Malachi 3
1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he will come, saith the LORD of hosts.
“Ngizathuma isithunywa sami esizangilungisela indlela. Kuzakuthi masinyane uThixo elimdingayo uzakuza ethempelini lakhe; isithunywa sesivumelwano, elisilangazelelayo sizakuza,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he [is] like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap.
Kodwa ngubani na ongalumela usuku lokuza kwaso? Ngubani ongema nxa eqhamuka na? Ngoba sizakuba njengomlilo womcengi wensimbi kumbe njengesepa yomgezisi.
3 And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness.
Sizahlala njengomcengi lomhlambululi wesiliva; sizahlambulula abaLevi sibacenge njengesiliva legolide. Kulapho-ke uThixo azakuba lawo amadoda azaletha iminikelo ngokulunga,
4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant to the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
kuthi-ke iminikelo kaJuda leyeJerusalema yamukeleke kuThixo, njengezinsukwini ezedlulayo, njengeminyakeni yekadeni.
5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in [his] wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger [from his right], and fear not me, saith the LORD 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 [am] the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
“Mina Thixo kangiguquki. Ngalokho lina, bazukulu bakaJakhobe, kalibhujiswanga.
7 Even from the days of your fathers ye have gone away from my ordinances, and have not kept [them]. Return to me, and I will return to you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, In what shall 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 Will a man rob God? yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, In what have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
Umuntu angamphanga uNkulunkulu na? Lina liyangiphanga. Kodwa liyabuza lithi, ‘Sikuphanga kanjani na?’ Ngokwetshumi langeminikelo.
9 Ye [are] cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, [even] this whole nation.
Liphiwe isiqalekiso, isizwe sakini sonke ngoba liyangiphanga.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now with this, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it].
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 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
Ngizaxotsha izibungu ukuze zingadli amabele enu, lamavini emasimini enu kawayikukhithiza izithelo zawo,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
“Lapho izizwe zonke zizakuthi libusisiwe, ngoba elenu lizakuba yilizwe elibukekayo,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken [so much] against thee?
Uthi uThixo, “Selikhuluma amazwi abuhlungu ngami. Kodwa liyabuza lithi, ‘Kuyini okubi esikutshiloyo ngawe na?’
14 Ye have said, It [is] vain to serve God: and what profit [is it] that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?
Lithe lina, ‘Kakusizi ngalutho ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Sazuzani ngokulandela izimiso zakhe, saziphatha njengabalilayo phambi kukaThixo uSomandla na?
15 And now we call the proud happy; yes, they that work wickedness are set up; even [they that] tempt God are delivered.
Kodwa manje isiqholo sithi singobusisiweyo. Ngeqiniso izigangi ziyaphumelela, kanye lalabo abamhwedelayo uNkulunkulu kabenziwa lutho.’”
16 Then they that feared the LORD spoke often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard [it], and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
Kwathi labo ababemesaba uThixo bakhulumisana, uThixo walalela, wezwa. Umqulu wencwadi yesikhumbuzo walotshwa phambi kwakhe mayelana lalabo ababemesaba uThixo ababehlonipha ibizo lakhe.
17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Uthi uThixo uSomandla, “Bazakuba ngabami, ngosuku mhla ngibenza inotho yami eligugu. Ngizabayekela, njengoba indoda yayibe lesihawu ixolele indodana yayo eyincedisayo.
18 Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
Njalo lizawubona umahluko phakathi kwabalungileyo lababi, phakathi kwalabo abamkhonzayo uNkulunkulu lalabo abangamkhonziyo.”
