< Malachi 1 >
1 [This is] the message that Yahweh gave to [the prophet] Malachi to [give to the people of] Israel.
神諭:上主藉瑪拉基亞傳於以色列的話。
2 Yahweh says, “I have [always] loved you [Israeli people].”
上主說:我愛了你們,而你們卻說:你怎樣愛了我們﹖厄撒烏不是雅各伯的哥哥嗎﹖──上主的斷語──但是我卻愛了雅各伯,
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.”
而恨了厄撒烏。我曾使他的山荒涼,使他的產業變為豺狼所住的曠野。
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’.”
如果厄東說:我們雖然被毀滅,但我們必要重建廢墟。萬軍的上主卻這樣說:他們可以重建,但我必加以破壞,人們將稱之為「邪惡的地區,」為「上主永遠憤恨的人民。」
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!”
你們必要親眼看見,並且要說:上主連在以色列境界之外,也顯示了自己的偉大。
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?”
兒子應孝敬父親,僕人應敬畏主人。但如果我是父親,對我的孝敬在哪裏﹖如果我是主人,對我的敬在哪裏﹖司祭們! 萬軍的上主對你們說:「你們輕視了我的名。」但你們卻說:「我們在什麼事上輕視了你的名﹖」
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.
就在你們以不潔的食物供奉在我的祭壇上。你們又說:「我們在什麼事上玷污了它﹖」就是你們說:「上主的台桌是可輕賤的」的時候。
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!”
你們將一隻盲目的牲畜獻為犧牲,不是罪過嗎﹖將這樣的禮品,獻給你的市長吧! 看他是否會喜歡,會悅納﹖──萬軍的上主說。
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]?”
現在你們懇求上主開恩,叫衪憐恤我們! 這事既然是你們經手,看衪是否會對你們垂青﹖──萬軍的上主說。
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.
惟願你們中間有人關閉殿門,免得你們在我的祭壇上白白地點火! 我不你們──萬軍的上主說──也不悅納你們經手所獻的祭品,
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.
因為從日出到日落,我的名在異民中大受顯揚,到處有人為我的名焚香獻祭,並奉獻潔淨的祭品,因為我的名在異民中大受顯揚──萬軍的上主說。
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.’
但你們卻褻瀆了它,即在你們說:「主的台桌是污穢的,上面的食物是可輕賤的」的時候。
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?
你們還說:「唉,這是多麼麻煩! 」你們且嗤之以鼻──萬軍的上主說。你們將奪來的,跛腿的和有疾的拿來獻為祭品,我豈能從你們手中悅納﹖──上主說。
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]!”
那在家畜群中原有公的,且許了願,卻拿有殘疾的獻給上主的騙子,是可詛咒的! 我是大王──萬軍的上主說:卜名在異民中必受敬畏。