< Malachi 3 >
1 Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord whom ye seek will suddenly come to his temple, and the Angel of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he cometh, saith Jehovah of hosts.
“Lee, aga m ezipu onyeozi m, onye ga-edozi ụzọ nʼihu m. Mgbe ahụ, Onyenwe anyị ahụ unu na-ele anya ya ga-abịa na mberede nʼụlọnsọ ukwu ya. Onyeozi nke ọgbụgba ndụ ahụ, onye ihe ya na-agụsị unu agụụ ike, ga-abịa,” ka Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile kwuru.
2 But who shall endure the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? For he will be like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' lye.
“Ma onye ga-anagide ụbọchị ọbịbịa ya ma guzokwa mgbe ọ pụtara ihe? Nʼihi na ọ ga-adị ka ọkụ na-anụcha anụcha, dịkwa ka ncha e ji asụ akwa.
3 And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver; and he will purify the children of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver; and they shall offer unto Jehovah an oblation in righteousness.
Ọ na-anọdụ ala dịka ndị na-anụcha ọlaọcha ime ka ọ dị ọcha. Ọ ga-anụcha ndị Livayị, ime ka ha dị ọcha, dịka ọlaedo na ọlaọcha a nụchara anụcha tutu ruo mgbe ha ga-ewetara Onyenwe anyị onyinye nʼezi omume.
4 Then shall the oblation of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto Jehovah, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
Mgbe ahụ, onyinye Juda na Jerusalem ga-abụ onyinye Onyenwe anyị ga-anabata, dịka o si anabata ha nʼụbọchị ndị ahụ gara aga, na mgbe ochie gara aga.
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 that oppress the hired servant in [his] wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger [from his right], and fear not me, saith Jehovah of hosts.
“Mgbe ahụ, aga m abịa unu nso ikpe unu ikpe. Aga m abịakwa ngwangwa ịgbagide ha ama bụ ndị mgbaasị, na ndị na-akwa iko, na ndị na-aṅụ iyi ụgha, na ndị na-emegbu ndị inyom di ha nwụrụ, na ndị na-emegbu ndị na-enweghị nna, na ndị na-anapụ ndị ọbịa ikpe ziri ezi, ndị ahụ niile na-adịghị atụ egwu m.” Ọ bụ Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile kwuru.
6 For I Jehovah change not, and ye, sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
“Nʼihi na mụ onwe m bụ Onyenwe anyị adịghị agbanwe agbanwe. Ya mere, unu bụ ụmụ Jekọb ji dịgide.
7 Since the days of your fathers have ye departed from my statutes, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts. But ye say, Wherein shall we return?
Site nʼoge nna nna unu ha, unu esitela nʼidebe iwu na ụkpụrụ m wezuga onwe unu. Unu adịghịkwa edebe ha. Ya mere, lọghachikwutenụ m, mụ onwe m ga-alọghachikwute unu.” Ọ bụ Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile na-ekwu. “Ma unu na-asị, ‘Anyị ga-esi aṅaa lọghachi?’
8 Will a man rob God? But ye rob me. And ye say, Wherein do we rob thee? [In] tithes and heave-offerings.
“Mmadụ ọ na-ezu ihe bụ nke Chineke nʼohi? Ma unu apụnarịla m ihe bụ nke m. “Ma unu na-ajụ: ‘Anyị si aṅaa na-ezu gị ohi?’ “Ọ bụ site nʼotu ụzọ nʼime ụzọ iri unu, onyinye na aja niile.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse; and me ye rob, [even] this whole nation.
Nʼihi ya, ọbụbụ ọnụ dịịrị unu, ka mba niile unu ha, nʼihi na ọ bụ mụ onwe m ka unu na-ezu ohi.
10 Bring the whole tithe into the treasure-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah of hosts, if I open not to you the windows of the heavens, and pour you out a blessing, till there be no place for it.
Webatanụ otu ụzọ nʼụzọ iri nke ihe niile unu nʼime ụlọakụ m, ka nri jupụta nʼime ụlọ m. Jirinụ nke a nwalee m,” ka unu hụ ma mụ onwe m agaghị emeghe ọnụ ụzọ eluigwe, site na ya wụdatara unu ngọzị dị ukwuu, nke ga-ejubiga oke na ọnọdụ agaghị adị ichebe ha. Ọ bụ Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile na-ekwu.
11 And 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 the time in the field, saith Jehovah of hosts.
“Aga m egbochi ihe nripịa ndị ahụ niile ka ha ghara iripịa mkpụrụ ubi unu. Osisi vaịnị unu agakwaghị atụpụsị mkpụrụ ya nʼala tutu ruo mgbe ha chara.” Ọ bụ ihe Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile na-ekwu.
12 And all nations shall call you blessed; for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith Jehovah of hosts.
“Mgbe ahụ, mba niile dị iche iche ga-akpọ unu ndị a gọziri agọzi, nʼihi na ala unu ga-abụ nke na-enye ndị nwe ya obi ụtọ.” Ọ bụ ihe Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile kwuru.
13 Your words have been stout against me, saith Jehovah; but ye say, What have we been speaking against thee?
Onyenwe anyị na-ekwu, sị, “Unu ekwuola ọtụtụ okwu dị ike megide m.” “Ma unu na-ajụ, ‘Gịnị ka anyị kwuru megide gị?’
14 Ye say, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we keep his charge, and that we walk mournfully before Jehovah of hosts?
“Unu ekwuola sị, ‘Ọ bụ ihe nzuzu ife Chineke ofufe, na ịtụ ya egwu. Gịnị bụ uru anyị na-erite site nʼidebe iwu ya, na ijegharị dịka ndị na-eru ụjụ nʼihu Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile?
15 And now we hold the proud for happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up; yea, they tempt God, and they escape.
Ma site ugbu a gaa nʼihu, ndị nganga ka anyị ga-akpọ ndị ihe na-agara nke ọma. Nʼezie, ndị na-eme ihe ọjọọ ka ihe na-agara nke ọma. Ndị ahụ jikwa ihe ọjọọ ha na-anwa Chineke na-agbanarị ntaramahụhụ ya.’”
16 Then they that feared Jehovah spoke often one to another; and Jehovah observed [it], and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared Jehovah, and that thought upon his name.
Mgbe ahụ, ndị niile na-atụ egwu Onyenwe anyị gwarịtara ibe ha okwu, Onyenwe anyị ṅara ntị, nụkwa ihe ha na-ekwu. Nʼihu ya, e nwere akwụkwọ ncheta dị ya, ebe e dere aha ndị niile na-atụ egwu Onyenwe anyị, ma na-echekwa echiche banyere aha ya.
17 And they shall be unto me a peculiar treasure, saith Jehovah of hosts, in the day that I prepare; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
“Nʼụbọchị ahụ m ga-eme ihe,” ka Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile na-ekwu, “ha ga-abụ ihe oke ọnụahịa nke aka m. Aga m echebe ha, dịka nna na-enwe ọmịiko ma chebekwa nwa ya nwoke na-efe ya.
18 And ye shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
Unu ga-ahụ ihe dị iche nʼetiti ndị ezi omume na ndị ajọ omume, hụkwa ihe dị iche nʼetiti ndị na-efe Chineke na ndị na-adịghị efe ya.