Malachi 3
1 “See, I am about to send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, see, he will come,” says Yahweh of hosts.
“Ngizathuma isithunywa sami esizangilungisela indlela. Kuzakuthi masinyane uThixo elimdingayo uzakuza ethempelini lakhe; isithunywa sesivumelwano, elisilangazelelayo sizakuza,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
2 But who will be able to endure the day of his coming? Who will be able to stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire and like laundry soap.
Kodwa ngubani na ongalumela usuku lokuza kwaso? Ngubani ongema nxa eqhamuka na? Ngoba sizakuba njengomlilo womcengi wensimbi kumbe njengesepa yomgezisi.
3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi. He will refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings of righteousness to Yahweh.
Sizahlala njengomcengi lomhlambululi wesiliva; sizahlambulula abaLevi sibacenge njengesiliva legolide. Kulapho-ke uThixo azakuba lawo amadoda azaletha iminikelo ngokulunga,
4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to Yahweh, as in the days of old, and as in ancient years.
kuthi-ke iminikelo kaJuda leyeJerusalema yamukeleke kuThixo, njengezinsukwini ezedlulayo, njengeminyakeni yekadeni.
5 “Then I will approach you for judgment. I will quickly become a witness against the sorcerers, the adulterers, the false witnesses, and against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, those who oppress the widow and the fatherless, against those who turn away the foreigner, and against those who do not honor me,” says Yahweh of hosts.
“Ngakho ngizasondela kini ukuzakwahlulela. Ngizaphangisa ukufakaza okubi ngezangoma, ngeziphingi, labafungela amanga, lalabo abadlelezela izisebenzi ngomholo wazo, labo abancindezela abafelokazi lezintandane, abangahluleli kuhle abezizweni, kodwa abangangesabiyo mina,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
6 “For I, Yahweh, have not changed; therefore you, sons of Jacob, have not come to an end.
“Mina Thixo kangiguquki. Ngalokho lina, bazukulu bakaJakhobe, kalibhujiswanga.
7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my ordinances and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says Yahweh of hosts. “But you say, 'How will we return?'
Kulokhu kwasukela esikhathini sabokhokho benu laphambuka emilayweni yami kalaze layigcina. Buyani kimi, lami ngizabuya kini,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla. “Kodwa liyabuza lithi, ‘Sibuyele kanjani na?’
8 Would a person rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In tithes and offerings.
Umuntu angamphanga uNkulunkulu na? Lina liyangiphanga. Kodwa liyabuza lithi, ‘Sikuphanga kanjani na?’ Ngokwetshumi langeminikelo.
9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation.
Liphiwe isiqalekiso, isizwe sakini sonke ngoba liyangiphanga.
10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this,” says Yahweh of hosts, “if I do not open to you the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing on you, until there is no more room for it all.
Lethani konke okwetshumi esiphaleni ukuze kube lokudla endlini yami.” Uthi uThixo uSomandla, “Ngilingani kulokhu libone ingabe kangikuwavula amasango ezulu ngithulule izibusiso elizaze liswele ukuthi lizithele ngaphi.
11 I will speak against those who destroy your crops, so that they do not destroy the harvest of your land. Your vines in the fields will not lose their fruit,” says Yahweh of hosts.
Ngizaxotsha izibungu ukuze zingadli amabele enu, lamavini emasimini enu kawayikukhithiza izithelo zawo,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
12 “All the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight,” says Yahweh of hosts.
“Lapho izizwe zonke zizakuthi libusisiwe, ngoba elenu lizakuba yilizwe elibukekayo,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
13 “Your words against me have been strong,” says Yahweh. “But you say, 'What have we said among ourselves against you?'
Uthi uThixo, “Selikhuluma amazwi abuhlungu ngami. Kodwa liyabuza lithi, ‘Kuyini okubi esikutshiloyo ngawe na?’
14 You have said, 'It is useless to serve God. What profit is it that we have kept his requirements or walked mournfully before Yahweh of hosts?
Lithe lina, ‘Kakusizi ngalutho ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Sazuzani ngokulandela izimiso zakhe, saziphatha njengabalilayo phambi kukaThixo uSomandla na?
15 So now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper, but they even test God and escape.'”
Kodwa manje isiqholo sithi singobusisiweyo. Ngeqiniso izigangi ziyaphumelela, kanye lalabo abamhwedelayo uNkulunkulu kabenziwa lutho.’”
16 Then those who feared Yahweh spoke with one another. Yahweh paid attention and listened, and a book of remembrance was written before him about those who feared Yahweh and honored his name.
Kwathi labo ababemesaba uThixo bakhulumisana, uThixo walalela, wezwa. Umqulu wencwadi yesikhumbuzo walotshwa phambi kwakhe mayelana lalabo ababemesaba uThixo ababehlonipha ibizo lakhe.
17 “They will be mine,” says Yahweh of hosts, “my own treasured possession, on the day that I act. I will pity them, as a man pities his own son who serves him.
Uthi uThixo uSomandla, “Bazakuba ngabami, ngosuku mhla ngibenza inotho yami eligugu. Ngizabayekela, njengoba indoda yayibe lesihawu ixolele indodana yayo eyincedisayo.
18 Then once again you will distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who worships God and one who does not worship him.
Njalo lizawubona umahluko phakathi kwabalungileyo lababi, phakathi kwalabo abamkhonzayo uNkulunkulu lalabo abangamkhonziyo.”
