Malachi 2
1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.
Khathesi-ke, bapristi, umlayo lo ngowenu.
2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, says Jehovah of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.
Uba lingalaleli, njalo uba lingakubeki enhliziyweni ukunika ibizo lami udumo, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, ngizathumela isiqalekiso phakathi kwenu, ngiqalekise izibusiso zenu. Yebo, sengiziqalekisile, ngoba kalikubeki enhliziyweni.
3 Behold, I will rebuke your seed, and will spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your feasts, and ye shall be taken away with it.
Khangelani, ngizakona inzalo yenu, ngithele umswane ebusweni benu, umswane wamadili enu, lisuswe kanye lawo.
4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant may be with Levi, says Jehovah of hosts.
Njalo lizakwazi ukuthi ngithumele lumlayo kini, ukuze isivumelwano sami sibe loLevi, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
5 My covenant of life and peace was with him. And I gave them to him that he might fear, and he feared me, and stood in awe of my name.
Isivumelwano sami besilaye siyikuphila lokuthula; ngamnika khona kube yikwesaba angesaba ngakho; wathuthumela phambi kwebizo lami.
6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity.
Umlayo weqiniso wawusemlonyeni wakhe, lesiphambeko kasitholakalanga endebeni zakhe. Wahamba lami ngokuthula langobuqotho, waphendula abanengi ebubini.
7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth. For he is the messenger of Jehovah of hosts.
Ngoba indebe zompristi ziyagcina ulwazi, njalo bayadinga umlayo emlonyeni wakhe, ngoba uyisithunywa seNkosi yamabandla.
8 But ye are turned aside out of the way. Ye have caused many to stumble in the law. Ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says Jehovah of hosts.
Kodwa lina liphambukile endleleni, lakhubekisa abanengi emlayweni; lona isivumelwano sikaLevi, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
9 Therefore I also have made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have had respect of persons in the law.
Ngakho lami ngilenzile laba ngabadelelekayo labehliselwe phansi phambi kwabantu bonke, njengokuba lingagcinanga izindlela zami, kodwa lamukele ubuso emlayweni.
10 Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers?
Kasilababa munye yini thina sonke? UNkulunkulu munye kasidalanga yini? Kungani sisenza ngenkohliso, omunye emelene lomfowabo, ngokungcolisa isivumelwano sabobaba?
11 Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the holiness of Jehovah which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.
UJuda wenze ngenkohliso, njalo kwenziwe amanyala koIsrayeli leJerusalema; ngoba uJuda ungcolisile ubungcwele bukaJehova abuthandayo, uthethe indodakazi kankulunkulu wezizweni.
12 Jehovah will cut off out of the tents of Jacob, the man who does this: him who wakes, and him who answers, and him who offers an offering to Jehovah of hosts.
INkosi izaquma umuntu owenza lokhu, ovusayo lophendulayo, asuke emathenteni kaJakobe, lalowo oletha umnikelo eNkosini yamabandla.
13 And this again ye do: Ye cover the altar of Jehovah with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, insomuch that he does not regard the offering any more, nor receives it with good will at your hand.
Lalokhu likwenzile kabili; lisibekela ilathi leNkosi ngezinyembezi, ngokukhala, langokububula, okungangokuthi kayisawunanzi umnikelo, kumbe ukuwemukela ngokuthokoza esandleni senu.
14 Yet ye say, Why? Because Jehovah has been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou have dealt treacherously, though she is thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
Kanti lithi: Kungani? Kungoba iNkosi yayingumfakazi phakathi kwakho lomfazi wobutsha bakho, wena omphethe ngenkohliso, kanti engumngane wakho, lomfazi wesivumelwano sakho.
15 And did he not make one, although he had the residue of the Spirit? And why one? He sought a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
Kenzanga yini oyedwa? Njalo elomoya oseleyo. Njalo kungani oyedwa? Wadinga inzalo kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho qaphelisani ngomoya wenu, njalo kakungabi lophatha umfazi wobutsha bakhe ngenkohliso.
16 For I hate putting away, says Jehovah, the God of Israel, and him who covers his garment with violence, says Jehovah of hosts. Therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.
Ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli ithi iyazonda ukwalana. Ngoba omunye usibekela udlakela ngesembatho sakhe, itsho iNkosi yamabandla. Ngakho qaphelisani ngomoya wenu, ukuze lingenzi ngenkohliso.
17 Ye have wearied Jehovah with your words. Yet ye say, How have we wearied him? In that ye say, Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of Jehovah, and he delights in them, or Where is the God of justice?
Liyidinisile iNkosi ngamazwi enu. Kanti lithi: Siyidinise ngani? Ngokuthi kwenu: Wonke owenza okubi ulungile emehlweni eNkosi, njalo iyathokoza ngabo; kumbe: Ungaphi uNkulunkulu wesahlulelo?
