In Hebrew the words Thus says the LORD of hosts are repeated in verse 5 and verse 7. Good News Translation translates them here, but omits them in the other places so as to be able to treat 1.4-11 as the unbroken words of the LORD through the prophet. Translators in many other languages will find that the rendering of Good News Translation is more natural style in their languages: “The LORD Almighty said to Haggai.” However, translators need to be aware that the repetition of this formula has a function at the discourse level, and marks the beginning of a new paragraph in each case. Even if it is not natural to repeat the formula in their language, translators should preserve its function of indicating the beginning of a new paragraph. See further comments on verses 5 and 7, and also on verse 9, where a similar formula with a different discourse function occurs.
Good News Translation adds the words “to Haggai” to make it clear that this part of the message is introductory, and is not spoken directly to Zerubbabel and Joshua as verse 1 would otherwise suggest. The content of the direct speech in this verse forms the basis for the message in 1.3-11, but is not part of that message. This is why 1.2 is included with 1.1 as part of the introduction to the prophecy as a whole.
This people say: The expression This people (Good News Translation “These people”) rather than “my people” is somewhat reproachful (compare Isa 6.9, 10; 8.6, 11, 12; Jer 6.19, 21), and translators are urged to find expressions in their languages that convey the idea of reproach.
The time has not yet come to rebuild: Although a start had been made (Ezra 1–3), the work of rebuilding the Temple had run into difficulties and had been abandoned. The people had become discouraged, and a series of bad harvests (1.6, 11) had turned their minds to more urgent physical needs. It is possible also that some of the people thought that the rebuilding of the Temple should wait until the end of the seventy years mentioned in Jer 25.11; 29.10. This would not be until the year 516 B.C. The time has not yet come may be expressed as “this is not the right time” (Good News Translation; similarly Contemporary English Version) or “it is too soon” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).
The house of the LORD: In languages that do not have a suitable term for “the Temple” (Good News Translation), it may be possible to translate it as “God’s house” or “the building where the LORD is worshiped.” To translate like this will probably be better than to borrow the word Temple from English or some other major language. In certain languages that do not use indirect speech, this final sentence may be rendered something like “These people say, ‘This is not the right time for us to rebuild the Temple [or, the LORD’s house].’ ”
An alternative translation model for verses 1-2 is:
• On the first day of the sixth month of the second year that Darius ruled as emperor of Persia, the LORD used [or, caused] Haggai the prophet to give a message to the governor of Judah who was Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and to the High Priest who was Joshua the son of Jehozadak. The LORD who is all-powerful first said to Haggai, “These people say, ‘This is not the right time for us to rebuild God’s house.’ ”
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Haggai. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2002. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .