< Haggai 2 >

1 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying,
Ngosuku lwamatshumi amabili lanye lwenyanga yesikhombisa ilizwi likaThixo lafika ngoHagayi umphrofethi lisithi:
2 Say now to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, ruler of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the rest of the people,
“Khuluma loZerubhabheli indodana kaSheyalithiyeli, umbusi wakoJuda, loJoshuwa indodana kaJozadaki, umphristi omkhulu kanye lensalela yabantu. Babuze uthi,
3 Who is there still among you who saw this house in its first glory? and how do you see it now? is it not in your eyes as nothing?
‘Ngubani kini owasalayo owabona indlu le enkazimulweni yayo yakuqala na? Khathesi ikhangeleka injani kini na? Kayikhangeleki njengeze na?
4 But now be strong, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land, says the Lord, and get to work: for I am with you, says the Lord of armies:
Kodwa khathesi qina wena Zerubhabheli,’ kutsho uThixo. ‘Qina wena Joshuwa ndodana kaJozadaki, umphristi omkhulu. Qinani, lonke lina bantu belizwe,’ kutsho uThixo. ‘Lisebenze, ngoba ngilani,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
5 The agreement which I made with you when you came out of Egypt, and my spirit, are with you still; have no fear.
‘Lokhu yikho engakuvumelana lani ekuphumeni kwenu eGibhithe. UMoya wami uhlala phakathi kwenu. Lingesabi.’
6 For this is what the Lord of armies has said: In a short time I will make a shaking of the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land;
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla: ‘Ngesikhatshana nje ngizaphinda nginyikinye amazulu lomhlaba, ulwandle lelizwe elomileyo.
7 And I will make a shaking of all the nations, and the desired things of all nations will come: and I will make this house full of my glory, says the Lord of armies.
Ngizanyikinya izizwe zonke, abathandwayo kuzozonke izizwe bazakuza, njalo indlu le ngizayigcwalisa ngenkazimulo,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla,
8 The silver is mine and the gold is mine, says the Lord of armies.
‘Isiliva ngesami legolide ngelami,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
9 The second glory of this house will be greater than the first, says the Lord of armies: and in this place I will give peace, says the Lord of armies.
‘Inkazimulo yale indlu yakhathesi izakuba nkulu kuleyendlu yakuqala,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla. ‘Njalo indawo le ngizayipha ukuthula,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla.”
10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying,
Ngosuku lwamatshumi amabili lane lwenyanga yesificamunwemunye, ngomnyaka wesibili kaDariyu, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuHagayi umphrofethi lisithi:
11 These are the words of the Lord of armies: Put now a point of law to the priests, saying,
“Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla uthi: ‘Buza abaphristi ukuthi umthetho uthini:
12 If anyone has some holy flesh folded in the skirt of his robe, will bread or soup or wine or oil or any other food be made holy if touched by his skirt? And the priests answering said, No.
Nxa umuntu ethwele inyama engcwele ngomphetho wesigqoko sakhe, umphetho lowo uthinte isinkwa loba inyama ephekiweyo, iwayini, amafutha loba okunye ukudla, kuba ngcwele na?’” Abaphristi baphendula bathi, “Hatshi.”
13 Then Haggai said, Will any of these be made unclean by the touch of one who is unclean through touching a dead body? And the priests answering said, It will be made unclean.
UHagayi wasesithi, “Nxa umuntu ongcoliswe yikuthinta isidumbu ethinta okunye kwalezizinto, kuyangcola na?” “Ye,” kwaphendula abaphristi, “kuyangcola.”
14 Then Haggai said, So is this people and so is this nation before me, says the Lord; and so is every work of their hands; and the offering they give there is unclean.
UHagayi wasesithi, “‘Kunjalo-ke emehlweni ami ngabantu laba langesizwe lesi,’ kutsho uThixo. ‘Lokho abakwenzayo loba abakunikelayo lapho kungcolile.
15 And now, give thought, looking back from this day to the time before one stone was put on another in the Temple of the Lord:
Khathesi cabangani kuhle ngalokhu kusukela ngalolusuku kusiya phambili, khumbulani ukuthi izinto zazinjani kungakabekwa elinye ilitshe phezu kwelinye ethempelini likaThixo.
16 How, when anyone came to a store of twenty measures, there were only ten: when anyone went to the wine-store to get fifty vessels full, there were only twenty.
Kwakusithi lapho umuntu efika enqunjini yezilinganiso ezingamatshumi amabili, kwakulezilitshumi kuphela. Kuthi lapho umuntu eye efatshini lewayini ukuba akhe izilinganiso ezingamatshumi amahlanu, kwakulezingamatshumi amabili kuphela.
17 And I sent burning and wasting and a rain of ice-drops on all the works of your hands; but still you were not turned to me, says the Lord.
Wonke umsebenzi wezandla zenu ngawutshaya ngomkhuhlane, ngesikhwekhwe langesiqhotho, kodwa kaliphendukelanga kimi,’ kutsho uThixo.
18 And now, give thought; looking on from this day, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the time when the base of the Lord's house was put in its place, give thought to it.
‘Kusukela lamhla kusiya phambili, kusukela ngalolusuku lwamatshumi amabili lane lwenyanga yesificamunwemunye, cabangani kuhle ngosuku okwabekwa ngalo isisekelo sethempeli likaThixo. Cabangani kuhle:
19 Is the seed still in the store-house? have the vine and the fig-tree, the pomegranate and the olive-tree, still not given their fruit? from this day I will send my blessing on you.
Kuselenhlanyelo eseleyo esiphaleni na? Kuze kube khathesi, ivini lomkhiwa, iphomegranathi lesihlahla se-Oliva asikatheli izithelo. Kusukela ngalolusuku kusiya phambili ngizalibusisa.’”
20 And the word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai, on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying,
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika ngokwesibili kuHagayi ngosuku lwamatshumi amabili lane lwenyanga lisithi:
21 Say to Zerubbabel, ruler of Judah, I will make a shaking of the heavens and the earth,
“Tshela uZerubhabheli umbusi wakoJuda ukuthi ngizanyikinya amazulu lomhlaba.
22 Overturning the power of kingdoms; and I will send destruction on the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; by me war-carriages will be overturned with those who are in them; and the horses and the horsemen will come down, everyone by the sword of his brother.
Ngizagenqula izihlalo zobukhosi ngichithe amandla emibuso yezizweni. Ngizagenqula izinqola zempi labagadi bazo; amabhiza labagadi bawo bazakuwa, ngamunye ngenkemba yomfowabo.
23 In that day, says the Lord of armies, I will take you, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, says the Lord, and will make you as a jewelled ring: for I have taken you to be mine, says the Lord of armies.
‘Ngalolosuku,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla, ‘ngizakuthatha wena nceku yami Zerubhabheli ndodana kaSheyalithiyeli,’ kutsho uThixo, ‘njalo ngizakwenza ube njengesongo eliluphawu lwami, ngoba sengikukhethile,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla.”

< Haggai 2 >