Malachi 3

1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me! The Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple. Behold, the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, is coming!” says the LORD of Armies.

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 endure the day of his coming? And who will stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like launderers’ 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 the LORD 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 will be pleasant to the LORD 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 I will come near to you to judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against the perjurers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who deprive the foreigner of justice, and do not fear me,” says the LORD of Armies.

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, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, 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 you have turned away from my ordinances and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of Armies. “But you 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 you rob me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ 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 You are cursed with the curse; for you rob me, even this whole nation.

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

10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this,” says the LORD of Armies, “if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there will not be enough room for.

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 I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before its time in the field,” says the LORD of Armies.

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 “All nations shall call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,” says the LORD of Armies.

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

13 “Your words have been harsh against me,” says the LORD. “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against you?’

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

14 You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God,’ and ‘What profit is it that we have followed his instructions and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of Armies?

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

15 Now we call the proud happy; yes, those who work wickedness are built up; yes, they tempt 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 the LORD spoke one with another; and the LORD listened and heard, and a book of memory was written before him for those who feared the LORD and who honored 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 They shall be mine,” says the LORD of Armies, “my own possession in the day that I make. 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 you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, 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.