7:1 And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of Jehovah came unto Zechariah in the fourth (day) of the ninth month, even in Chislev.
7:1 Then it came about in the fourth year of King Darius, that the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth [day] of the ninth month, [which is] Chislev.

7:2 Now (they of) Beth-el had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech, and their men, to entreat the favor of Jehovah,
7:2 Now [the town of] Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to seek the favor of the LORD,

7:3 (and) to speak unto the priests of the house of Jehovah of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?
7:3 speaking to the priests who belong to the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets saying, "Shall I weep in the fifth month and abstain, as I have done these many years?"

7:4 Then came the word of Jehovah of hosts unto me, saying,
7:4 Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me saying,

7:5 Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh (month), even these seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?
7:5 "Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these seventy years, was it actually for Me that you fasted?

7:6 And when ye eat, and when ye drink, do not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?
7:6 'And when you eat and drink, do you not eat for yourselves and do you not drink for yourselves?

7:7 (Should ye) not (hear) the words which Jehovah cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?
7:7 'Are not [these] the words which the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous with its cities around it, and the Negev and the foothills were inhabited?' "

7:8 And the word of Jehovah came unto Zechariah, saying,
7:8 Then the word of the LORD came to Zechariah saying,

7:9 Thus hath Jehovah of hosts spoken, saying, Execute true judgment, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother;
7:9 "Thus has the LORD of hosts said, 'Dispense true justice, and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother;

7:10 and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the sojourner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.
7:10 and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another. '

7:11 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.
7:11 "But they refused to pay attention, and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing.

7:12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which Jehovah of hosts had sent by his Spirit by the former prophets: therefore there came great wrath from Jehovah of hosts.
7:12 "And they made their hearts [like] flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.

7:13 And it is come to pass that, as he cried, and they would not hear, so they shall cry, and I will not hear, said Jehovah of hosts;
7:13 "And it came about that just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen," says the LORD of hosts;

7:14 but I will scatter them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they have not known. Thus the land was desolate after them, so that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.
7:14 "but I scattered them with a storm wind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land is desolated behind them, so that no one went back and forth, for they made the pleasant land desolate."