1 This is the message that the Lord gave Malachi to tell the people of Israel.
The Lord's Love for Israel
2 The Lord says to his people, “I have always loved you.”
But they reply, “How have you shown your love for us?”
The Lord answers, “Esau and Jacob were brothers, but I have loved Jacob and his descendants, 3 and have hated Esau and his descendants. I have devastated Esau's hill country and abandoned the land to jackals.”
4 If Esau's descendants, the Edomites, say, “Our towns have been destroyed, but we will rebuild them,” then the Lord will reply, “Let them rebuild—I will tear them down again. People will call them ‘The evil country’ and ‘The nation with whom the Lord is angry forever.’”
5 The people of Israel are going to see this with their own eyes, and they will say, “The Lord is mighty even outside the land of Israel!”
The Lord Reprimands the Priests
6 The Lord Almighty says to the priests, “Children honor their parents, and servants honor their masters. I am your father—why don't you honor me? I am your master—why don't you respect me? You despise me, and yet you ask, ‘How have we despised you?’ 7 This is how—by offering worthless food on my altar. Then you ask, ‘How have we failed to respect you?’ I will tell you—by showing contempt for my altar. 8 When you bring a blind or sick or lame animal to sacrifice to me, do you think there's nothing wrong with that? Try giving an animal like that to the governor! Would he be pleased with you or grant you any favors?”
9 Now, you priests, try asking God to be good to us. He will not answer your prayer, and it will be your fault. 10 The Lord Almighty says, “I wish one of you would close the Temple doors so as to prevent you from lighting useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you; I will not accept the offerings you bring me. 11 People from one end of the world to the other honor me. Everywhere they burn incense to me and offer acceptable sacrifices. All of them honor me! 12 But you dishonor me when you say that my altar is worthless and when you offer on it food that you despise. 13 You say, ‘How tired we are of all this!’ and you turn up your nose at me. As your offering to me you bring a stolen animal or one that is lame or sick. Do you think I will accept that from you? 14 A curse on the cheater who sacrifices a worthless animal to me, when he has in his flock a good animal that he promised to give me! For I am a great king, and people of all nations fear me.”
1 Dama la Yahwe lakapiwa Malaki kulipa Baiziraela.
Yahwe banoda Iziraela
2 “Ndakamuda misi yose,” koleba Yahwe. Koga imwi mobhuzwa muti, “Makalakidza ngeni kuti motida?” Yahwe bakati, “Apa Esau wakabe asi nkulu wa Jakubo kene? Koga ndakada Jakubo 3 abenga Esau, ndakathama shango iye ye matuthu ikashakadziwa, thaka iye ikabe ye phungubgwe dze tjilambanyika.” 4 Ha Edomu angati, “Nenguba takashakadziwa, towomusa matongo.” Koga Yahwe Masimbawose ibo bakati, “Bangabaka zwabo koga imi ndowokolomodza kuswikila bedang'wa shango mbiimbi, bathu bapasi kwe bushongola gwa Yahwe misi yose.”
5 “Mowokubona nge mesho enyu ikoku mubuya muti, ‘Yahwe bankulu, naiko ne kupinda migathu ye Iziraela.’
6 “Nkololo unoteta tate babe, nlanda kakudza tetshi uwe. Ha ndili tate, lingayi gudzo lakandilingisana? Ha ndili tetshi, kungayi kutetiwa kwakandilingisana? Koleba Yahwe Masimbawose. Ndimwi bapirisiti munolengudza zina langu. Koga mobhuzwa muti, ‘Zina lenyu takalilengudza tjini?’ 7 Moyisa zwibhayilo zwakatemapala mu tjibeso tjangu tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo. Mube mubhuzwa muti, ‘Takamutemapadza tjini?’ Nge kukumbula kuti tafuli ya Yahwe ingana ikalengudziwa. 8 Apa ate kuli kubiibi ha mudusa zwithuwo zwakapofupala kube zwibhayilo? Ha mudusa zwibhayilo zwe zwithuwo zwina bulema ne zwinogwala, apa ate kuli kubiibi ikoku kene? Tongozwipani mbusi wenyu. Apa ungamushathila kene? Apa ungamuamutjila kene? Koleba Yahwe Masimbawose.
9 “Ndizo ngwenu wali kumbilani Ndzimu utihwile ngoni. Se muna tjipo tjakajali mu maboko enyu, apa ungamuamutjila kene? Koleba Yahwe Masimbawose. 10 Ungati mmwe wenyu ungazhalila nkoba we Ng'umba ye Ndzimu kuyita kuti musitongo bhatidza moto usina nshingo mu tjibeso tjangu tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo. Akuna tjinondishathisa mu muli, naiko andingaamutjile tjibhayilo tjinodwa kumuli. Koleba Yahwe Masimbawose. 11 Zina langu lowokudziwa mu njudzi kudwa zhuba libhuda kunoti lingina. Mu magalo mamwe ne mamwe zina langu lowopisigwa motsha ne zwibhayilo zwibuyanana zowozhisigwa zina langu ngoti zina langu lowokudziwa pakati kwe njudzi. Koleba Yahwe Masimbawose.
12 “Koga molilengudza ha muti, ‘Tafuli ya Yahwe yakatemapala ne zojiwa zwayo ate zwe tjimwe.’ 13 Moti, ‘Aa, konyadza seni ikoku’ mube mulisinyalalila. Koleba Yahwe Masimbawose. Mozhisa zwamatolela bamwe nge masimba ne zwithuwo zwakalemala ne zwina bugwele muzwidusa zwibhayilo. Apa ndizwiamutjile mu maboko enyu kene? Koleba Yahwe.
14 “Una bhiso ntjebeli una ithuwo mu zwithuwo zwizwe tjilume tjingaamutjilika ebuya etuna kutjidusa tjibhayilo, koga ebe ezhisa ithuwo tjakalemala kuna She. Kana ndi mambo nkulu, koleba Yahwe Masimbawose unolaula kose, zina langu ngalitjiwe pakati kwe njudzi.”