1 I n the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, hath a word of Jehovah been by the hand of Haggai the prophet, unto Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and unto Joshua son of Josedech, the high priest, saying:

On the first day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king, the Word of the Lord came to Haggai. The Word was for Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, ruler of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the head religious leader, saying,

2 T hus spake Jehovah of Hosts, saying: This people! -- they have said, `The time hath not come, The time the house of Jehovah to be built.'

“This is what the Lord of All says: ‘These people say, “The time has not yet come to build again the house of the Lord.”’”

3 A nd there is a word of Jehovah by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying:

Then the Word of the Lord came by Haggai the man of God, saying,

4 I s it time for you -- you! To dwell in your covered houses, And this house to lie waste?

“Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your houses with walls covered with wood, while this house lies waste?”

5 A nd now, thus said Jehovah of Hosts, Set your heart to your ways.

Now the Lord of All says, “Think about your ways!

6 Y e have sown much, and brought in little, To eat, and not to satiety, To drink, and not to drunkenness, To clothe, and none hath heat, And he who is hiring himself out, Is hiring himself for a bag pierced through.

You have planted much, but gather little. You eat, but there is not enough to fill you. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothing, but no one is warm enough. You earn money, but put it into a bag with holes.”

7 T hus said Jehovah of Hosts: Set your heart to your ways.

The Lord of All says, “Think about your ways!

8 G o up the mountain, and ye have brought in wood, And build the house, and I am pleased with it. And I am honoured, said Jehovah.

Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build again the house of God, that I may be pleased with it and worshiped as I should be,” says the Lord.

9 L ooking for much, and lo, little, And ye brought home, and I blew on it, Wherefore? -- an affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, Because of My house that is waste, And ye are running -- each to his house,

“You look for much, but it turns out to be little. When you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” says the Lord of All. “Because My house lies waste, while each of you takes care of his own house.

10 T herefore, over you refrained have the heavens from dew, And the land hath refrained its increase.

So the sky has held back the water on the grass in the early morning because of you, and the earth has held back its food.

11 A nd I proclaim draught on the land, And on the mountains, and on the corn, And on the new wine, and on the oil, And on what the ground doth bring forth, And on man, and on beast, And on all labour of the hands.'

I have called for a time without rain on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on the vegetables, on men, on cattle, and on all the work of your hands.” The People Obey

12 A nd Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Joshua son of Josedech, the high priest, and all the remnant of the people, do hearken to the voice of Jehovah their God, and unto the words of Haggai the prophet, as Jehovah their God had sent him, and the people are afraid of the face of Jehovah.

Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the head religious leader, and all the rest of the people of Israel, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God. They obeyed the words of Haggai the man of God, as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people honored the Lord with fear.

13 A nd Haggai, messenger of Jehovah, in messages of Jehovah, speaketh to the people, saying: `I with you, an affirmation of Jehovah.'

Then Haggai the man of God spoke for the Lord to the people, saying, “I am with you,” says the Lord.

14 A nd Jehovah doth stir up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people, and they come in, and do work in the house of Jehovah of Hosts their God,

So the Lord moved the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, ruler of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the head religious leader, and the spirit of all the rest of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the Lord of All, their God.

15 i n the twenty and fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.

This was on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king.