< Malachi 2 >

1 And now, A! ye preestis, this maundement is to you.
And now to you, O ye priests, is this commandment:
2 If ye wolen here, and if ye `wolen not putte on the herte, that ye yyue glorie to my name, seith the Lord of oostis, Y schal sende nedynesse in to you, and Y schal curse to youre blessyngis; and Y schal curse hem, for ye han not putte on the herte.
If ye will not hearken, If ye will not lay it to heart, To give glory to my name, saith Jehovah of hosts, I will send a curse upon you, And I will curse your blessings; Yea, I have cursed them already, Because ye do not lay it to heart.
3 Lo! Y schal caste to you the arm, and Y schal scatere on youre cheere the drit of youre solempnytees, and it schal take you with it.
Behold, I will rebuke your seed, And I will scatter dung in your faces, The dung of your solemn feasts, And ye shall be carried to it.
4 And ye schulen wite, that Y sente to you this maundement, that my couenaunt were with Leuy, seith the Lord of oostis.
And ye shall know that I have sent to you this commandment, That my covenant may remain with Levi, Saith Jehovah of hosts.
5 My couenaunt was with hym of lijf and pees; and Y yaf to hym a drede, and he dredde me, and he dredde of face of my name.
My covenant was with him for life and peace, Which I gave to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, And was afraid before my name.
6 The lawe of trewthe was in his mouth, and wickidnesse was not foundun in hise lippis; in pees and in equite he walkide with me, and he turnede awei many men fro wickidnesse.
The law of truth was in his mouth, And unrighteousness was not found in his lips; He walked with me in truth and equity, And turned many away from iniquity.
7 For the lippis of a prest kepen science, and thei schulen ayen seke the lawe of `the mouth of hym, for he is an aungel of the Lord of oostes.
For the lips of the priest should keep knowledge, And men should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of Jehovah of hosts.
8 But ye wenten awei fro the weie, and sclaundren ful many men in the lawe; ye maden voide the couenaunt of Leuy, seith the Lord of oostis.
But ye have departed from the way, Ye have caused many to stumble at the law, And ye have made void the covenant with Levi, Saith Jehovah of hosts.
9 For which thing and Y yaf you worthi to be dispisid, and bowen to alle puplis, as ye kepten not my weies, and token a face in the lawe.
Therefore will I also make you Despicable and base before all the people; According as ye have not kept my ways. But have had respect to persons in the law.
10 Whether not o fadir is of alle you? whether o God made not of nouyt you? Whi therfor ech of you dispisith his brother, and defoulith the couenaunt of youre fadris?
Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us? Why should we deal treacherously one against another, And profane the covenant made with our fathers?
11 Judas trespasside, and abhomynacioun is maad in Israel, and in Jerusalem; for Judas defoulide the halewyng of the Lord, which he louyde, and he hadde the douyter of an alien god.
Judah hath dealt treacherously, And an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah hath profaned the holy people of Jehovah, which he loveth, And hath married the daughter of a strange god.
12 The Lord schal distrie the man that dide this thing, the maister and disciple, fro the tabernacle of Jacob, and him that offrith a yifte to the Lord of oostis.
Jehovah will cut off the man that doeth this, Him that waketh and him that answereth, from the tents of Jacob, And him that bringeth an offering to Jehovah of hosts.
13 And eftsoone ye diden this thing; ye hiliden with teeris the auter of the Lord, with wepyng and mourenyng; so that Y biholde no more to sacrifice, nether resseyue ony thing plesaunt of youre hond.
And this also ye do: Ye cover the altar of Jehovah with tears, With weeping and with groans, So that he no more hath regard to the offering, Nor receiveth it with good-will from your hand.
14 And ye seiden, For what cause? For the Lord witnesside bitwixe thee and the wijf of thi `puberte, that is, tyme of mariage, which thou dispisidist, and this is thi felowe, and wijf of thi couenaunt.
Yet ye say, “Wherefore?” It is because Jehovah has been a witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, Against whom thou hast dealt unfaithfully, Although she was thy companion and thy covenanted wife.
15 Whether oon made not, and residue of spirit is his? and what sekith oon, no but the seed of God? Therfore kepe ye youre spirit, and nyle thou dispise the wijf of thi yongthe;
But did not He make one only? And yet had he a residue of the spirit; And wherefore one? He sought a godly race. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And be not unfaithful to the wife of thy youth!
16 whanne thou hatist hir, leue thou hir, seith the Lord God of Israel. Forsothe wickidnesse schal kyuere the closyng of hym, seith the Lord of oostis; kepe ye youre spirit, and nyle ye dispise.
For I hate him that putteth away, Saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, And him that covereth his garment with violence, Saith Jehovah of hosts. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and be not unfaithful.
17 Ye maden the Lord for to trauele in youre wordis, and ye seiden, Wherynne maden we hym for to trauele? In that that ye seien, Ech man that doith yuel, is good in the siyt of the Lord, and siche plesen to hym; ether certis where is the God of doom?
Ye have wearied Jehovah with your words; Yet ye say, “Wherein have we wearied him?” In that ye say, “Every one of them that do evil Is good in the sight of Jehovah, And in them he hath delight”; Or, “Where is the God of judgment?”

< Malachi 2 >