谴责不诚恳的禁食
大流士王第四年九月，就是基斯流月初四，耶和华的话临到撒迦利亚。
And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu;
2那时伯特利人已经差遣沙利色和利坚．米勒☛“利坚．米勒”：原文另译“国王的重臣”。，并他们的人，去恳求耶和华的恩，When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men, to pray before the LORD,
3问万军之耶和华殿中的祭司，又问先知：“我当如历年以来所行，在五月哭泣斋戒吗？”And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?
4万军之耶和华的话临到我，说：Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying,
5“你要向这地全体百姓和祭司说：‘你们这七十年来，在五月、七月禁食悲哀，岂是真的向我禁食吗？Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?
6你们吃喝，不是为自己吃，为自己喝吗？And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?
7当耶路撒冷和四围的城镇有人居住，享繁荣，尼革夫☛“尼革夫”是音译，意思是“旷野干旱的地方”，指“南方之地”。和谢非拉☛“谢非拉”是音译，意思是“低地”。也有人居住的时候，耶和华藉从前的先知所宣告的，你们不当听吗？’”Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?
被掳的原因
8耶和华的话临到撒迦利亚，说：And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying,
9“万军之耶和华如此说：你们要按真正的公平来审判，彼此以慈爱怜悯相待。Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:
10不可欺压寡妇、孤儿、寄居的和困苦的人。谁都不可心里谋害弟兄。And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.
11他们却不留意；耸肩悖逆，耳朵发沉，不肯听从。But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
12他们的心坚硬如金刚石，不听律法和万军之耶和华藉着他的灵差遣从前先知所说的话。因此，万军之耶和华大发烈怒。Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.
13万军之耶和华说：我曾呼唤他们，他们不听；将来他们呼求我，我也不听！Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts:
14我必以旋风将他们吹散到素不认识的万国中。他们离开以后，地就荒凉，无人来往经过；他们使美好之地荒凉了。”But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.