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.'

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

Who among you hath been left that saw this house in its former honour? And what are ye seeing it now? Is it not, compared with it, as nothing in your eyes?

And I have shaken all the nations, And they have come to the desire of all the nations, And I have filled this house with honour, Said Jehovah of Hosts.

Greater is the honour of this latter house, Than of the former, said Jehovah of Hosts, And in this place do I give peace, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts.'

And Haggai answereth and saith, 'So is this people, and so is this nation before Me -- an affirmation of Jehovah -- and so is every work of their hands, and that which they bring near there -- it is unclean.

And now, lay it, I pray you, to your heart, From this day, and onwards, Before the laying of stone to stone in the temple of Jehovah.

Set it, I pray you, to your heart, from this day and onwards, from the twenty and fourth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the temple of Jehovah hath been founded, set it to your heart.

Is the seed yet in the barn? And hitherto the vine and the fig, And the pomegranate, and the olive-tree, Have not borne -- from this day I bless.'