< UHagayi 2 >

1 Ngenyanga yesikhombisa, ngolwamatshumi amabili lanye lwenyanga, kwafika ilizwi leNkosi ngesandla sikaHagayi umprofethi, lisithi:
On October 17 [of that year], Yahweh gave [me], the prophet Haggai, [another] message.
2 Khuluma khathesi kuZerubhabheli indodana kaSheyalithiyeli, umbusi wakoJuda, lakuJoshuwa indodana kaJehozadaki, umpristi omkhulu, lakunsali yabantu, usithi:
[The message was that I should] say this to Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and to the other people who were still alive [in Jerusalem]:
3 Ngubani oseleyo phakathi kwenu owabona lindlu enkazimulweni yayo yakuqala? Liyibona njani khathesi? Kayinjengento engekho yini emehlweni enu nxa ilinganiswa layo?
“Do any of you remember how glorious our former temple was? [If you do, ] what does it look like to you now? It must seem like nothing at all.
4 Kanti khathesi qina, Zerubhabheli, itsho iNkosi; uqine, Joshuwa, ndodana kaJehozadaki, mpristi omkhulu; liqine, lani lonke bantu belizwe, itsho iNkosi, lisebenze: ngoba ngilani, itsho iNkosi yamabandla,
But now the Commander of the armies of angels says to [all of you], to Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of you people who live in this nation, ‘[Do not be discouraged; ] be strong [DOU], and work [to build this new temple], because I will (be with/help) you.
5 njengokwelizwi engavumelana ngalo lani ekuphumeni kwenu eGibhithe, ngokunjalo umoya wami uhlala phakathi kwenu; lingesabi.
My Spirit remains among you, like I promised your [ancestors] when they left Egypt. [So] do not be afraid!’”
6 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Kusekanye, kuyisikhatshana, ngizazamazamisa amazulu, lomhlaba, lolwandle, lomhlabathi owomileyo;
This is what the Commander of the armies of angels says: “Soon I will shake the sky and the earth, the oceans and the land again.
7 ngizamazamise izizwe zonke, lesiloyiso sezizwe zonke sizafika; ngigcwalise lindlu ngenkazimulo, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
I will shake [again the people of] all the nations, and as a result they will bring their treasures [to this temple]. I will fill this temple with [my] glory.
8 Isiliva ngesami, legolide ngelami, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
The silver and the gold [that they own] are [really] mine, [so they will bring them to me].
9 Inkazimulo yalindlu yokucina izakuba nkulu kuleyokuqala, itsho iNkosi yamabandla; lakulindawo ngizanika ukuthula, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
[Then] this temple will be more glorious than the former/previous [temple was]. And I will cause things to go well for you all. [That will surely happen because I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, have said it.”
10 Ngolwamatshumi amabili lane lwenyanga yesificamunwemunye, ngomnyaka wesibili kaDariyusi, lafika ilizwi leNkosi ngesandla sikaHagayi umprofethi, lisithi:
On December 18 of that year, Yahweh gave [another] message to [me], the prophet Haggai.
11 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Buza khathesi abapristi ngomthetho, usithi:
This is what the Commander of the armies of angels said to me: “Ask the priests [this question] about what is written in the laws [of Moses about sacrifices]:
12 Uba umuntu ethwala inyama engcwele emphethweni wesembatho sakhe, athinte isinkwa ngomphetho wakhe, kumbe ukudla okuphekiweyo, kumbe iwayini, kumbe amafutha, kumbe loba yikuphi ukudla, kuzakuba ngcwele yini? Abapristi basebephendula bathi: Hatshi.
‘If one [of you priests takes from the altar some] meat that was sacrificed and is carrying it in his robes, if his robe touches [some] bread or stew or wine or [olive] oil or some other food, does that food also become (holy/acceptable for a sacrifice)?’” [When he said that to] the priests, they replied, “No.”
13 Wasesithi uHagayi: Uba ongcoliswe yisidumbu ethinta loba yiziphi zalezi, kuzangcola yini? Abapristi basebephendula bathi: Kuzangcola.
Then Haggai asked them, “If someone becomes unacceptable to God by touching a corpse, and [then he] touches any of those foods, will the food [also] become unacceptable to God?” The priests replied, “Yes.”
14 Khona uHagayi waphendula wathi: Banjalo lababantu, futhi sinjalo lesisizwe phambi kwami, itsho iNkosi, futhi unjalo wonke umsebenzi wezandla zabo, lalokho abakunikelayo lapho kungcolile.
Then Haggai replied, “Yahweh says [this]: ‘It is the same with you people and with this nation. Everything that you do and [all the sacrifices] that you all offer are unacceptable to me [because of the sins that you have committed].
15 Khathesi-ke, ake libeke inhliziyo yenu kukho, kusukela kulolusuku kusiya phambili, kungakabekwa ilitshe phezu kwelitshe ethempelini leNkosi;
Think about what has been happening to you before you began to lay the foundation of my temple.
16 kusukela lapho umuntu efika enqwabeni yezilinganiso ezingamatshumi amabili, kwakuletshumi kuphela; esiya esikhamelweni sewayini ukukha imbiza ezingamatshumi amahlanu esikhamelweni, kwakulamatshumi amabili kuphela.
When you expected [to harvest] 20 bushels [of grain, you harvested] only ten bushels. When someone went to a [big] wine vat to get 50 gallons [of wine], there were only 20 [gallons in the vat].
17 Ngalitshaya ngokuhanguka langengumane langesiqhotho, wonke umsebenzi wezandla zenu; kanti kaliphendukelanga kimi, itsho iNkosi.
I sent (blight/hot winds) and mildew and hail to destroy all your crops. But still you did not return to me.
18 Ake libeke inhliziyo yenu kukho kusukela kulolusuku kusiya phambili, kusukela osukwini lwamatshumi amabili lane lwenyanga yesificamunwemunye, ngitsho kusukela osukwini isisekelo sethempeli leNkosi sibekwa, libeke inhliziyo yenu kukho.
Starting from this day, December 18, the day when [you] have laid the foundation of my [new] temple, continue to think carefully [about your situation].
19 Inhlanyelo isesesiphaleni yini? Yebo, ivini, lomkhiwa, lepomegranati, lesihlahla somhlwathi kakukatheli. Kusukela kulolusuku ngizalibusisa.
Is there now [RHQ] [any grain] seed left in your barns? [No, because you have eaten the small amount that you harvested]. And there is no fruit on your grapevines and fig trees and pomegranate [trees] and olive trees. But, from now on, I will bless you!’”
20 Ilizwi leNkosi lafika ngokwesibili kuHagayi ngolwamatshumi amabili lane lwenyanga, lisithi:
On that same day, Yahweh gave another message to me.
21 Khuluma kuZerubhabheli, umbusi wakoJuda, usithi: Ngizazamazamisa amazulu lomhlaba.
[He said, ] “Tell Zerubbabel the governor of Judah that I am going to shake the sky and the earth.
22 Ngigenqule isihlalo sobukhosi semibuso, ngichithe amandla emibuso yezizwe, ngigenqule inqola labagadi bayo; lamabhiza labagadi bawo bazakwehla, ngulowo ngenkemba yomfowabo.
I will end the power of the kings of [many] nations [DOU]. I will cause their chariots and their drivers, their horses and [the soldiers] who are riding on them to be destroyed. [What will happen is that I will cause the soldiers] to kill each other with their swords.
23 Ngalolosuku, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, ngizakuthatha, wena Zerubhabheli, ndodana kaSheyalithiyeli, nceku yami, itsho iNkosi, ngikwenze ube njengendandatho elophawu; ngoba ngikukhethile, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
Zerubbabel, you serve [me well]. So [I], the Commander of the armies of angels, declare that [like kings wear] signet rings [to show that they have authority to rule people], I will appoint you and cause you [to have authority to rule]. I will do that because I have chosen you. [That will surely happen because I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, have said it.”

< UHagayi 2 >