² “Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.” ³ Then the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai, saying: ⁴ “Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?^{(A) 5} Now therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider how you have fared.^{(B) 6} You have sown much and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and you that earn wages earn wages to put them into a bag with holes.^(C)

⁷ “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider how you have fared. ⁸ Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord.^{(D) 9} You have looked for much, but it came to little, and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? says the Lord of hosts. Because my house lies in ruins, while all of you hurry off to your own houses.^(E)

⁴ Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the Lord; work, for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts,^{(A) 5} according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear.^{(B) 6} For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land,^{(C) 7} and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts.^{(D) 8} The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts. ⁹ The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts, and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts.”^(E)