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.
“Ngizathuma isithunywa sami esizangilungisela indlela. Kuzakuthi masinyane uThixo elimdingayo uzakuza ethempelini lakhe; isithunywa sesivumelwano, elisilangazelelayo sizakuza,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
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.
Kodwa ngubani na ongalumela usuku lokuza kwaso? Ngubani ongema nxa eqhamuka na? Ngoba sizakuba njengomlilo womcengi wensimbi kumbe njengesepa yomgezisi.
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.
Sizahlala njengomcengi lomhlambululi wesiliva; sizahlambulula abaLevi sibacenge njengesiliva legolide. Kulapho-ke uThixo azakuba lawo amadoda azaletha iminikelo ngokulunga,
4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasant to Jehovah, as in the days of old, and as in ancient years.
kuthi-ke iminikelo kaJuda leyeJerusalema yamukeleke kuThixo, njengezinsukwini ezedlulayo, njengeminyakeni yekadeni.
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.
“Ngakho ngizasondela kini ukuzakwahlulela. Ngizaphangisa ukufakaza okubi ngezangoma, ngeziphingi, labafungela amanga, lalabo abadlelezela izisebenzi ngomholo wazo, labo abancindezela abafelokazi lezintandane, abangahluleli kuhle abezizweni, kodwa abangangesabiyo mina,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
6 For I, Jehovah, do not change. Therefore ye, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
“Mina Thixo kangiguquki. Ngalokho lina, bazukulu bakaJakhobe, kalibhujiswanga.
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?
Kulokhu kwasukela esikhathini sabokhokho benu laphambuka emilayweni yami kalaze layigcina. Buyani kimi, lami ngizabuya kini,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla. “Kodwa liyabuza lithi, ‘Sibuyele kanjani na?’
8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye rob me. But ye say, How have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
Umuntu angamphanga uNkulunkulu na? Lina liyangiphanga. Kodwa liyabuza lithi, ‘Sikuphanga kanjani na?’ Ngokwetshumi langeminikelo.
9 Ye are cursed with the curse, for ye rob me, even this whole nation.
Liphiwe isiqalekiso, isizwe sakini sonke ngoba liyangiphanga.
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.
Lethani konke okwetshumi esiphaleni ukuze kube lokudla endlini yami.” Uthi uThixo uSomandla, “Ngilingani kulokhu libone ingabe kangikuwavula amasango ezulu ngithulule izibusiso elizaze liswele ukuthi lizithele ngaphi.
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.
Ngizaxotsha izibungu ukuze zingadli amabele enu, lamavini emasimini enu kawayikukhithiza izithelo zawo,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
12 And all nations shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a delightful land, says Jehovah of hosts.
“Lapho izizwe zonke zizakuthi libusisiwe, ngoba elenu lizakuba yilizwe elibukekayo,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
13 Your words have been stout against me, says Jehovah. Yet ye say, What have we spoken against thee?
Uthi uThixo, “Selikhuluma amazwi abuhlungu ngami. Kodwa liyabuza lithi, ‘Kuyini okubi esikutshiloyo ngawe na?’
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?
Lithe lina, ‘Kakusizi ngalutho ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Sazuzani ngokulandela izimiso zakhe, saziphatha njengabalilayo phambi kukaThixo uSomandla na?
15 And now we call the proud happy. Yea, those who work wickedness are built up. Yea, they challenge God, and escape.
Kodwa manje isiqholo sithi singobusisiweyo. Ngeqiniso izigangi ziyaphumelela, kanye lalabo abamhwedelayo uNkulunkulu kabenziwa lutho.’”
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.
Kwathi labo ababemesaba uThixo bakhulumisana, uThixo walalela, wezwa. Umqulu wencwadi yesikhumbuzo walotshwa phambi kwakhe mayelana lalabo ababemesaba uThixo ababehlonipha ibizo lakhe.
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.
Uthi uThixo uSomandla, “Bazakuba ngabami, ngosuku mhla ngibenza inotho yami eligugu. Ngizabayekela, njengoba indoda yayibe lesihawu ixolele indodana yayo eyincedisayo.
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.
Njalo lizawubona umahluko phakathi kwabalungileyo lababi, phakathi kwalabo abamkhonzayo uNkulunkulu lalabo abangamkhonziyo.”
