< 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 will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom all of you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom all of you delight in: behold, he shall come, says the LORD 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 may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appears? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
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 shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering 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 offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, 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 false swearers, and against those that oppress the worker in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, says the LORD 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 am the LORD, I change not; therefore all of you 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?』
Even from the days of your fathers all of you are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, says the LORD of hosts. But all of you said, 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? Yet all of you have robbed me. But all of you say, Wherein have we robbed you? In tithes and 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。
All of you are cursed with a curse: for all of you have robbed me, 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 all of you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in mine house, and prove me now herewith, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive 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 her fruit before the time in the field, says the LORD 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 all of you shall be a delightsome land, says the LORD 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, says the LORD. Yet all of you say, What have we spoken so much against you?
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?
All of you have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD 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 call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
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 the LORD spoke often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, 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 mine, says the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves 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。」
Then shall all of you return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves him not.