< 瑪拉基書 3 >
1 萬軍之耶和華說:「我要差遣我的使者在我前面預備道路。你們所尋求的主必忽然進入他的殿;立約的使者,就是你們所仰慕的,快要來到。」
Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord whom ye seek will suddenly come to his temple, and the Angel of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he cometh, saith Jehovah of hosts.
2 他來的日子,誰能當得起呢?他顯現的時候,誰能立得住呢?因為他如煉金之人的火,如漂布之人的鹼。
But who shall endure the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? For he will be like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' lye.
3 他必坐下如煉淨銀子的,必潔淨利未人,熬煉他們像金銀一樣;他們就憑公義獻供物給耶和華。
And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver; and he will purify the children of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver; and they shall offer unto Jehovah an oblation in righteousness.
4 那時,猶大和耶路撒冷所獻的供物必蒙耶和華悅納,彷彿古時之日、上古之年。
Then shall the oblation of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto Jehovah, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
5 萬軍之耶和華說:「我必臨近你們,施行審判。我必速速作見證,警戒行邪術的、犯姦淫的、起假誓的、虧負人之工價的、欺壓寡婦孤兒的、屈枉寄居的,和不敬畏我的。」
And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the false swearers, and against those that oppress the hired servant in [his] wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger [from his right], and fear not me, saith Jehovah of hosts.
6 「因我-耶和華是不改變的,所以你們雅各之子沒有滅亡。
For I Jehovah change not, and ye, sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
7 萬軍之耶和華說:從你們列祖的日子以來,你們常常偏離我的典章而不遵守。現在你們要轉向我,我就轉向你們。你們卻問說:『我們如何才是轉向呢?』
Since the days of your fathers have ye departed from my statutes, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts. But ye say, Wherein shall we return?
8 人豈可奪取上帝之物呢?你們竟奪取我的供物。你們卻說:『我們在何事上奪取你的供物呢?』就是你們在當納的十分之一和當獻的供物上。
Will a man rob God? But ye rob me. And ye say, Wherein do we rob thee? [In] tithes and heave-offerings.
9 因你們通國的人都奪取我的供物,咒詛就臨到你們身上。
Ye are cursed with a curse; and me ye rob, [even] this whole nation.
10 萬軍之耶和華說:你們要將當納的十分之一全然送入倉庫,使我家有糧,以此試試我,是否為你們敞開天上的窗戶,傾福與你們,甚至無處可容。
Bring the whole tithe into the treasure-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah of hosts, if I open not to you the windows of the heavens, and pour you out a blessing, till there be no place for it.
11 萬軍之耶和華說:我必為你們斥責蝗蟲,不容牠毀壞你們的土產。你們田間的葡萄樹在未熟之先也不掉果子。
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before the time in the field, saith Jehovah of hosts.
12 萬軍之耶和華說:萬國必稱你們為有福的,因你們的地必成為喜樂之地。」
And all nations shall call you blessed; for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith Jehovah of hosts.
13 耶和華說:「你們用話頂撞我,你們還說:『我們用甚麼話頂撞了你呢?』
Your words have been stout against me, saith Jehovah; but ye say, What have we been speaking against thee?
14 你們說:『事奉上帝是徒然的,遵守上帝所吩咐的,在萬軍之耶和華面前苦苦齋戒,有甚麼益處呢?
Ye say, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we keep his charge, and that we walk mournfully before Jehovah of hosts?
15 如今我們稱狂傲的人為有福,並且行惡的人得建立;他們雖然試探上帝,卻得脫離災難。』」
And now we hold the proud for happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up; yea, they tempt God, and they escape.
16 那時,敬畏耶和華的彼此談論,耶和華側耳而聽,且有紀念冊在他面前,記錄那敬畏耶和華、思念他名的人。
Then they that feared Jehovah spoke often one to another; and Jehovah observed [it], and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared Jehovah, and that thought upon his name.
17 萬軍之耶和華說:「在我所定的日子,他們必屬我,特特歸我。我必憐恤他們,如同人憐恤服事自己的兒子。
And they shall be unto me a peculiar treasure, saith Jehovah of hosts, in the day that I prepare; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
18 那時你們必歸回,將善人和惡人,事奉上帝的和不事奉上帝的,分別出來。」
And ye shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.