YHWH).
3 לֵאמֹ֗ר (And to speak) אֶל־ (to) הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ (the priests) אֲשֶׁר֙ (who were) לְבֵית־ (in the house) יְהוָ֣ה (of YHWH of) צְבָא֔וֹת (Hosts), וְאֶל־ (and to) הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים (the prophets), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying), הַֽאֶבְכֶּה֙ (Should I weep) בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ (in the month), הַחֲמִשִׁ֔י (fifth) הִנָּזֵ֕ר (and fast), כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר (even as) עָשִׂ֔יתִי (I have done) זֶ֖ה (this) כַּמֶּ֥ה (how many) שָׁנִֽים׃פ (years)?
4 וַיְהִ֛י (And came) דְּבַר־ (the word) יְהוָ֥ה (of YHWH of) צְבָא֖וֹת (Hosts) אֵלַ֥י (to me) לֵאמֹֽר׃ (saying),
5 אֱמֹר֙ (Speak) אֶל־ (to) כָּל־ (all) עַ֣ם (the people) הָאָ֔רֶץ (of the land), וְאֶל־ (and to) הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים (the priests), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying), כִּֽי־ (When) צַמְתֶּ֨ם (you⁺ fasted) וְסָפ֜וֹד (and mourned) בַּחֲמִישִׁ֣י (in the fifth) וּבַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י (and in the seventh months), וְזֶה֙ (and these) שִׁבְעִ֣ים (seventy) שָׁנָ֔ה (years), הֲצ֥וֹם (was it a true fasting) צַמְתֻּ֖נִי (that you⁺ fasted) אָֽנִי׃ (for Me)?
6 וְכִ֥י (For when) תֹאכְל֖וּ (you⁺ were eating), וְכִ֣י (and when) תִשְׁתּ֑וּ (you⁺ were drinking), הֲל֤וֹא (was it not) אַתֶּם֙ (for yourselves) הָאֹ֣כְלִ֔ים (that you were eating) וְאַתֶּ֖ם (and for yourselves) הַשֹּׁתִֽים׃ (that you were drinking).
7 הֲל֣וֹא (Are not) אֶת־ (these) הַדְּבָרִ֗ים (the words) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) קָרָ֤א (called out) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) בְּיַד֙ (by the hand) הַנְּבִיאִ֣ים (of the prophets), הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֔ים (former) בִּהְי֤וֹת (when was) יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ (Jerusalem) יֹשֶׁ֣בֶת (inhabited) וּשְׁלֵוָ֔ה (and prosperous), וְעָרֶ֖יהָ (and her cities) סְבִיבֹתֶ֑יהָ (around her) וְהַנֶּ֥גֶב (and the Negev) וְהַשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה (and the Shephelah)? יֹשֵֽׁב׃פ (Were inhabited).
8 וַֽיְהִי֙ (And came) דְּבַר־ (the word) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH) אֶל־ (to) זְכַרְיָ֖ה (Zechariah), לֵאמֹֽר׃ (saying),
9 כֹּ֥ה (Thus) אָמַ֛ר (says) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH of) צְבָא֖וֹת (Hosts), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying), מִשְׁפַּ֤ט (With justice), אֱמֶת֙ (true) שְׁפֹ֔טוּ (judge) וְחֶ֣סֶד (and loving devotion) וְרַֽחֲמִ֔ים (and compassion) עֲשׂ֖וּ (must deal) אִ֥ישׁ (each man) אֶת־ (with) אָחִֽיו׃ (his brother);
10 וְאַלְמָנָ֧ה (and the widow), וְיָת֛וֹם (and fatherless), גֵּ֥ר (the sojourner), וְעָנִ֖י (and the poor); אַֽל־ (not) תַּעֲשֹׁ֑קוּ (shall you⁺ oppress) וְרָעַת֙ (and the evil) אִ֣ישׁ (of a man) אָחִ֔יו (against his brother) אַֽל־ (and not) תַּחְשְׁב֖וּ (you⁺ shall devise) בִּלְבַבְכֶֽם׃ (in your⁺ heart).
11 וַיְמָאֲנ֣וּ (And they refused) לְהַקְשִׁ֔יב (to pay attention), וַיִּתְּנ֥וּ (and they gave) כָתֵ֖ף (the shoulder), סֹרָ֑רֶת (acting rebelliously) וְאָזְנֵיהֶ֖ם (and their ears), הִכְבִּ֥ידוּ (they made heavy) מִשְּׁמֽוֹעַ׃ (from hearing).
12 וְלִבָּ֞ם (And their hearts) שָׂ֣מוּ (they made) שָׁמִ֗יר (flint), מִ֠שְּׁמוֹעַ (from hearing) אֶת־ (-) הַתּוֹרָ֤ה (the law), וְאֶת־ (and) הַדְּבָרִים֙ (the words) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) שָׁלַ֜ח (had sent) יְהוָ֤ה (YHWH of) צְבָאוֹת֙ (Hosts) בְּרוּח֔וֹ (by His Spirit) בְּיַ֖ד (by the hand) הַנְּבִיאִ֣ים (of the prophets); הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֑ים (former) וַֽיְהִי֙ (and there was) קֶ֣צֶף (wrath) גָּד֔וֹל (great) מֵאֵ֖ת (from) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH of) צְבָאֽוֹת׃ (Hosts).
13 וַיְהִ֥י (And it came to pass), כַאֲשֶׁר־ (that when) קָרָ֖א (He called out), וְלֹ֣א (then they would not) שָׁמֵ֑עוּ (listen); כֵּ֤ן (So) יִקְרְאוּ֙ (they will call out), וְלֹ֣א (and I will not) אֶשְׁמָ֔ע (listen), אָמַ֖ר (a declaration) יְהוָ֥ה (of YHWH of) צְבָאֽוֹת׃ (Hosts);
14 וְאֵ֣סָעֲרֵ֗ם (and I scattered them with a whirlwind) עַ֤ל (among) כָּל־ (all) הַגּוֹיִם֙ (the nations) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) לֹֽא־ (not). יְדָע֔וּם (They had known) וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ (and the land) נָשַׁ֣מָּה (was left desolate). אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֔ם (After them) מֵֽעֹבֵ֖ר (from passing through) וּמִשָּׁ֑ב (or returning); וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ (and they set) אֶֽרֶץ־ (the land) חֶמְדָּ֖ה (of desire) לְשַׁמָּֽה׃פ (into a desolation).
