< Malachi 3 >
1 The Commander of the armies of angels says [this]: “Listen! I [am about to] send my messenger who will prepare [the people to receive me] when I come. [You claim that] [IRO] you are wanting to see me, and I will suddenly come to my temple. The messenger [who will tell you about a new] agreement, the one whom you are eagerly [SAR] awaiting, is certainly going to come [to you].”
Hwɛ! Mɛsoma me bɔfo a obesiesie kwan ama me. Afei mpofirim, Awurade a morehwehwɛ no no bɛba nʼasɔredan mu. Na apam no ho bɔfo a mopɛ no no bɛba, sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni.
2 But will anyone [RHQ] be able to survive when he comes? Will anyone [RHQ] be able to [remain] standing in front of him? [Certainly not, ] because he will be like [SIM] a blazing fire that refines/purifies [metal/gold]. He will be like [SIM] a very strong soap [that bleaches clothes].
Na hena na obetumi agyina ne da a ɔbɛba no ano? Sɛ opue a, hena na obetumi agyina? Ɔbɛyɛ sɛ ogya a wɔde nan dade anaa ntamahorofo samina.
3 [He will be like a worker who] sits [in front of his work] to cause silver to become pure by burning all the impurities. Like [a worker refines] silver and gold, he will cause the (descendants of Levi/priests) to become pure, [in order that they will again become acceptable to] offer sacrifices that will be acceptable to him.
Ɔbɛtena ase sɛ obi a ɔhoa dwetɛ ho. Ɔbɛtew Lewifo no ho na wɔayɛ sɛ sikakɔkɔɔ ne dwetɛ. Afei Awurade benya mmarima a wɔde ayɛyɛde bɛba wɔ kronkronyɛ mu,
4 When that happens, Yahweh will [again] accept the offerings brought to him by [the people of] Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah, as [he did] previously.
na afɔrebɔde a efi Yuda ne Yerusalem bɛyɛ nea ɛsɔ Awurade ani sɛnea na ɛte wɔ nna ne mfe a atwa mu no.
5 [This is what] the Commander of the armies of angels says: “At that time, I will come to you to judge you. I will quickly testify against [all] those who practice sorcery/witchcraft, [all] who have committed adultery, and [all] liars. [I will testify] against those who have not given their workers the pay/wages that they promised, those who (oppress/treat cruelly) widows and orphans, and those who do not allow foreigners who live among you to be treated fairly. [I will testify that all] the people who do those things do not revere me.”
“Enti metwiw abɛn mo, abebu atɛn. Mɛyɛ ntɛm adi adanse atia ntafowayifo, aguamammɔ ne atorofo, wɔn a wosisi adwumayɛfo wɔ wɔn akatua ho, wɔn a wɔhyɛ akunafo ne ayisaa so na wobu ntɛnkyew tia ahɔho na wonsuro me,” sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni.
6 “I am Yahweh, and I never change. And although you [deceive people like] your ancestor Jacob did, I have not [yet] gotten rid of you.
“Meyɛ Awurade a mennsakra. Ɛno nti na mo Yakob asefo, wɔnsɛee mo no.
7 You and your ancestors have ignored my commands and you have not obeyed them. [Now] return to me; and when that happens, I will (return/do good) to you. [That is what I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, say.” But you ask, “[We have never gone away from you, so] how can we return [to you]?”
Efi mo nenanom bere so moatwe mo ho afi me mmara ho, moanni so. Monsan mmra me nkyɛn, na me nso mɛba mo nkyɛn,” sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni. “Nanso mubisa se, ‘Ɔkwan bɛn so na yɛmfa nsan mmra?’
8 [I reply, ] “People should certainly not [RHQ] cheat God; but you people have cheated me!” You ask, “In what way did we cheat you?” [I reply, ] “[You have cheated me by not bringing to me each year] (the tithes/one tenth of [all] your crops and animals) and [other] offerings [that you are required to give to me].
“Onipa betumi abɔ Onyankopɔn korɔn ana? Nanso, mobɔ me korɔn! Na mubebisa se, ‘ɔkwan bɛn so na yɛfa bɔɔ wo korɔn?’ “Wɔ ntotoso du du ne afɔrebɔde mu.
9 All that you do is cursed, because all you people in this country have been cheating me.
Nnome aba mo so, ɔman mu no nyinaa, efisɛ, morebɔ me korɔn.
10 [Now] bring all the tithes to the storage rooms [in the temple], in order that there will be [enough] food [for the people who serve me] there. If you do that, I, the Commander of the armies of angels, promise that I will open the windows of heaven, and pour out [from them] blessings on you. [If you bring your tithes to the temple, the blessings will be] very great, with the result that you will not have enough space to store all of them. So test me [to see if I am telling the truth].
Momfa ntotoso du du no nyinaa mmra adekoradan no mu, na aduan mmra me fi. Monsɔ me nhwɛ wɔ saa ɔkwan yi so, na monhwɛ sɛ meremmue ɔsoro mfɛnsere na merenhwie nhyira bebree ngu mo so a, morennya baabi nkora ne nyinaa mpo,” sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni.
11 You will have abundant crops [to harvest], because I will protect them in order that they will not be harmed by locusts/insects. Your grapes will not fall from the vines [before they are ripe].
“Meremma mmoa mmɛsɛe mo nnɔbae na borɔdɔma aba rentew ngu wɔ bere a ɛmmeree ɛ,” sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni.
12 When that happens, [the people of] all nations will say that [I] have blessed you, because your country will be delightful. [That is what I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, say.
“Na aman no nyinaa bɛka se wɔahyira mo, efisɛ mo asase so bɛyɛ anigye,” sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni.
13 [I, ] Yahweh, [have something else] to say [to you]. You have said terrible things about me.” But you reply, “What terrible things have we said about you?”
“Moaka nsɛm a ɛmfata atia me, nanso mubisa se, ‘Asɛm bɛn na yɛaka atia wo?’ Sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni.
14 [I reply], “You have said, ‘It is useless [for us] to serve God. We have gained nothing [RHQ] by obeying the commands that he gave [to us] and by trying to show the Commander of the armies of angels that we are sorry [for the sins that we have committed].
“Moaka se, ‘Onyankopɔn som yɛ ɔbrɛgu, na yedii nʼahyɛde so na yɛkɔɔ Asafo Awurade anim te sɛ wɔn a wɔredi awerɛhow no, mfaso bɛn na yenyae?
15 From now on, we will say/consider that those who are proud are [the ones whom God has] blessed. [We will say that because it seems that it is] those who do evil who become rich, and [that it is] those who try to find out how many evil things they can do without God punishing them who are not punished.’”
Afei, wɔfrɛ ɔhantanni no nea wɔahyira no. Nokware ni, nnebɔneyɛfo di yiye, na mpo wɔn a wɔne Onyankopɔn di asi no, wɔfa wɔn ho di.’”
16 After [the people heard my message], those who revered Yahweh discussed [those things] with each other, and Yahweh listened to what they said. While Yahweh was watching, they wrote on a scroll the things that would remind them [about what they promised], and they wrote on that scroll the names of those who revered Yahweh and who [said that they] always wanted to honor him [MTY].
Na wɔn a wosuro Awurade no ne wɔn ho wɔn ho kasae, na Awurade tiei, na ogyee wɔn so. Wɔn a wosuro Awurade na wodi ne din ni no, wɔkyerɛw wɔn din wɔ nhoma mmobɔwee so wɔ nʼanim de yɛɛ nkae ade.
17 The Commander of the armies of angels says this [about those people]: “They will be my people. At the time that I judge people, [they will be like] [MET] a special treasure to me. I will be kind to them, like [SIM] fathers are kind to their sons who obey them.
“Wɔbɛyɛ me dea,” sɛnea, Asafo Awurade se ni. Da a mɛkeka me ho no, wɔbɛyɛ mʼahode a ɛsom bo. Mede wɔn ho bɛkyɛ wɔn, sɛnea agya nya ayamhyehye de ɔba a ɔyɛ osetie ho kyɛ no no.
18 When that happens, you will again see that [the manner in which I treat] righteous people is different from [the manner in which I treat] wicked people. [You will see that the manner in which I act toward] those who serve me is different from [the manner in which I act toward] those who do not.”
Na mubehu nsonoe a ɛda atreneefo ne amumɔyɛfo ntam, ne wɔn a wɔsom Onyankopɔn ne wɔn a wɔnsom Onyankopɔn no ntam.