1. In the fourth year of king Darius, Yahweh’s word came to Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Chislev.
2. The people of Bethel sent Sharezer and Regem Melech, and their men, to entreat Yahweh’s favor,
3. and to speak to the priests of the house of Yahweh of Armies, and to the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?”
4. Then the word of Yahweh of Armies came to me, saying,
5. “Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month for these seventy years, did you at all fast to me, really to me?
6. When you eat, and when you drink, don’t you eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?