Malaki 1
1 Esia nye Yehowa ƒe nya si wògblɔ na Israel dukɔa to Nyagblɔɖila Malaki dzi. Wolɔ̃ Yakob, eye wolé fu Esau.
[This is] the message that Yahweh gave to [the prophet] Malachi to [give to the people of] Israel.
2 Yehowa gblɔ be, “Melɔ̃ mi. “Gake nèbia be, ‘Aleke nèlɔ̃ mí?’” Yehowa gblɔ be: “Ɖe Yakob menye Esau nɔvi oa? Melɔ̃ Yakob.
Yahweh says, “I have [always] loved you [Israeli people].”
3 Ke Esau ya la melé fui, metrɔ eƒe nɔƒe wòzu gbegbe, eye metsɔ eƒe domenyinu na amegaxiwo.”
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.”
4 Edom gblɔ be, “Togbɔ be wogbã mi hã la, míagatso aƒedoawo.” Ke Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la agblɔ be, “Migbugbɔ tso duawo ne miate ŋui, gake magagbã wo, elabena woƒe dukɔa ŋkɔe nye, Nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ ƒe anyigba, ame siwo ŋu Yehowa do dziku ɖo ɖikaa.
[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’.”
5 O, mi, Israelviwo, mitsa ŋku ne miakpɔ nu siwo wɔm Yehowa le, le xexea me godoo ekema miagblɔ be, ‘Nyateƒee, Yehowa ƒe ŋusẽ tri akɔ la gbɔ míaƒe liƒowo ŋu yi sãsãsã!’
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!”
6 “Viŋutsu dea bubu fofoa ŋuti eye kluvi ɖoa bubu na eƒe aƒetɔ; ekema ne nyee nye mia fofo la, afi ka nye bubu le? Ne nye nyee nye miaƒe Aƒetɔ la, nu ka ta mievɔ̃am o? Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ lae gblɔe. “O, mi nunɔlawoe ƒo ɖi nye ŋkɔ. “Gake mieɖe ɖeklemi be, ‘Ɣe ka ɣi míeƒo ɖi wò ŋkɔ kpɔ?’
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?”
7 “Mietsɔ nuɖuɖu makɔmakɔwo sa vɔe nam le nye vɔsamlekpui dzi, “Gake miebiam be, ‘Gbe ka gbee míewɔ nane nenema kpɔ?’ “Le esime míedoa vlo Yehowa ƒe kplɔ̃ le amewo gbɔ be megale ɖeke me o.
[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.
8 Miegblɔna na amewo hã be, Mitsɔ lã siwo mede blibo o la sa vɔe le Yehowa ƒe vɔsamlekpui la dzi faa, ɛ̃, lã siwo ƒe ŋkuwo gbã kple esiwo le dɔ lém la, megblẽ naneke o? Nu sia miewɔ, eye miebe menye vɔ̃ oa? Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la be mitsɔ wo na miaƒe mɔmefia abe nunana ene, eye miakpɔe ɖa be adze eŋu hã?” Yehowa Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ lae gblɔe.
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!”
9 “Azɔ miele kuku ɖem be, Mawu, kpɔ míaƒe nublanui, Esi mietsɔ nunana madzemadze mawo vɛ ɖe, nu ka ta wòakpɔ nublanui na mi?” Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ lae gblɔe.
[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]?”
10 “O, nunɔla ɖeka pɛ hã mele mia dome si atu gbedoxɔ ƒe ʋɔtruwo, ale be miadzudzɔ vɔsanu madzemadze siawo tsɔtsɔ va vɔsamlekpui la dzi oa?” Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ lae gblɔe, “eye miaƒe nu mele ŋunye nyom kura o, eye miaƒe nunana aɖeke hã medze ŋunye o.
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.
11 Tso ɣedzeƒe yi ɖe ɣetoɖoƒe ke la, dukɔ bubuwo ado nye ŋkɔ ɖe dzi tso ŋdi va se ɖe fiẽ. Le xexea me godoo woatsɔ vɔsa ʋeʋẽ lĩlĩlĩwo kple vɔsa kɔkɔewo ade bubu nye ŋkɔ ŋuti elabena mexɔ ŋkɔ le dukɔwo dome.” Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ lae gblɔe.
[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.
12 “Ke miawo ya miedo gui hele gbɔgblɔm be, ‘Yehowa ƒe kplɔ̃ ŋu mekɔ o,’ eye ‘edzinuɖuɖu le ŋu nyɔm.’
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.’
13 Miegblɔ be, ‘Mawusubɔsubɔ kple eƒe seawo dzi wɔwɔ sesẽ loo!’ Ale miegblɔ be, ‘yewomawɔ ɖe se siwo wòde na mi la dzi o,’ Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ lae gblɔe. “Mibu eŋuti kpɔ! Mietsɔ lã xɔabiwo, lã lédɔwo kple lã siwo mede blibo o la sa vɔe nam!” Yehowa be, “Enyo be maxɔ nunana sia tɔgbiwoa?
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?
14 Ame si ɖe adzɔgbe be yeatsɔ lãtsu si de blibo le yeƒe lãhawo dome asa vɔe na Yehowa gake wòɖɔlii kple lã lédɔ la, fiƒode neva edzi wòaɖi eŋu kpekpekpe elabena nye la, Fiagãe menye eye ele be woatsɔ vɔvɔ̃ na nye ŋkɔ le dukɔwo dome.” Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ lae gblɔ nya siawo.
[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]!”
