Malakias 3

1 Se, jeg sender min Engel, og han skal bane Vej for mit Åsyn; 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 send forth my messenger, and he shall survey the way before me: and the Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come into his temple, even the angel of the covenant, whom you take pleasure in: behold, he is coming, says the Lord Almighty.

2 Men hvo kan udholde den Dag, han kommer, og hvo kan stå, når han kommer til Syne? Han er jo som Metalsmelterens Ild og Tvætternes Lud.

And who will abide the day of his coming? or who will withstand at his appearing? for he is coming in as the fire of a furnace and as the herb of fullers.

3 Han sidder og smelter og renser Sølv; han renser Levis Sønner, lutrer dem som Guld og Sølv, så de kan frembære Offergave for HERREN i Retfærdighed,

He shall sit to melt and purify as it were silver, and as it were gold: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver, and they shall offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness.

4 at Judas og Jerusalems Offergave må være HERREN liflig som i fordums Dage, i henrundne År.

And the sacrifice of Juda and Jerusalem shall be pleasing to the Lord, according to the former days, and according to the 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 draw near to you in judgment; and I will be a sift witness against the witches, and against the adulteresses, and against them that swear falsely by my name, and against them that keep back the hireling's wages, and them that oppress the widow, and afflict orphans, and that wrest the judgment of the stranger, and fear not me, says the Lord Almighty.

6 Thi jeg, HERREN, er ikke blevet en anden, men I har ikke ophørt at være Jakobsønner".

For I am the Lord your God, and I am not changed:

7 Siden eders Fædres Dage er I afveget fra mine Bud og har ikke holdt dem. Vend om til mig, så vil jeg vende om til eder, siger Hærskarers HERRE. Og I spørger: "Hvorledes skal vi vende os?"

but you, the sons of Jacob, have not refrained from the iniquities of your fathers: you have perverted my statutes, and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty. But you said, 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!

Will a man insult God? for you insult me. But you say, Wherein have we insulted you? In that the tithes and first fruits are with you [still].

9 I trues med Forbandelse og bedrager dog mig, ja alt Folket gør det!

And you do surely look off from me, and you insult me.

10 Bring hele Tienden tiI Forrådshuset, så der kan være Mad i mit Hus; sæt mig på Prøve dermed, siger Hærskarers HERRE, om jeg da ikke åbner eder Himmelens Sluser og udøser Velsignelse over eder i Overmål.

The year is completed, and you have brought all the produce into the storehouses; but there shall be the plunder thereof in its house: return now on this behalf, says the Lord Almighty, [see] if I will not open to you the torrents of heaven, and pour out my blessing upon you, until you are satisfied.

11 Jeg vil for eders Skyld skræmme Æderne, så at de ikke ødelægger eder Landets Afgrøde, og Vinstokken på Marken skal ikke slå eder fejl, siger Hærskarers HERRE.

And I will appoint food for you, and I will not destroy the fruit of your land; and your vine in the field shall not fail, says the Lord Almighty.

12 Og alle Folkene skal love eder, fordi l har et yndigt Land, siger Hærskarers HERRE.

And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a desirable land, says the Lord Almighty.

13 I taler stærke Ord imod mig, siger HERREN. Og I spørger: "Hvad taler vi imod dig?"

You have spoken grievous words against me, says the Lord. Yet you said, Wherein have we spoken against you?

14 I siger: "Det er ørkesløst at tjene Gud; hvad vinder vi ved at opfylde hans Krav og gå sørgeklædte for Hærskarers HERREs Åsyn?

You said, He that serves God labors in vain: and what have we gained in that we have kept his ordinances, and in that we have walked as suppliants before the face of the Lord Almighty?

15 Nej, vi må love de frække! De øver Gudløshed og kommer til Vejrs; de frister Gud og slipper godt derfra."

And now we pronounce strangers blessed; and all they who act unlawfully are built up; and they have resisted God, and [yet] have been delivered.

16 Da talte de, som frygter HERREN, med hverandre. Og HERREN lyttede og hørte efter, og en Bog blev skrevet for hans Åsyn, for at de kunde ihukommes, som frygter HERREN og slår Lid til hans Navn.

Thus spoke they that feared the Lord, every one to his neighbor: and the Lord gave heed, and listened, and he wrote a book of remembrance before him for them that feared the Lord and reverenced 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, says the Lord Almighty, in the day which I appoint for a peculiar possession; and I will make choice of them, as a man makes choice of his son that serves him.

18 Da skal l atter kende Forskel på retfærdig og gudløs, på den, som tjener Gud, og den, som ikke tjener ham.

Then shall you return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, and between him that serves God, and him that serves [him] not.