1 And it happened in the fourth year of Darius the king that the word of the LORD {YHWH, Message-Giver} came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month in Kislev {Kislev: winter month}.
2 And the people of Bethel sent Sharezer and Regem-Melech and their men to entreat the face of the LORD {YHWH, Petition Receiver}, seeking personal audience {penei: personal audience}.
3 Say to the priests in the house of the LORD of hosts {YHWH Tsevaot, Divine Commander} and to the prophets, “Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself {hinazer: ritual fasting}, as I have done these many years?”
4 And the word of the LORD of hosts {YHWH Tsevaot, Divine Commander} came to me, saying {leʾemor: introducing direct speech},
5 Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, “When you fasted and mourned{vesafod: ritual lamentation} in the fifth and in the seventh month for seventy years, was it for Me{YHWH, Fasting Recipient} that you fasted?”
6 And when you eat and when you drink, is it not you the eaters {okhlim: those who consume} and you the drinkers {shotim: those who quaff}?
7 Are these not the words which the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Messenger} proclaimed by the hand of the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and at peace {shlewah: tranquility}, with her surrounding cities, and the Negev and the Shephelah were inhabited?
8 And the word of the LORD {YHWH, Message Giver} came to Zechariah {Zekharyah: remembered by God}, saying,
9 Thus says the LORD of hosts {YHWH Tsevaot: Commander of Armies}, “Judge true judgment, and show kindness {chesed: steadfast love} and compassion each man to his brother.”
10 And the widow, the orphan, the sojourner, and the poor—do not oppress {ta’ashoku: exploit unjustly} them; and do not plan {takhsh’vu: harmful intent} evil against your brother in your hearts.
11 But they refused {vayema’anu: volitional refusal} to listen and gave a stubborn shoulder and made their ears heavy {hichbidu: deliberate obstruction} from hearing.
12 And they made their hearts like flint {shamir: extremely hard stone}, so as not to hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts {YHWH Tsevaot, Divine Commander} had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets, and great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.
13 “And it came to pass, as He called and they did not listen {shame’u: attentive response}, so they called and I did not listen,” says the LORD of hosts {YHWH Tsevaot, Commander of Armies}.
14 And I {YHWH, Dispersing Judge} scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known, and the land was desolate after them, so that none passed through or returned. They made the pleasant land a desolation {shammah: utter devastation}.