Malachi 1

1 The burden of the word of Yhwh to Israel by Malachi.

The word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.

2 I have loved you, saith Yhwh. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith Yhwh: yet I loved Jacob,

You have been loved by me, says the Lord. But you say, Where was your love for us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? says the Lord: but Jacob was loved by me,

3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

And Esau was hated, and I sent destruction on his mountains, and gave his heritage to the beasts of the waste land.

4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith Yhwh of Armies, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom Yhwh hath indignation for ever.

Though Edom says, We are crushed down but we will come back, building up the waste places; this is what the Lord of armies has said: They may put up buildings, but I will have them pulled down; and they will be named The land of evil-doing, and The people against whom the Lord keeps his wrath for ever.

5 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, Yhwh will be magnified from the border of Israel.

And your eyes will see it; and you will say, The Lord is great even outside the limits of Israel.

6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith Yhwh of Armies unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

A son gives honour to his father, and a servant has fear of his master: if then I am a father, where is my honour? and if I am a master, where is the fear of me? says the Lord of armies to you, O priests, who give no value to my name. And you say, How have we not given value to your name?

7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of Yhwh is contemptible.

You put unclean bread on my altar. And you say, How have we made it unclean? By your saying, The table of the Lord is of no value.

8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith Yhwh of Armies.

And when you give what is blind for an offering, it is no evil! and when you give what is damaged and ill, it is no evil! Give it now to your ruler; will he be pleased with you, or will you have his approval? says the Lord of armies.

9 And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith Yhwh of Armies.

And now, make request for the grace of God so that he may have mercy on us: this has been your doing: will he give his approval to any of you? says the Lord of armies.

10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith Yhwh of Armies, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

If only there was one among you who would see that the doors were shut, so that you might not put a light to the fire on my altar for nothing! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of armies, and I will not take an offering from your hands.

11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith Yhwh of Armies.

For, from the coming up of the sun till its going down, my name is great among the Gentiles; and in every place the smell of burning flesh is offered to my name, and a clean offering: for my name is great among the Gentiles, says the Lord of armies.

12 But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of Yhwh is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.

But you make it unholy by saying, The Lord's table has become unclean, and his food is of no value.

13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith Yhwh of Armies; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith Yhwh.

And you say, See, what a weariness it is! and you let out your breath at it, says the Lord of armies; and you have given what has been cut about by beasts, and what is damaged in its feet and ill; this is the offering you give: will this be pleasing to me from your hands? says the Lord.

14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith Yhwh of Armies, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

A curse on the false man who has a male in his flock, and takes his oath, and gives to the Lord a damaged thing: for I am a great King, says the Lord of armies, and my name is to be feared among the Gentiles.