Malachias 1
1 The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by the hand of his messenger. Lay [it], I pray you, to heart.
Umthwalo welizwi leNkosi kuIsrayeli ngesandla sikaMalaki.
2 I have loved you, says the Lord. And you said, Wherein have you loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? says the Lord: yet I loved Jacob,
Ngilithandile, itsho iNkosi. Kodwa lithi: Usithande ngani? UEsawu kasuye yini umfowabo kaJakobe? itsho iNkosi. Kanti ngamthanda uJakobe,
3 and hated Esau and laid waste his borders, and made his heritage as dwellings of the wilderness?
loEsawu ngamzonda; ngenza izintaba zakhe incithakalo, lelifa lakhe laba ngelamakhanka enkangala.
4 Because one will say, Idumea has been overthrown, but let us return and rebuild the desolate places; thus says the Lord Almighty, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall be called The borders of wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord has set himself for ever.
Lanxa uEdoma esithi: Senziwe abayanga, kodwa sizabuyela siyekwakha amanxiwa; itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Bona bangakha, kodwa mina ngizadiliza, njalo bazababiza ngokuthi: Ngumngcele wobubi, labantu iNkosi ebathukutheleleyo kuze kube phakade.
5 And your eyes shall see, and you shall say, The Lord has been magnified upon the borders of Israel.
Lamehlo enu azabona, lani lithi: INkosi izakhuliswa kusukela ngaphetsheya komngcele wakoIsrayeli.
6 A son honors [his] father, and a servant his master: if then I am a father, where is mine honor? and if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord Almighty. You the priests are they that despise my name: yet you said, Wherein have we despised your name?
Indodana iyamhlonipha uyise, lenceku inkosi yayo. Uba-ke nginguyihlo, kungaphi ukuhlonitshwa kwami? Uba-ke ngiyiNkosi, kungaphi ukwesatshwa kwami? itsho iNkosi yamabandla kini, bapristi elidelela ibizo lami; kodwa lithi: Silidelele ngani ibizo lakho?
7 In that you bring to mine altar polluted bread; and you said, Wherein have you polluted it? In that you say, The table of the Lord is polluted, and that which was set thereon you have despised.
Lisondeza isinkwa esingcolileyo phezu kwelathi lami, lisithi: Sikungcolise ngani? Ngokuthi kwenu: Itafula leNkosi liyadeleleka.
8 For if you bring a blind [victim] for sacrifices, [is it] not evil? and if you bring the lame or the sick, [is it] not evil? offer it now to your ruler, [and see] if he will receive you, if he will accept your person, says the Lord Almighty.
Njalo nxa lisondeza okuyisiphofu kube ngumhlatshelo, kakukubi yini? Lalapho lisondeza okuqhulayo lokugulayo, kakukubi yini? Ake ukusondeze kumbusi wakho; angathokoza ngawe yini, kumbe angabemukela yini ubuso bakho? itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
9 And now entreat the face of your God, and make supplication to him. These things have been done by your hands; shall I accept you? says the Lord Almighty.
Khathesi-ke ake lincenge ubuso bukaNkulunkulu ukuze abe lomusa kithi; lokhu kube ngesandla senu; uzabemukela ubuso benu yini? itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
10 Because even among you the doors shall be shut, and [one] will not kindle [the fire of] mine altar for nothing, I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord Almighty, and I will not accept a sacrifice at your hands.
Ngubani okhona ngitsho phakathi kwenu ongavala izivalo? Njalo lingabaseli ize umlilo phezu kwelathi lami. Kangithokozi ngani, kutsho iNkosi yamabandla, njalo kangiyikwemukela umnikelo esandleni senu ngentokozo.
11 For from the rising of the sun even to the going down [thereof] my name has been glorified among the Gentiles; and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name is great among the Gentiles, says the Lord Almighty.
Ngoba kusukela ekuphumeni kwelanga kuze kube sekutshoneni kwalo, ibizo lami lizakuba likhulu phakathi kwezizwe; lakuyo yonke indawo impepha izatshiselwa ibizo lami, lomnikelo ohlambulukileyo; ngoba ibizo lami lizakuba likhulu phakathi kwezizwe, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
12 But you profane it, in that you say, The table of the Lord is polluted, and his meats set thereon are despised.
Kodwa liyalingcolisa ngokuthi kwenu: Itafula leNkosi lingcolisiwe; lesithelo salo, ukudla kwalo, kudelelekile.
13 And you said, These [services] are troublesome: therefore I have utterly rejected them with scorn, says the Lord Almighty: and you brought in torn victims, and lame, and sick: if then you should bring an offering, shall I accept them at your hands? says the Lord Almighty.
Njalo lithi: Khangela, ukudinisa okungakanani! Njalo likuchilela amakhala, itsho iNkosi yamabandla; njalo lilethe impango, lokuqhulayo, lokugulayo; ngokunjalo lilethe umnikelo. Ngikwemukele lokhu yini ngokuthokoza esandleni senu? itsho iNkosi.
14 And cursed [is the man] who had the power, and possessed a male in his flock, and whose vow is upon him, and who sacrifices a corrupt thing to the Lord: for I am a great King, says the Lord Almighty, and my name is glorious among the nations.
Kaqalekiswe-ke umkhohlisi oleduna emhlanjini wakhe, ofunga ahlabele iNkosi okonakeleyo; ngoba ngiyiNkosi enkulu, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, lebizo lami liyesabeka phakathi kwezizwe.
