Old/New Testament
1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord was made to Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, (the) prophet, and said,
2 The Lord is wroth on your fathers with wrathfulness. (The Lord was truly angry with your forefathers.)
3 And thou shalt say to them, The Lord of hosts saith these things. Be ye turned again to me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I shall be turned again to you, saith the Lord of hosts. (And thou shalt say to the people, The Lord of hosts saith these things. Return ye to me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I shall return to you/Come ye back to me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I shall come back to you.)
4 Be ye not as your fathers, to which the former prophets cried, saying, The Lord of hosts saith these things, Be ye converted from your evil ways, and your worst thoughts; and they heard not, neither took attention to me, saith the Lord of hosts. (Do not ye be like your forefathers, to whom the earlier prophets, or the prophets of old, cried, saying, The Lord of hosts saith these things, Turn ye away from your evil ways, and your worst thoughts; and they did not listen, nor pay any attention to me, saith the Lord of hosts.)
5 Where be your fathers and (the) prophets? whether they shall live [into] without end? (And now where be your forefathers, and the prophets? do they live forever?)
6 Nevertheless my words and my lawful things, which I commanded to my servants (the) prophets, whether they caught not your fathers? And they were turned again, and said, As the Lord of hosts thought for to do to us by our ways, and by our findings, he did to us. (Nevertheless my words and my laws, which I commanded to my servants the prophets, did they not catch, or overtake, your forefathers? And then they repented, or turned, and said, As the Lord of hosts thought to do to us because of our ways, and our deeds, so he hath done to us.)
7 In the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month Sebat, that is, January, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord was made to Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, prophet, and said, (On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, that is, January, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord was made to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, and said,)
8 I saw by night, and lo! a man going on a red horse; and he stood betwixt places where myrtles waxed, that were in the depth, and after him were horses red, diverse (dappled), and white.
9 And I said, My lord, who be these? And an angel of the Lord said to me, that spake in me, I shall show to thee what these be. (And I said, My lord, what be these horses? And the angel of the Lord who spoke to me, said to me, I shall show thee what these horses be.)
10 And the man that stood betwixt places where myrtles waxed, answered, and said, These it be, which the Lord sent, that they walk through (the) earth. (And the man who stood between the places where the myrtles grew, answered, and said, These be they, which the Lord sent, to walk through the earth.)
11 And they answered to the angel of the Lord, that stood betwixt places where myrtles waxed, and said, We have walked through (the) earth, and lo! all (the) earth is inhabited, and resteth.
12 And the angel of the Lord answered, and said, Lord of hosts, how long shalt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, and on [the] cities of Judah, to which thou art wroth? (with whom thou art angry?) This now is the seventieth year.
13 And the Lord answered to the angel, that spake in me (who spoke to me), good words, and words of comfort.
14 And the angel that spake in me, said to me, Cry thou, saying, The Lord of hosts saith these things, I loved Jerusalem and Zion in great fervor; (And the angel who spoke to me, said to me, Cry thou, saying, The Lord of hosts saith these things, I loved Jerusalem and Zion with great fervor;)
15 and in great wrath I shall be wroth on rich folks; for I was wroth a little, forsooth they helped into evil. (and with great anger I shall rage against the rich nations; because before, when I was but a little angry, they helped evil to increase.)
16 Therefore the Lord saith these things, I shall turn again to Jerusalem in mercies. Mine house shall be builded in it, saith the Lord of hosts; and a plummet shall be stretched out on Jerusalem. (And so the Lord saith these things, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy. My House shall be rebuilt in it, saith the Lord of hosts; and a plumb line shall be stretched out upon Jerusalem.)
17 Yet cry thou, saying, The Lord of hosts saith these things, Yet my cities shall flow with goods, and yet the Lord shall comfort Zion, and yet he shall choose Jerusalem. (Once again cry thou, saying, The Lord of hosts saith these things, Once again my cities shall overflow with good things, and once again the Lord shall comfort Zion, and once again he shall choose Jerusalem.)
18 And I raised mine eyes, and I saw, and lo! four horns. (And I raised up my eyes, and I saw, and lo! four horns.)
19 And I said to the angel, that spake in me, What be these? (And I said to the angel, who spoke to me, What be these horns?) And he said to me, These be (the) horns that winnowed Judah, and Israel, and Jerusalem.
20 And the Lord showed to me four smiths. (And the Lord showed me four men with hammers.)
21 And I said, What come these for to do? Which spake, saying, These be the horns, that winnowed Judah by all men, and no man of them raised his head; and these came for to make them afeared, that they cast down the horns of heathen men, which raised the horn on the land of Judah, for to scatter it. (And I said, What do these smiths come to do? Who answered and said, These be the horns, that winnowed all the people of Judah, so that no one could raise up their head; and these smiths came to make the heathen afraid, yea, so that they cast down the horns of the heathen, who raised the horns upon the land of Judah, in order to scatter it.)
2 And I raised mine eyes, and saw, and lo! a man, and lo! in his hand, a little cord of meters. (And I raised up my eyes, and saw, and lo! a man, and lo! in his hand, a little measuring cord.)
2 And I said, Whither goest thou? And he said to me, That I mete Jerusalem, and Judah; (to see) how much is the breadth thereof, and how much is the length thereof. (And I said, Where goest thou? And he said to me, So that I can measure Jerusalem, and Judah; to see how much is its breadth, and how much is its length.)
3 And lo! the angel that spake in me, went out, and another angel went out into the meeting of him, (And lo! the angel who spoke to me, went out, and another angel went out to meet him,)
4 and said to him, Run thou, speak to this young man, and say thou, Jerusalem shall be inhabited without wall, for the multitude of men and beasts in the middle thereof. (and said to him, Run thou, speak to this young man, and say thou, Jerusalem shall be inhabited like a city without walls, for the multitude of the people and of the beasts in its midst.)
5 And I shall be to it, saith the Lord, a wall of fire in compass; and I shall be in glory in [the] middle thereof. (And I shall be to it, saith the Lord, a wall of fire all around it; and I shall also be the glory in its midst.)
6 A! A! A! flee ye from the land of the north, saith the Lord, for in four winds of heaven I scattered you, saith the Lord. (O! O! O! flee ye from the land of the north, saith the Lord, for by the four winds of the heavens I have scattered you, saith the Lord.)
7 A! thou Zion, flee, that dwellest at the daughter of Babylon. (O! thou Zion, flee, thou who livest in Babylon.)
8 For the Lord of hosts saith these things, After glory he sent me to heathen men, which robbed you; for he that shall touch you, shall touch the apple of mine eye. (For the Lord of hosts saith these things, After the glory he hath sent me to the heathen, who robbed you; for he who toucheth you, toucheth the apple of my eye.)
9 For lo! I raise mine hand on them, and they shall be preys to these that served them; and ye shall know, that the Lord of hosts sent me. (For lo! I shall raise my hand against them, and they shall be prey for those who served them; and then ye shall know, that the Lord of hosts hath sent me.)
10 Daughter of Zion, praise thou, and be glad; for lo! I come, and I shall dwell in [the] middle of thee, saith the Lord. (Daughter of Zion, praise thou, and be happy; for lo! I come, and I shall live in thy midst, saith the Lord.)
11 And many folks shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall be to me into a people, and I shall dwell in the middle of thee; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts sent me to thee. (And many nations shall join the Lord on that day, and they shall be his people, and he shall live in their midst; and then thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me to thee.)
12 And the Lord shall wield Judah into his part, in the land hallowed, and shall choose yet Jerusalem. (And the Lord shall take Judah for his portion, in the hallowed, or in the consecrated, land, and shall once again choose Jerusalem.)
13 Each flesh be still from the face of the Lord, for he rose of his holy dwelling place. (Each person be still before the face of the Lord, for he hath risen up from his holy dwelling place.)
3 And the Lord showed to me the great priest Joshua, standing before the angel of the Lord; and Satan stood on his right half, that he should be adversary to him. (And the Lord showed me Joshua, the High Priest, standing before the angel of the Lord; and Satan stood at his right hand/and the Adversary stood at his right hand, so that he could accuse him, or so that he could be adverse, or hostile, to him.)
2 And the Lord said to Satan, The Lord blame in thee, Satan, and the Lord that chose Jerusalem, blame in thee. Whether this is not a dead brand ravished from the fire? (And the Lord said to Satan/And the Lord said to the Adversary, The Lord rebuketh thee, Satan, yea, the Lord who chose Jerusalem, rebuketh thee. Is not this man like a firebrand snatched from the fire?)
3 And Joshua was clothed with foul clothes, and stood before the face of the angel. (And Joshua was clothed with filthy clothes, and stood before the angel.)
4 Which answered, and said to them that stood before him, and he said, Do ye away foul clothes from him. And he said to him, Lo! I have done away from thee thy wickedness, and I have clothed thee with changing (of) clothes. (Who answered, and said to those who stood before him, and he said, Do ye away his filthy clothes. And then he said to him, Lo! I have done away thy wickedness from thee, and I have clothed thee with a change of clothing/and I have clothed thee with clean clothes.)
5 And he said, Put ye a clean mitre on his head. And they putted a clean mitre on his head, and clothed him with clothes. And the angel of the Lord stood, (And he said, Put ye a clean turban upon his head. And they put a clean turban upon his head, and clothed him with clean clothes. And the angel of the Lord stood by,)
6 and the angel of the Lord witnessed to Joshua, and said,
7 The Lord of hosts saith these things, If thou shalt go in my ways, and shalt keep my keeping, also and thou shalt deem mine house, and shalt keep my porches; and I shall give to thee goers, of these that now here stand nigh. (The Lord of hosts saith these things, If thou shalt go in my ways, and shalt perform your duties, then thou shalt judge, or thou shalt rule, my House, and shalt keep charge of my courtyards, and I shall give thee the right to come and go amongst those who now stand here nearby.)
8 Hear thou, Joshua, great priest, thou and thy friends that dwell before thee, for they be men signifying thing[s] to coming. Lo! soothly I shall bring my servant springing up, either Christ born. (Hear thou, Joshua, the High Priest, thou and thy friends who be seated before thee, for they signify the things to come. Lo! truly I shall bring forth my servant, The Branch.)
9 For lo! the stone which I gave before Joshua, on one stone be seven eyes; and lo! I shall grave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I shall do away the wickedness of that land in one day. (For lo! the stone which I put before Joshua, and on that one stone be seven eyes, or seven facets; and lo! I shall engrave its engraving, or its inscription, saith the Lord of hosts, and I shall do away the wickedness of that land in one day.)
10 In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, a man shall call his friend under a vine, and under a fig tree. (On that day, saith the Lord of hosts, a man shall call his friends to come, and sit down, and rest under a vine, and under a fig tree.)
4 And the angel turned again, that spake in me, and raised me, as a man that is raised (up out) of his sleep. (And the angel who spoke to me, returned, and raised me up, like a man who is raised up from his sleep.)
2 And he said to me, What seest thou? And I said, I saw, and lo! a candlestick all of gold, and the lamp thereof on the head thereof, and seven lanterns thereof on it, and seven vessels for to hold oil to the lanterns, that were on the head thereof. (And he said to me, What seest thou? And I said, Lo! I see a gold candlestick, and a lamp on top of it, and seven lanterns on it, and seven vessels to hold oil for the lanterns, on top of them.)
3 And two olives thereon, one of the right half of the lamp, and another on the left half thereof. (And two olive trees beside it, one on the right side of the lamp, and the other on its left side.)
4 And I answered, and said to the angel that spake in me, and I said, What be these things, my lord? (And I answered, and said to the angel who spoke to me, and I said, What be these things, my lord?)
5 And the angel that spake in me, answered, and said to me, Whether thou knowest not what be these things? And I said, No, my lord. (And the angel who spoke to me, answered, and said to me, Knowest thou not what these things be? And I said, No, my lord.)
6 And he answered, and said to me, and spake, This is the word of the Lord, saying to Zerubbabel, Not in host, neither in strength, but in my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. (And he answered, and spoke to me, and said, This is the word of the Lord, saying to Zerubbabel, Not by army, nor by strength, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.)
7 Who art thou, great hill, before Zerubbabel, into plain? and he shall lead out the first stone, and shall make even grace to grace thereof. (Who art thou, great mountain, compared to Zerubbabel? nothing but a flat plain! yea, he shall lay the first stone, and shall make the last stone’s beauty equal to the beauty of the first stone.)
8 And the word of the Lord was made to me, and said,
9 The hands of Zerubbabel founded this house, and the hands of him shall perform it; and ye shall know, that the Lord of hosts sent me to you. (Zerubbabel’s hands founded this House, and his hands shall finish it; and then ye shall know, that the Lord of hosts sent me to you.)
10 Who forsooth despised little days? and they shall be glad, and shall see a stone of tin in the hand of Zerubbabel (Who hath despised the day of small things? they shall be happy, and shall see the plumb bob in Zerubbabel’s hand). These be the seven eyes of the Lord, that run about into all (the) earth.
11 And I answered, and said to him, What be these twain olives on the right half of the candlestick, and at the left half thereof? (And I answered, and said to him, What be these two olive trees on the right side of the candlestick, and on its left side?)
12 And I answered the second time, and said to him (And I spoke a second time, and asked him), What be the twain ears, either ripe fruit, of olives that be beside the two pipes of gold, in which be (the) oil vessels of gold?
13 And he said to me, and spake, Whether thou knowest not what be these things? And I said, No, my lord. (And he spoke to me, and said, Knowest thou not what these things be? And I said, No, my lord.)
14 And he said, These be two sons of oil shining, which stand nigh to the lordly governor of all earth. (And he said, These be the two sons shining with oil, who stand near to the Lord who ruleth over all the earth.)
18 And after these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened of his glory.
2 And he cried with a strong voice, saying, Great Babylon felled down, felled down [Great Babylon fell down, fell down], and is made the habitation of devils, and the keeping of each unclean spirit, and the keeping of each unclean fowl, and hateful.
3 For all folks drunk of the wrath of the fornication of her, and kings of the earth, and merchants of the earth, did fornication with her; and they be made rich of the virtue of [the] delights of her.
4 And I heard another voice of heaven, saying, My people, go ye out of it, and be ye not partners of the trespasses of it, and ye shall not receive of the wounds of it [and ye shall not receive of the plagues of it].
5 For the sins of it came unto heaven, and the Lord had mind of the wickedness [of the wickednesses] of it.
6 Yield ye to it, as [and] she yielded to you; and double ye double things, after her works; in the drink that she mixed to you, mix ye double to her [in the drink that she meddled to you, mingle ye double to her].
7 As much as she glorified herself, and was in delights, so much torment give to her, and wailing; for in her heart she saith, I sit a queen, and I am not a widow, and I shall not see wailing. [How much she glorified herself, and was in delights, so much torment give ye to her, and weeping, or mourning; for in her heart she saith, I sit a queen, and I am not a widow, and I shall not see weeping, or mourning.]
8 And therefore in one day her wounds shall come [And therefore in one day her plagues shall come], death, and mourning, and hunger; and she shall be burnt in fire, for God is strong, that shall deem her.
9 And the kings of the earth shall beweep, and bewail themselves on her, which did fornication with her, and lived in delights, when they shall see the smoke of the burning of it [when they shall see the smoke of burning of her];
10 standing afar, for dread of the torments of it [standing far for dread of torments of her], saying, Woe! woe! that great city Babylon, and that strong city; for in one hour thy doom cometh.
11 And merchants of the earth shall weep on it [And merchants of earth shall weep upon her], and mourn, for no man shall buy more the merchandise of them;
12 the merchandise of gold, and of silver, and of precious stone, and of pearl, and of fine linen, and of purple, and of silk, and of cotton, and of each tree thyme, and all vessels of ivory, and all vessels of precious stone, and of brass, and of iron, and of marble. [the merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and margarites, or pearl, and bis, and purple, and silk, and cotton, and each tree thyme, and all vessels of ivory, and all vessels of precious stone, and of brass, and iron, and marble.]
13 and of cinnamon, and of sweet smelling things, and ointments, and of incense, and of wine, and of oil, and of flour, and of wheat, and of work beasts, and of sheep, and of horses, and of chariots, and of servants, and of other lives of men. [and cinnamon, that is, a sweet savouring tree, and of odourments, and ointments, and incense, and of wine, and oil, and flour, and wheat, and of work beasts, and sheep, and horses, and carts, and of servants, and of souls of men.]
14 And thine apples of the desire of thy life [And thine apples, the desires of thy life,] went away from thee, and all fatted things, and full clear perished [away] from thee.
15 And merchants of these things shall no more find those things [shall no more find these goods]. They that be made rich of it, shall stand far, for dread of torments of it, weeping, and mourning[a],
16 and saying, Woe! woe! that great city, that was clothed with fine linen [that was clothed with bis], and purple, and red scarlet, and was over-gilded [and was over-gilt] with gold, and precious stone, and margarites,
17 for in one hour so many riches be destitute, either done away. And each governor, and all that sail by ship into place [and all that ship into place], and mariners, and they that work in the sea, stood far,
18 and cried, seeing the place of the burning of it, saying, What is like this great city?[b]
19 And they cast powder on their heads, and cried, weeping, and mourning, and saying [saying], Woe! woe! that great city, in which all that have ships in the sea be made rich of the prices of it; for in one hour it is desolate.
20 Heaven, and holy apostles, and prophets, make ye full out joy on it [Heaven, and holy apostles, and prophets, glad ye on it], for God hath deemed your doom on it.
21 And one strong angel took up a stone, as a great millstone, and cast into the sea, and said, In this force [saying, In this force, or fierceness,] that great city Babylon shall be sent, and now it shall no more be found.
22 And the voice of harps, and of men of music, and singing with pipe and trumpet, shall no more be heard in it [And the voice of harpers, and of men of music, and singing with pipe and trump, shall no more be heard in it]. And each craftsman, and each craft, shall no more be found in it. And the voice of a millstone shall no more be heard in thee,
23 and the light of [the] lantern shall no more shine in thee, and the voice of the husband and of the wife shall no more be heard in thee; for thy merchants were princes of the earth. For in thy witchcrafts all folks erred.
24 And the blood of prophets and of saints is found in it, and of all men that be slain in earth.
2001 by Terence P. Noble