Malachi 1
1 [This is] the message that Yahweh gave to [the prophet] Malachi to [give to the people of] Israel.
Liloba na Yawe. Liloba na Yawe epai ya Isalaele na nzela ya mosakoli Malashi.
2 Yahweh says, “I have [always] loved you [Israeli people].”
« Ngai, nalingaki bino, » elobi Yawe, « kasi bino bozali kotuna Ngai: ‹ Eloko nini ezali kolakisa ete olingaki biso? › Boni, Ezawu azalaki ndeko ya Jakobi te? » elobi Yawe, « Nzokande, nalingaki Jakobi,
3 But you reply, “In what way have you loved us?” Yahweh replies, “[This is how I loved you]: [It is true that your ancestor] Jacob was [RHQ] Esau’s [younger] brother, and I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau. I caused his hilly region to become (desolate/a place where crops did not grow). I caused the land which he possessed to become a desert where jackals/wolves live.”
kasi nayinaki Ezawu; bongo nabongolaki bangomba na ye esobe mpe nakabaki libula na ye epai ya bambwa ya zamba. »
4 [The descendants of Esau who live in] Edom may say, “[Yes, ] we have been crushed/ruined, but we will rebuild [houses] in the ruins.” But the Commander of the armies of angels replies, “They may build [houses again], but I will demolish [them again]. Their [country] will be called ‘The land where wicked people [live]’ and [their people will be called] ‘The people with whom Yahweh is angry forever’.”
Edomi akoki koloba: « Ata babebisi mokili na biso, tokotonga yango kaka lisusu! » Kasi tala makambo oyo Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, alobi: « Solo, bakotonga na bango yango, kasi Ngai nakobuka yango! Bakobenga mokili yango: ‹ Mokili ya makambo mabe, bato oyo bazali tango nyonso na se ya kanda ya Yawe. ›
5 When you [Israeli] people yourselves see [what I will do to them], you will say, “[It is evident far] beyond the borders of Israel that Yahweh is [very] great!”
Bokomona yango na miso na bino moko mpe bokoloba: ‹ Yawe azali Monene koleka ata bandelo ya etando ya Isalaele. ›
6 But the Commander of the armies of angels says to the priests, “Boys honor their fathers, and servants [respect] their masters. So, if I am [like your] father and your master, why [RHQ] do you not honor and respect me? You have despised me [MTY]!” But you ask, “(How/In what way) have we despised you?”
Mwana mobali apesaka tata na ye lokumu, mpe mowumbu apesaka nkolo na ye lokumu. Soki Ngai nazali Tata, wapi lokumu oyo esengeli na Ngai? Soki nazali Nkolo, wapi lokumu na Ngai? » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga. « Ezali bino Banganga-Nzambe nde bozali kosambwisa Kombo na Ngai, kasi bozali mpe kotuna: ‹ Eloko nini ezali kolakisa ete tozali kosambwisa Kombo na Yo? ›
7 [Yahweh replies, ] “[Instead of honoring me, you have despised me] by offering sacrifices on my altar that are unacceptable to me.” Then you ask, “What sacrifices have we given that have been unacceptable to you?” [Yahweh replies, ] “You think that (it does not matter/it is okay) if you do not respect my altar.
Bozali kotia bilei ya mbindo na etumbelo na Ngai, kasi bozali mpe kotuna: ‹ Eloko nini ezali kolakisa ete tokomisi etumbelo na Yo mbindo? › Ezali tango bolobaka: ‹ Mesa ya Yawe ezali na tina te. ›
8 You offer for sacrifices animals that are blind. (Is that not wrong?/That is disgusting!) [RHQ] And you offer for sacrifices animals that are crippled or that have diseases. (Is that also not wrong?/That [also] is disgusting!) [RHQ] If you tried to give presents like that to your governor, (do you think [RHQ] that he would be pleased?/he would certainly not be pleased!) (Would he [RHQ] accept such gifts? He would certainly not accept such gifts!) [That is what] the Commander of the armies of angels says!”
Ezali tango bobonzaka lokola mbeka nyama oyo ekufa miso; boni, yango ezali mabe te? Bomeka nanu kopesa yango epai ya moyangeli na bino; boni, akosepela na bino? Akondima bino solo? » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga.
9 [And he also says, ] “You plead with me to be merciful to you. But you bring to me sacrifices that are not acceptable to me, so why should I be kind to you [RHQ]?”
« Sik’oyo, bozali mpe kobondela Nzambe ete asalela bino ngolu na makabo ya lolenge oyo na maboko! Boni, andima bino solo? » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga.
10 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says, “I wish/desire that one of you would shut the gates [of the temple courtyard], in order that no one could offer those worthless sacrifices. I am not pleased with you, and I will not accept the offerings that you bring to me.
« Nani kati na bino akoki kozwa mokano ya kokanga bikuke ya Tempelo mpo ete bopelisa moto na pamba te na etumbelo na Ngai? Nasepeli na bino ata moke te, » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga; « mpe nakoyamba te makabo oyo ewuti na maboko na bino.
11 [People of other] nations honor me [MTY] [every day], from sunrise/morning until sunset/evening. All over the world people offer incense and [other] pure/acceptable offerings to me [MTY]. [They do that] because [people among all] the nations know that I [MTY] am [very] great.
Kombo na Ngai ekozala monene kati na bikolo, longwa na ebimelo kino na elalelo ya moyi; bakobonza na bisika nyonso malasi ya ansa lokola mbeka mpo na Kombo na Ngai mpe makabo ya peto, pamba te Kombo na Ngai ekozala monene kati na bikolo, » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga.
12 But you [priests show that you] despise me [by what you do]. You say, ‘[It is all right if] people pollute the altar by bringing sacrifices that are unacceptable.’
« Kasi bino, bozali kosambwisa yango tango bozali koloba ete mesa ya Nkolo ezali na tina te mpe biloko na yango ezali mbindo.
13 You say ‘We are tired of [burning all these sacrifices on the altar].’ You (turn up your noses at/act very disrespectfully toward) [me]. When you bring [to me] animals that have been stolen or ones that are crippled or that have diseases, to offer them for sacrifices, [do you think that] [RHQ] I should accept them?
Bozali koloba lisusu: ‹ Mokumba nini lisusu oyo! › Bozali mpe kotiola Ngai lisusu, » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga. « Tango bozali komema bibwele oyo ezoka, oyo etambolaka tengu-tengu to oyo ezali na bokono, mpe bozali kobonza yango lokola mbeka, boni, nandima yango na maboko na bino? » elobi Yawe.
14 [I will] curse anyone who [tries to] cheat [me] by solemnly promising [to bring to me a perfect] ram from his flock [of sheep] and then brings to me one that has defects. [If anyone does that, I will punish him], because I am a great king; [I am] the Commander of the armies of angels and [people of the other] nations revere me [MTY], [but you do not]!”
« Tika ete alakelama mabe, ye oyo azali na ebwele ya kitoko kati na etonga na ye, mpe alapi ndayi ete akobonza yango epai na Yawe, kasi abonzi ebwele oyo ebela! Pamba te Ngai, nazali Mokonzi Monene, » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, mpe bikolo nyonso esengeli kobanga Kombo na Ngai.
