Malachi 3
1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold, he shall come, says the LORD of hosts.
看，我要派遺我的使者，在我前面預備道路。你們所尋求的主宰，必要忽然進入衪的殿內；你們所想望盟約的使者，看，他來了──萬軍的上主說。
2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appears? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:
但是衪來臨之日，有誰能支得住﹖衪顯現時，有誰能站立得住﹖因為衪像煉金者用的爐火，又像漂布者用的滷汁
3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness.
衪必要坐下，像個溶化和煉淨銀子的人，煉淨肋未的子孫，精煉他們像精煉金銀一像，使他們能懷著虔誠，向上主奉獻祭品：
4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant to the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
那時，猶大和耶路撒冷所獻的祭品，必能悅樂上主，有如昔日和往年。
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 false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, says the LORD of hosts.
那時，我必前來你們接近，執行審判，迅速作證反對術士、犯奸和發虛誓的人，反對欺壓傭工，寡婦和孤兒的人，反對侵害外方人的權利，而不敬畏我的人──萬軍的上主說。
6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed.
是的，我是上主，決不改變；但你們總是雅各伯的子孫!
7 Even from the days of your fathers you are gone away from my ordinances, and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you said, Wherein shall we return?
自從你們祖先的日子以來，你們就離棄了我的法令，而不遵守。現在你們轉向我吧! 我必轉向你們──萬軍的上主說。你們卻說：「我們應怎樣轉向你呢﹖」
8 Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, Wherein have we robbed you? In tithes and offerings.
人豈能欺騙天主﹖可是你們卻欺騙了我! 你們卻說：「我們在什麼事上欺騙了你﹖」即在什一和應獻的祭物上。
9 You are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed me, even this whole nation.
他們全體人民! 你們必要遭受嚴厲的詛咒，因為你們都欺騙了我。
10 Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
你們應把什一之物送入府庫，好使卜殿宇存有食糧。你們就在這事上試試我吧! ──萬軍的上主說──看我是否給你們開啟天閘，將祝福傾注在你們身上，直到你們心意滿足。
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 her fruit before the time in the field, says the LORD of hosts.
我必要為你們嚇走那舌食者，不容牠再損害你們的田產，也不讓你們田間的葡萄樹不結果實──萬軍的上主說。
12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a delightsome land, says the LORD of hosts.
萬民都要稱你們有福，因為你們將成為一片樂土──萬軍的上主說。
13 Your words have been stout against me, says the LORD. Yet you say, What have we spoken so much against you?
上主說：「你們竟然敢用言語頂撞我。你們卻說：「我們在什麼話上頂撞了你﹖」
14 You have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?
即在你們說：「事奉天主只是徒然! 遵守衪的誡命，在萬軍的上主面前，穿苦衣而行，有什麼好處﹖
15 And now we call the proud happy; yes, they that work wickedness are set up; yes, they that tempt God are even delivered.
現在我們該稱驕傲人有福；作惡的人，居然順利，試探天主的人居然免罰! 」
16 Then they that feared the LORD spoke often one to another: and the LORD listened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought on his name.
這是敬畏上主的人彼此談論的。但上主都加以注意而聽見了，並且在衪面前的記錄簿上，為那些敬畏上主和投靠衪名號的人予以記錄了。
17 And they shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him.
在我行事的時日──萬軍的上主說──他們必是屬於我的產業，我要憐愛他們，有如人憐愛服事自己的兒子。
18 Then shall you return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves him not.
你們將要重新看出義人和惡人，服事天主和不服事天主的人的區別。
