1a second message came from the Lord. It came to Haggai the prophet. The message came on the 21st day of the seventh month. The Lord said, 2“Speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah and the son of Shealtiel. Also speak to Joshua the high priest, the son of Jozadak. And speak to all my people who are still left alive. Ask them, 3‘Did any of you who are here see how beautiful this temple used to be? How does it look to you now? It doesn’t look so good, does it? 4But be strong, Zerubbabel,’ announces the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua. Be strong, all of you people in the land,’ announces the Lord. ‘Start rebuilding. I am with you,’ announces the Lord who rules over all. 5‘That is what I promised you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit continues to be with you. So do not be afraid.’ ”
6The Lord says, “In a little while I will shake the heavens and the earth once more. I will also shake the ocean and the dry land. 7I will shake all the nations. Then what is desired by all nations will come to my temple. And I will fill the temple with glory,” says the Lord who rules over all. 8“The silver belongs to me. So does the gold,” announces the Lord who rules over all. 9“The new temple will be more beautiful than the first one was,” says the Lord. “And in this place I will bring peace,” announces the Lord who rules over all.
The Lord Will Make His People Pure and “Clean”
10A third message from the Lord came to Haggai the prophet. The message came on the 24th day of the ninth month of the second year that Darius was king. 11The Lord who rules over all speaks. He says, “Ask the priests what the law says. 12Suppose someone carries holy meat in the clothes they are wearing. And the clothes touch some bread or stew. Or they touch some wine, olive oil or other food. Then do these things also become holy?”
The priests answered, “No.”
13So Haggai said, “Suppose someone is made ‘unclean’ by touching a dead body. And then they touch one of these things. Does it become ‘unclean’ too?”
“Yes,” the priests replied. “It does.”
14Then here is what Haggai said. “The Lord announces, ‘That is how I look at these people and this nation. Anything they do and anything they sacrifice on the altar is “unclean.”
15“ ‘Think carefully about this from now on. Think about how things were before the Lord’s temple was built. This was before one stone was laid on top of another. 16People went to get 20 measures of grain. But they could find only 10. They went to where the wine was stored to get 50 measures. But only 20 were there. 17You worked very hard to produce all those things. But I struck them with rot, mold and hail. And you still did not return to me,’ announces the Lord. 18It is the 24th day of the ninth month. From this day on, here is what you should think carefully about. Think about the day when the foundation of my temple was laid. 19Are any seeds still left in your barns? Until now, your vines and fig trees have not produced any fruit. Your pomegranate and olive trees have not produced any either.
“ ‘But from this day on I will bless you.’ ”
The Lord Compares Zerubbabel to His Royal Ring
20A final message from the Lord came to Haggai. This message also came on the 24th day of the ninth month. The Lord said, 21“Speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah. Tell him I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. 22I will throw down royal thrones. I will smash the power of other kingdoms. I will destroy chariots and their drivers. Horses and their riders will fall. They will be killed by the swords of their relatives.
23“ ‘Zerubbabel, at that time I will pick you,’ announces the Lord. ‘You are my servant,’ announces the Lord. ‘You will be like a ring that has my royal mark on it. I have chosen you,’ announces the Lord who rules over all.”
Ulemerero wa Nyumba Yatsopano ya Yehova
1Pa tsiku la 21 la mwezi wachisanu ndi chiwiri, Yehova anayankhula kudzera mwa mneneri Hagai kuti: 2“Yankhula kwa Zerubabeli mwana wa Sealatieli, bwanamkubwa wa Yuda, kwa Yoswa mwana wa Yehozadaki, mkulu wa ansembe, ndi kwa anthu onse otsala. Afunse kuti, 3‘Kodi alipo amene watsala pakati panu amene anaona ulemerero wakale wa Nyumba iyi? Nanga tsopano ikuoneka motani kwa inu? Kodi sikuoneka ngati yopanda pake kwa inu? 4Iwe Zerubabeli, limba mtima tsopano,’ akutero Yehova. ‘Limba mtima, iwe Yoswa mwana wa Yehozadaki, mkulu wa ansembe. Limbani mtima, anthu nonse a mʼdziko,’ akutero Yehova, ‘ndipo gwirani ntchito. Pakuti ine ndili nanu,’ akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse. 5‘Izi ndi zimene ndinapangana nanu pamene munkatuluka ku Igupto. Ndipo Mzimu wanga uli pakati panu. Musachite mantha.’
6“Yehova Wamphamvuzonse akuti, ‘Pakapita nthawi pangʼono ndidzagwedezanso thambo ndi dziko lapansi, nyanja ndi mtunda. 7Ndidzagwedeza mitundu yonse ya anthu, ndipo chimene mitundu yonse ya anthu imachifuna chidzabwera, ndipo ndidzaza Nyumba ino ndi ulemerero,’ akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse. 8‘Siliva yense ndi wanga, golide yense ndi wanganso,’ akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse. 9‘Ulemerero wa nyumba iyi udzaposa ulemerero wa nyumba yoyamba ija,’ akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse. ‘Ndipo pamalo pano ndidzakhazikitsapo mtendere,’ akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse.”
Madalitso kwa Anthu Oyipitsidwa
10Chaka chachiwiri cha Dariyo, pa tsiku la 24 la mwezi wachisanu ndi chinayi, Yehova anayankhula ndi mneneri Hagai kuti: 11“Yehova Wamphamvuzonse akuti, ‘Funsa ansembe za zimene lamulo likunena: 12Ngati munthu wakulunga nyama yopatulika mu mkanjo wake, ndipo mkanjowo nʼkukhudza buledi kapena msuzi, kapena vinyo, mafuta kapena chakudya cha mtundu wina uliwonse, kodi zimenezo zimasanduka zopatulika?’ ”
Ansembe anayankha kuti, “Ayi.”
13Pamenepo Hagai anati, “Ngati munthu amene anayipitsidwa pokhudza mtembo akhudza chimodzi cha zinthu zimenezi, kodi chinthucho chimayipitsidwa?”
Ansembe anayankha kuti, “Inde, chimayipitsidwa.”
14Pamenepo Hagai anati, “ ‘Ndi mmene zilili ndi anthu awa ndi dziko ili pamaso panga,’ akutero Yehova. ‘Chilichonse amachita ndiponso chilichonse chimene amapereka nʼchodetsedwa.
15“ ‘Tsopano muganizire zimenezi kuyambira lero mpaka mʼtsogolo. Ganizirani momwe zinthu zinalili asanayambe kumanga nyumba ya Yehova. 16Pamene munthu ankayembekezera miyeso ya tirigu makumi awiri ankangopeza khumi yokha. Munthu akapita kuti akatunge miyeso makumi asanu ya vinyo mu mtsuko, ankangopeza miyeso makumi awiri yokha. 17Ndinawononga ntchito yonse ya manja anu ndi chinsikwi, chiwawu ndi matalala, komabe inu simunatembenukire kwa Ine,’ akutero Yehova 18‘Kuyambira lero tsiku la 24 la mwezi wachisanu ndi chinayi mpaka mʼtsogolo, chonde ganizirani bwino tsiku limene munayika maziko a nyumba ya Yehova. Ganizirani bwino. 19Kodi mʼnkhokwe mwatsala mbewu? Mpaka lero, mpesa ndi mtengo wa mkuyu, makangadza ndi mtengo wa olivi sizinabereke zipatso.
“ ‘Kuyambira lero mpaka mʼtsogolo ndidzakudalitsani.’ ”
Zerubabeli Mphete Yolamulira ya Yehova
20Yehova anayankhula ndi Hagai kachiwiri, pa tsiku la 24 la mwezi kuti: 21“Uza Zerubabeli, bwanamkubwa wa Yuda, kuti ndidzagwedeza thambo ndi dziko lapansi. 22Ndidzagwetsa mipando yaufumu ndi kuwononga mphamvu za maufumu achilendo. Ndidzagubuduza magaleta ndi okwerapo ake; akavalo ndi okwerapo ake adzagwa, aliyense adzaphedwa ndi lupanga la mʼbale wake.
23“ ‘Tsiku limenelo,’ akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse, ‘ndidzakutenga, iwe mtumiki wanga Zerubabeli mwana wa Sealatieli,’ akutero Yehova, ‘ndipo ndidzakusandutsa kukhala mphete yanga yolamulira, pakuti ndasankha iwe,’ akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse.”
