< Hagai 1 >

1 Katika mwaka wa pili wa mfalme Dario, katika mwezi wa sita, siku ya kwanza ya mwezi, neno la Bwana likaja kwa kwa mkono wa nabii Haghai kwenda kwa gavana wa Yuda, Zerubabeli mwana wa Sheatieli na kuhani mkuu Joshua mwana wa Yehozadaki, kusema,
[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 “Bwana wa Majeshi asema: 'Hawa watu husema, “Si wakati wetu kuja au kujenga nyumba ya Jehova."””
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 Tena neno la Bwana lilikuja kwa mkono wa nabii Haghai kusema,
Then Yahweh gave me this message [to tell to the people of Jerusalem]:
4 “Je ni wakati kwenu wenyewe kuishi katika nyumba zilizokamilika, na wakati nyumba hii inaharibika?
“It is not right [RHQ] for you to be living in luxurious houses while my temple is only ruins!
5 Kwa hiyo sasa Bwana wa Majeshi asema hivi: 'zitafakarini njia zenu!
[I, ] Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of heaven, say this: Think about what is happening to you.
6 Mmepanda mbengu nyingi, lakini mkaleta mavuno kidogo; mnakula lakini hamshibi, mnakunywa lakini hamkujazwa na vinywaji. Mnavaa nguo lakini hampati joto wenyewe, na mtu wa mshahara hupata pesa na kuweka kwenye mfuko wenye mashimo tu!'
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 Bwana wa Majeshi asema haya:
[So] this is what Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of heaven, says: “Think about what is happening to you.
8 'Zitafakarini njia zetu! Pandeni milimani, mkalete mbao, na mjenge nyumba yangu; na pia nitakuwa radhi na nitatukuzwa!' Asema Bwana.
[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 'Mmetazamia kupata vingi, lakini tazama! ulileta nyumbani vichache, nitavitowesha mbali! kwa nini?'- Hivi ndivyo anatamka Bwana wa Majeshi! kwa sababu nyumba yangu inakaa kwenye uharibifu, lakini kila mtu yuko radhi kwenye nyumba yake.
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 Kwa sababu hii mbingu zimeshikiwa zisitoe umande kutoka kwako, na ardhi imeshikilia haizalishi.
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 Nimekuita kutoka juu ya ardhi na juu ya milima, juu ya nafaka na juu ya mzabibu mpya, juu ya mafuta na juu ya mavuno ya ardhi, juu ya watu na juu ya wanyama, na juu ya kazi zote za mikono yako.
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 Kisha Zerubabeli mwana wa Shelitieli, na kuhani mkuu Yoshua mwana wa Yehozadaki, pamoja na mabaki ya watu, wakati sauti ya Bwana Mungu wao, na maneno ya Nabii Hagai, kwa sababu Bwana Mungu wao alikuwa amemtuma. Na watu wakaogopa uso wa Bwana.
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 Ndipo Hagai, mjumbe wa Bwana, akaongea ujumbe wa Bwana kwa watu na kusema,”'Niko pamoja na wewe!'- Hili ni tamko la Bwana.
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 Bwana alitibua roho ya mkuu wa mkoa wa Yudah, Zerubabeli mwana wa Sheltieli, na roho ya kuhani mkuu Joshua mwana wa Yehozadaki, na roho ya masalia ya watu, kwa kiasi kwamba wakaenda kufanya kazi katika nyumba ya Bwana Mungu wa majeshi, Mungu wao.
[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 katika siku ya ishirini na Mwezi wa sita, katika mwaka wa pili wa utawala wa Mfalme Dario.
[They started work] on September 21st, during the second year that Darius was the king.

< Hagai 1 >