< Malakias 3 >

1 Se, jeg sender min Engel, og han skal bane Vej for mit Aasyn; og til sit Tempel kommer i et Nu den Herre, I søger, og Pagtens Engel, som I længes efter; se, han kommer, siger Hærskarers HERRE.
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall clear out the way before me: and suddenly will come to his temple the Lord, whom ye seek; and the messenger of the covenant, whom ye desire for, behold, he is coming, saith the Lord of hosts.
2 Men hvo kan udholde den Dag, han kommer, og hvo kan staa, naar han kommer til Syne? Han er jo som Metalsmelterens Ild og Tvætternes Lud.
But who can sustain the day of his coming? and who can stand when he appeareth? for he is like the fire of the melter, and like the lye of the washers:
3 Han sidder og smelter og renser Sølv; han renser Levis Sønner, lutrer dem som Guld og Sølv, saa de kan frembære Offergave for HERREN i Retfærdighed,
And he will sit as a melter and purifier of silver; and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness
4 at Judas og Jerusalems Offergave maa være HERREN liflig som i fordums Dage, i henrundne Aar.
And then shall be pleasant unto the Lord the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
5 Jeg nærmer mig eder til Dom og vidner i Hast mod Troldmændene, Ægteskabsbryderne, Menederne og dem, som undertrykker Daglejere, Enker og faderløse, gør fremmede Uret og ikke frygter mig, siger Hærskarers HERRE.
And I will come near unto you to [hold] judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against those that swear falsely, and against those that withhold the wages of the hired laborer, [oppress] the widow, and the fatherless, and that do injustice to the stranger, and fear me not, saith the Lord of hosts.
6 Thi jeg, HERREN, er ikke blevet en anden, men I har ikke ophørt at være Jakobsønner.
For I the Lord, —I have not changed: and ye sons of Jacob—ye have not ceased to be.
7 Siden eders Fædres Dage er I afveget fra mine Bud og har ikke holdt dem. Vend om til mig, saa vil jeg vende om til eder, siger Hærskarers HERRE. Og I spørger: »Hvorledes skal vi vende os?«
From the days of your fathers did ye depart from my statutes, and did not keep them; return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts; but ye say, Wherein shall we return?
8 Skal et Menneske bedrage Gud? I bedrager mig jo! Og I spørger: »Hvorved har vi bedraget dig?« Med Tienden og Offerydelsen!
Can a man rob God, that ye will rob me? But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and in heave-offerings.
9 I trues med Forbandelse og bedrager dog mig, ja alt Folket gør det!
With the curse are ye cursed, and yet me do ye rob, O ye entire nation!
10 Bring hele Tienden til Forraadshuset, saa der kan være Mad i mit Hus; sæt mig paa Prøve dermed, siger Hærskarers HERRE, om jeg da ikke aabner eder Himmelens Sluser og udøser Velsignelse over eder i Overmaal.
Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be provision in my house, and prove me but herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing, until it be more than enough.
11 Jeg vil for eders Skyld skræmme Æderne, saa at de ikke ødelægger eder Landets Afgrøde, og Vinstokken paa Marken skal ikke slaa eder fejl, siger Hærskarers HERRE.
And I will rebuke for you the devourer, and he shall not destroy for you the fruit of the ground: and the vine shall not cast its fruit for you before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
12 Og alle Folkene skal love eder, fordi I har et yndigt Land, siger Hærskarers HERRE.
And all the nations shall call you blessed; for ye shall be a land of delight, saith the Lord of hosts.
13 I taler stærke Ord imod mig, siger HERREN. Og I spørger: »Hvad taler vi imod dig?«
Your words have been strong against me, saith the Lord; but ye say, What have we spoken among us against thee?
14 I siger: »Det er ørkesløst at tjene Gud; hvad vinder vi ved at opfylde hans Krav og gaa sørgeklædte for Hærskarers HERRES Aasyn?
Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked contritely before the Lord of hosts?
15 Nej, vi maa love de frække! De øver Gudløshed og kommer til Vejrs; de frister Gud og slipper godt derfra.«
And now we call the presumptuous happy: yea, built up are those that practise wickedness; yea, they have even tempted God and are [yet] suffered to escape.
16 Da talte de, som frygter HERREN, med hverandre. Og HERREN lyttede og hørte efter, og en Bog blev skrevet for hans Aasyn, for at de kunde ihukommes, som frygter HERREN og slaar Lid til hans Navn.
Then conversed they that fear the Lord one with the other: and the Lord listened and heard it, and there was written a book of remembrance before him for those who fear the Lord, and for those who respect his name.
17 Den Dag jeg griber ind, skal de tilhøre mig som mit Eje, siger Hærskarers HERRE, og jeg vil handle nænsomt med dem, som en Fader handler nænsomt med sin Søn, der tjener ham.
And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, on that day which I create as a special treasure: and I will spare them, as a man spareth his son that serveth him.
18 Da skal I atter kende Forskel paa retfærdig og gudløs, paa den, som tjener Gud, og den, som ikke tjener ham.
And ye shall return, and see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that hath not served him.

< Malakias 3 >