Malachi 3

1 Behold, I send my agent, and he shall prepare the way before me. And the Lord, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to his temple. And the messenger of the covenant, whom ye desire, behold, he comes, says Jehovah of hosts.

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.

2 But who can abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap.

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.

3 And he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. And he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver. And they shall offer to Jehovah offerings in righteousness.

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,

4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasant to Jehovah, as in the days of old, and as in ancient years.

at Judas og Jerusalems Offergave maa være HERREN liflig som i fordums Dage, i henrundne Aar.

5 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 the false swearers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who turn aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says Jehovah of hosts.

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.

6 For I, Jehovah, do not change. Therefore ye, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.

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

7 From the days of your fathers ye have turned aside from my ordinances, and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says Jehovah of hosts. But ye say, How shall we return?

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?«

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye rob me. But ye say, How have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

Skal et Menneske bedrage Gud? I bedrager mig jo! Og I spørger: »Hvorved har vi bedraget dig?« Med Tienden og Offerydelsen!

9 Ye are cursed with the curse, for ye rob me, even this whole nation.

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

10 Bring ye the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now with this, says Jehovah of hosts, if I will not open to you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough for it.

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.

11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, nor shall your vine cast its fruit before the time in the field, says Jehovah of hosts.

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.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a delightful land, says Jehovah of hosts.

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

13 Your words have been stout against me, says Jehovah. Yet ye say, What have we spoken against thee?

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

14 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 mournfully before Jehovah of hosts?

I siger: »Det er ørkesløst at tjene Gud; hvad vinder vi ved at opfylde hans Krav og gaa sørgeklædte for Hærskarers HERRES Aasyn?

15 And now we call the proud happy. Yea, those who work wickedness are built up. Yea, they challenge God, and escape.

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

16 Then those who feared Jehovah spoke one with another, and Jehovah hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for those who feared Jehovah, and who thought upon his name.

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.

17 And they shall be mine, says Jehovah of hosts, my own possession, in the day that I make. And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him.

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.

18 Then ye shall return and discern between the righteous man and the wicked man, between him who serves God and him who does not serve him.

Da skal I atter kende Forskel paa retfærdig og gudløs, paa den, som tjener Gud, og den, som ikke tjener ham.