< Malachi 2 >

1 And now, this commandment is for you, O ye priests.
“Ma ugbu a, unu ndị nchụaja, ịdọ aka na ntị a dịrị unu.
2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts: I will even send out against you a curse, and I will curse your blessings; yea, I will curse the same, because ye do not lay it to heart.
Ọ bụrụ na unu ajụ ige ntị, ọ bụrụkwa na unu ekpebighị nʼobi unu inye aha m otuto,” ka Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile, na-ekwu, “Aga m ezite ọbụbụ ọnụ nʼahụ unu, aga m abụkwa ngọzị unu niile ọnụ. E, abụọlarị unu ọnụ, nʼihi na unu ekpebighị nʼobi unu ịsọpụrụ m.
3 Behold, I will destroy unto you the seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your festive offerings; and one shall take you away with it.
“Nʼihi unu, aga m abara ụmụ ụmụ unu mba. Agaghị m anabata onyinye unu, aga m efesakwa nsị anụ nʼihu unu, bụ nsị nke ihe onyinye unu, aga m ewezugakwa unu site nʼihu m.
4 And ye shall thereby know that I have sent out unto you this commandment, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
Otu a ka unu ga-esi mara na ọ bụ mụ zitere unu ịdọ aka na ntị a, ka ọgbụgba ndụ mụ na Livayị gbara dịgide,” Ọ bụ Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile, na-ekwu.
5 My covenant was with him life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and because of my name he had dread.
“Ọgbụgba ndụ mụ na ya bụ nke ndụ na udo, ọ bụ m nyere ha ya, nke a bụ nʼihi nsọpụrụ. O nyere m nsọpụrụ nʼezie, tụkwaa aha m egwu.
6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and falsehood was not found on his lips: in peace and equity he walked with me, and many did he turn away from iniquity.
Iwu nke eziokwu dị ya nʼọnụ, ọ dịkwaghị okwu ụgha ọbụla a chọpụtara nʼegbugbere ọnụ ya. O soro m jee ije nʼudo, na nʼịkwụba aka ọtọ. O mekwara ka ọtụtụ si nʼajọ omume ha chigharịa.
7 For the priest's lips are ever to keep knowledge, and the law are they to seek from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
“Nʼihi na egbugbere ọnụ onye nchụaja kwesiri ijupụta nʼihe ọmụma; e kwesikwara isi nʼọnụ ya mụta ihe, nʼihi na ọ bụ onyeozi nke Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile.
8 But ye are indeed departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble in the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of the Levite, saith the Lord of hosts.
Ma unu esitela nʼụzọ ahụ wezuga onwe unu, sitekwa nʼozizi unu mee ka ọtụtụ mmadụ sụọ ngọngọ. Unu emerụọla ọgbụgba ndụ nke Livayị.” Ọ bụ ihe Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile kwuru.
9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and low before all the people, in the same measure as ye do not keep my ways, but act with partiality in the law.
“Nʼihi nke a, emeela m ka unu bụrụ ndị a na-elelị anya, na ndị e wedara nʼala nʼihu ndị mmadụ niile, nʼihi na unu agbasoghị ụzọ m, kama unu na-ele mmadụ anya nʼihu, nʼihe metụtara iwu.”
10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? [then] why shall we deal treacherously every man against his brother, to profane the covenant of our fathers?
Ọ bụghị otu Nna ka anyị niile nwere? Ọ bụghị otu Chineke ahụ kere anyị? Gịnị mere anyị ji na-emerụ ọgbụgba ndụ nna anyị ha site na-enweghị ntụkwasị obi na mmekọrịta anyị na ibe anyị?
11 Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination hath been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the sanctuary of the Lord which he loveth, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.
Juda ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi. E meela ihe arụ nʼIzrel na nʼime Jerusalem: Juda emerụọla ụlọnsọ ukwu Onyenwe anyị hụrụ nʼanya, lụọkwa ada chi ndị mba ọzọ.
12 The Lord will cut off unto the man that doth this, son and grandson, out of the tents of Jacob, and him that bringeth near an offering unto the Lord of hosts.
Ka Onyenwe anyị kewapụ onye mere ihe dị otu a nʼụlọ ikwu Jekọb, ka ọ ghara inwe onye akaebe, ka ọ ghara inwe onye ga-aza ya mgbe ọ kpọrọ oku maọbụ butere Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile onyinye.
13 And this do ye secondly, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and with loud complaint, so that he turneth not any more his regard to the offerings, nor receiveth it with favor at your hand.
Ihe ọzọ unu na-emekwa bụ ndị a: unu na-eme ka anya mmiri unu jupụta nʼebe ịchụ aja Onyenwe anyị. Unu na-akwa akwa, na-eti mkpu akwa nʼihi na ọ naghị elenye anya nʼonyinye unu, maọbụ jiri obi ụtọ nabata ha.
14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast indeed dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
Unu na-asị “Nke a ọ bụ nʼihi gịnị?” Ọ bụ nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị bụ onyeama nʼetiti gị na nwunye ị lụrụ nʼokorobịa gị, nʼihi na ị kwesighị ntụkwasị obi, ọ bụ ezie na ọ bụ nwanyị e jikọtara gị na ya, bụrụkwa nwunye ọgbụgba ndụ gị.
15 And not one doth so who hath a remnant of a [good] spirit; for what desireth such a one? he seeketh [to possess] a godly posterity: therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none of you deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
Ọ bụ na ọ bụghị otu Chineke ahụ kere gị? Nʼanụ ahụ na nʼime mmụọ, unu bụ nke ya. Ma gịnị ka otu Chineke a chọrọ? Ka unu bụrụ ụmụ na-atụ ya egwu. Ya mere, jie mmụọ gị aka, ka ị gharakwa ịbụ onye na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi nʼebe nwunye ị lụtara nʼokorobịa nọ.
16 For he hateth putting away [the wife], so hath said the Lord the God of Israel, and him who covereth his garment with violence, so hath said the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, and deal not treacherously.
“Akpọrọ m ịgba alụkwaghị m asị,” ka Onyenwe anyị Chineke nke Izrel sịrị, “a kpọkwara nwoke na-emeso nwunye ya mmeso nʼụzọ ihe ike asị.” Ọ bụ Onyenwe Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile na-ekwu. Ya mere, kpachapụrụnụ onwe unu anya, unu abụkwala ndị na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi.
17 Ye have wearied the Lord with your words: yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? By your saying, Every one that doth evil is good in the eyes of the Lord, and in them he findeth delight; or else, Where is the God of justice!
Unu esitela nʼoke okwu unu mee ka ike gwụ Onyenwe anyị. Ma unu na-ajụ, “Olee ụzọ anyị si mee ka ike gwụ ya?” Mgbe unu na-asị, “Ndị niile na-eme ihe ọjọọ dị mma nʼanya Onyenwe anyị. Ihe ha na-atọkwa ya ụtọ,” maọbụ na-asịkwa, “Ebee ka Chineke ahụ na-ekpe ikpe ziri ezi nọ?”

< Malachi 2 >