1 In 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:
2 Thus spake Jehovah of Hosts, saying: This people! -- they have said, `The time hath not come, The time the house of Jehovah [is] to be built.' 3 And there is a word of Jehovah by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying: 4 Is it time for you -- you! To dwell in your covered houses, And this house to lie waste? 5 And now, thus said Jehovah of Hosts, Set your heart to your ways. 6 Ye 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.
7 Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Set your heart to your ways. 8 Go 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. 9 Looking for much, and lo, little, And ye brought [it] 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, 10 Therefore, over you refrained have the heavens from dew, And the land hath refrained its increase. 11 And 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.'