UHagayi 1
1 Ngomnyaka wesibili kaDariyusi inkosi, ngenyanga yesithupha, ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga, kwafika ilizwi leNkosi ngesandla sikaHagayi umprofethi kuZerubhabheli indodana kaSheyalithiyeli, umbusi wakoJuda, lakuJoshuwa indodana kaJehozadaki, umpristi omkhulu, lisithi:
[I am], Haggai, a prophet. I received a message from Yahweh on August 29th, during the second year that Darius was the king [of Persia]. I told this message to Shealtiel’s son Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, and to Jehozadak’s son Jeshua, the Supreme Priest.
2 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, isithi: Lababantu bathi: Isikhathi kasikafiki, isikhathi sokuthi indlu yeNkosi yakhiwe.
Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of heaven, told [me] that the people were saying that it was not yet time for them to rebuild Yahweh’s temple.
3 Laselifika ilizwi leNkosi ngesandla sikaHagayi umprofethi, lisithi:
Then Yahweh gave me this message [to tell to the people of Jerusalem]:
4 Kuyisikhathi senu yini, lina ngokwenu, sokuthi lihlale ezindlini zenu ezembeswe ngaphakathi ngamapulanka, kanti le indlu ilunxiwa?
“It is not right [RHQ] for you to be living in luxurious houses while my temple is only ruins!
5 Ngakho khathesi itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Bekani inhliziyo yenu ezindleleni zenu.
[I, ] Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of heaven, say this: Think about what is happening to you.
6 Lihlanyele okunengi, langenisa okulutshwana; liyadla, kodwa kalisuthi; liyanatha, kodwa kalikholwa; liyagqoka, kodwa kakho okhudumalayo, lohola umholo uholela umholo esikhwameni esibhobokileyo.
You have planted a lot [of seeds], but you are not getting many [crops] to harvest. You eat [food], but you never get enough. You drink [wine], but you are still thirsty. You wear clothes, but you do not stay warm. You earn money, [but things are very expensive], with the result that [it is as though] [MET] [your money disappears because] you are putting it in purses/pockets that have [big] holes in them.”
7 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Bekani inhliziyo yenu ezindleleni zenu.
[So] this is what Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of heaven, says: “Think about what is happening to you.
8 Yenyukelani entabeni, lilethe izigodo, liyakhe indlu; njalo ngizathokoza ngayo, ngidunyiswe, itsho iNkosi.
[Then] go up into the hills, [cut down trees, ] and bring timber [down here], and rebuild my temple. When you do that, I will be pleased, and I will be honored.
9 Belikhangele okunengi, kodwa khangelani, kube kulutshwana; lapho likuletha ekhaya, ngikuphephethile. Kungani? itsho iNkosi yamabandla. Ngenxa yendlu yami elunxiwa, kanti lina liyagijimela ngulowo lalowo endlini yakhe.
You expected [to harvest] plenty [of crops], but there were few [crops to harvest]. And when you brought the crops home, I caused them to spoil [IDM] quickly. The reason [that happened is that] my temple is a ruins, while each of you are busy building your own [beautiful] houses.
10 Ngakho-ke amazulu phezu kwenu ayagodla ukuze kungabi lamazolo, lomhlabathi uyagodla izithelo zawo.
It is because of what you [are doing] that rain does not fall from the sky, and [as a result] there are no crops.
11 Ngasengibiza ukoma phezu kwelizwe, laphezu kwezintaba, laphezu kwamabele, laphezu kwewayini elitsha, laphezu kwamafutha, laphezu kwalokho umhlabathi okuvezayo, laphezu kwabantu, laphezu kwezinkomo, laphezu kwawo wonke umsebenzi wezandla.
I have caused a (drought/severe lack of rain) on the hills and on your fields. The result has been that your grain [has withered], and your grapevines [MTY] and olive trees [MTY] and all your [other] crops have dried up. [Because of that, ] you and your cattle [do not have enough food], and the hard work that you have done will be for nothing.”
12 Khona uZerubhabheli indodana kaSheyalithiyeli, loJoshuwa indodana kaJehozadaki, umpristi omkhulu, layo yonke insali yabantu, balilalela ilizwi leNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo, lamazwi kaHagayi umprofethi, njengoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo wayemthumile; njalo abantu besaba phambi kweNkosi.
Then Zerubbabel and Jeshua and all the others of God’s people who were still alive obeyed the message that Yahweh our God had said, and they heeded the message that I had given them, because [they knew that] Yahweh our God had sent/appointed me. And the people revered Yahweh.
13 Wasekhuluma uHagayi isithunywa seNkosi ngelizwi leNkosi ebantwini, esithi: Ngilani, itsho iNkosi.
Then [I], Haggai, who was Yahweh’s messenger, gave this message from Yahweh to the people: “I, Yahweh, declare that I am with you.”
14 INkosi yasivusa umoya kaZerubhabheli indodana kaSheyalithiyeli, umbusi wakoJuda, lomoya kaJoshuwa indodana kaJehozadaki, umpristi omkhulu, lomoya wensali yonke yabantu; basebesiza, benza umsebenzi endlini yeNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu wabo,
[So] Yahweh motivated Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the other people to want to rebuild the temple of our God, the Commander of the armies of angels. They gathered together and started to work to rebuild it.
15 ngosuku lwamatshumi amabili lane lwenyanga yesithupha, ngomnyaka wesibili kaDariyusi inkosi.
[They started work] on September 21st, during the second year that Darius was the king.
