Malachi 2

1 "Now, you priests, this commandment is for you.

And now, this commandment is for you, O ye priests.

2 If you will not listen, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name," says YHWH of hosts, "then will I send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart.

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.

3 Look, I will rebuke your seed, and will spread dung on your faces, even the dung of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it.

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.

4 You will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant may be with Levi," says YHWH of hosts.

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.

5 "My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him that he might be reverent toward me; and he was reverent toward me, and stood in awe of my name.

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.

6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity.

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.

7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of YHWH of hosts.

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.

8 But you have turned aside out of the way. You have caused many to stumble in the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi," says YHWH of hosts.

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.

9 "Therefore I have also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according to the way you have not kept my ways, but have had respect for persons in the law.

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.

10 Do we not all have one father? Hasn't one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers?

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?

11 Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holiness of YHWH which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.

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.

12 YHWH will cut off, to the man who does this, him who wakes and him who answers, out of the tents of Jacob, and him who offers an offering to YHWH of hosts.

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.

13 This again you do: you cover the altar of YHWH with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, because he doesn't regard the offering any more, neither receives it with good will at your hand.

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.

14 Yet you say, 'Why?' Because YHWH has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion, and the wife of your covenant.

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.

15 Did he not make one, although he had the residue of the Spirit? Why one? He sought a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

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.

16 For I hate divorce," says YHWH, the God of Israel, "and him who covers his garment with violence." says YHWH of hosts. "Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.

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.

17 You have wearied YHWH with your words. Yet you say, 'How have we wearied him?' In that you say, 'Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of YHWH, and he delights in them;' or 'Where is the God of justice?'

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!