Malakaị 1
1 Okwu amụma: Nke a bụ okwu Onyenwe anyị gwara Izrel site nʼọnụ Malakaị onye amụma.
[This is] the message that Yahweh gave to [the prophet] Malachi to [give to the people of] Israel.
2 “Ahụla m unu nʼanya,” ka Onyenwe anyị na-ekwu. “Ma unu na-asị, ‘Olee ụzọ i si hụ anyị nʼanya?’ “Ịsọ, ọ bụghị nwanne Jekọb?” ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara. “Ma otu ọ dị, ahụrụ m Jekọb nʼanya,
Yahweh says, “I have [always] loved you [Israeli people].”
3 ma Ịsọ ka m kpọrọ asị, mee ugwu ya niile ka ha ghọọ ebe tọgbọrọ nʼefu, werekwa ihe nketa ya nye nkịta ọhịa niile nke ọzara.”
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 Ndị Edọm nwere ike sị, “Ọ bụ ezie na e tikpọọla anyị, ma anyị ga-ewugharị nkpọnkpọ ebe niile.” Ma otu a ka Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile, na-ekwu, “Ha nwere ike wugharịa ya, ma aga m akwadakwa ha ọzọ. Nʼihi na a ga-akpọ ha Obodo ihe ọjọọ, ndị Onyenwe anyị na-eweso iwe ruo mgbe ebighị ebi.
[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 Anya unu ga-ahụ nke a ma unu ga-ekwukwa, ‘Onyenwe anyị dị ukwuu, ọ bụladị ruo nʼofe oke ala Izrel!’”
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 “Nwa na-asọpụrụ nna ya, ohu na asọpụrụkwa onyenwe ya. A sị na m bụ nna, ebee ka egwu m dị. A sị na m bụ onyenwe mmadụ, ebee ka nsọpụrụ m dị?” Ka Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile na-ekwu. “Ọ bụ unu ndị nchụaja na-eleda aha m anya. “Ma unu na-ajụ, ‘Olee ụzọ anyị si eleda aha gị anya?’
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 “Unu na-eji anụ rụrụ arụ na-achụrụ m aja nʼelu ebe ịchụ aja m. “Ma unu na-ajụ, ‘Olee ụzọ anyị si merụọ ya?’ “Ọ bụ mgbe unu na-asị na tebul Onyenwe anyị bụ ihe e kwesiri ileda anya.
[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 Mgbe unu ji anụ ndị kpuru ìsì achụrụ m aja, ọ bụghị ihe na-ezighị ezi ka unu na-eme? Mgbe unu na-ejikwa ndị dara ngwụrọ, na anụ na-arịa ọrịa, ọ bụghị ihe ọjọọ ka unu na-eme? Werenụ anụ ndị a bugara onye na-achị obodo unu dịka onyinye. Ọ ga-atọ ya ụtọ ịnabata onyinye dị otu a? Ọ ga-anabata unu?” Ka Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile na-ekwu.
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 “Ma ugbu a, rịọọnụ Chineke ka o gosi anyị amara ya. Ọ bụrụ na unu ji onyinye ndị dị otu a nʼaka unu, ọ ga-egosi unu afọ ọma ya?” Ka Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile na-ekwu.
[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 “Ọ gaara adị m nnọọ mma ma a sị na otu onye nʼime unu ga-emechi ọnụ ụzọ ụlọnsọ ukwu ahụ, ka unu gharakwa ịkwanye ọkụ na-enweghị isi nʼelu ebe ịchụ aja m. Ihe banyere unu adịghị atọ m ụtọ. Ọ bụ ihe Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile kwuru. Agaghị m anabatakwa onyinye ọbụla si unu nʼaka.
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 Nʼihi na site nʼọwụwa anyanwụ ruo ọdịda ya, aha m ga-adị ukwuu nʼetiti mba niile. A ga-ewebatara m ihe nsure ọkụ na-esi isi ụtọ na onyinye dị ọcha nʼaha m, nʼebe niile, nʼihi na aha m ga-adị ukwuu nʼetiti mba niile.” Ọ bụ ihe Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile kwuru.
[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 “Ma unu na-eme ka ọ ghara ịdị nsọ mgbe unu na-asị na, Tebul Onyenwe anyị bụ ihe e merụrụ emerụ, ebe ihe oriri ya bụkwa ihe nlelị.
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 Unu na-ekwukwa, ‘Nke a bụ ihe ike ọgwụgwụ,’ si otu a na-eduli imi unu elu nʼebe m nọ nʼọnọdụ oke nlelị.” Ọ bụ ihe Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile kwuru. “Mgbe unu na-ewebata ihe a natara nʼike, na nke dara ngwụrọ, na nke na-arịa ọrịa, jiri ha chụọrọ m aja, o kwesiri ka m nabata ya?” Ka Onyenwe anyị na-ekwu.
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 “Onye a na-abụ ọnụ ka onye aghụghọ ahụ bụ nke nwere oke nʼigwe ewu na atụrụ ya, kwee nkwa inye ya, ma mesịa were anụ nwere ntụpọ chụọrọ Onyenwe anyị aja. Nʼihi na mụ onwe m bụ Eze ukwu ahụ,” ka Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile kwuru, “aha m bụkwa ihe a ga-atụ egwu nʼetiti mba dị iche iche.
[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]!”
