Malakias 2

1 Og nu udgaar følgende Paabud til eder, I Præster:

And now, O all of you priests, this commandment is for you.

2 Hvis I ikke adlyder og lægger eder paa Sinde at holde mit Navn i Ære, siger Hærskarers HERRE, saa sender jeg Forbandelse over eder og vender eders Velsignelse til Forbandelse, ja til Forbandelse, fordi I ikke lægger eder det paa Sinde.

If all of you will not hear, and if all of you will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, says the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because all of you do not lay it to heart.

3 Se, jeg afhugger Armen paa eder og kaster Skarn i Ansigtet paa eder, Skarnet fra eders Højtider, og eders Ofre oven i Købet;

Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.

4 og I skal kende, at jeg har sendt eder dette Paabud, fordi jeg har en Pagt med Levi, siger Hærskarers HERRE.

And all of you shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, says the LORD of hosts.

5 Min Pagt med ham var, at jeg skulde give ham Liv og Fred, og han skulde frygte mig og bæve for mit Navn;

My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.

6 Sandheds Lære var i hans Mund, Svig fandtes ikke paa hans Læber; i Fred og Sanddruhed vandrede han med mig, og mange holdt han fra Brøde.

The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.

7 Thi Præstens Læber vogter paa Kundskab, og Vejledning søger man af hans Mund; thi han er Hærskarers HERRES Sendebud.

For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

8 Men I veg bort fra Vejen; mange har I bragt til Fald ved eders Vejledning, Levis Pagt har I ødelagt, siger Hærskarers HERRE.

But all of you are departed out of the way; all of you have caused many to stumble at the law; all of you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts.

9 Derfor har jeg ogsaa gjort eder ringeagtede og oversete af alt Folket, fordi I ikke tager Vare paa mine Veje eller bryder eder om Loven.

Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as all of you have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

10 Har vi ikke alle en og samme Fader, er det ikke en og samme Gud, som har skabt os? Hvorfor er vi da troløse mod hverandre, saa vi vanhelliger vore Fædres Pagt?

Have we not all one father? has not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?

11 Juda er troløst, og Vederstyggelighed øves i Israel og Jerusalem; thi Juda vanhelliger den Helligdom, HERREN elsker, og tager en fremmed Guds Datter til Ægte.

Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and has married the daughter of a strange god.

12 HERREN unddrage den Mand, som gør sligt, en til at vaage og svare i Jakobs Telte og en til at frembære Offergave for Hærskarers HERRE!

The LORD will cut off the man that does this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offers an offering unto the LORD of hosts.

13 Og for det andet gør I dette: I hyller HERRENS Alter i Taarer, Graad og Klage, saa han ikke mere vender sig til Offergaven eller med Glæde modtager Gaver af eders Haand.

And this have all of you done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regards not the offering any more, or receives it with good will at your hand.

14 Og I spørger: »Hvorfor?« Fordi HERREN var Vidne mellem dig og din Ungdomshustru, mod hvem du har været troløs, skønt hun hører til dit Folk og deler din Tro.

Yet all of you say, Wherefore? Because the LORD has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously: yet is she your companion, and the wife of your covenant.

15 Saaledes gør ingen, saa længe der er Aand i ham. Hvorledes har det sig med ham? Han ønsker Afkom for Gud. Saa tag Vare paa eders Aand, og ingen være troløs imod sin Ungdomshustru!

And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

16 Thi jeg hader Skilsmisse, siger HERREN, Israels Gud, og at man hyller sin Klædning i Uret, siger Hærskarers HERRE. Saa tag eder i Vare for eders Aands Skyld og vær ikke troløse!

For the LORD, the God of Israel, says that he hates putting away: for one covers violence with his garment, says the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that all of you deal not treacherously.

17 I trætter HERREN med eders Ord. Og I spørger: »Hvorved trætter vi?« Ved at sige: »Enhver som gør ondt, er god i HERRENS Øjne; i dem har han Behag; hvor er ellers Dommens Gud?«

All of you have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet all of you say, Wherein have we wearied him? When all of you say, Every one that does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?