Malakaị 3

1 “Lee, aga m ezipu onyeozi m, onye ga-edozi ụzọ nʼihu m. Mgbe ahụ, Onyenwe anyị ahụ unu na-ele anya ya ga-abịa na mberede nʼụlọnsọ ukwu ya. Onyeozi nke ọgbụgba ndụ ahụ, onye ihe ya na-agụsị unu agụụ ike, ga-abịa,” ka Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile kwuru.

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall clear out the way before me: and suddenly will come to his temple the Lord, whom ye seek; and the messenger of the covenant, whom ye desire for, behold, he is coming, saith the Lord of hosts.

2 “Ma onye ga-anagide ụbọchị ọbịbịa ya ma guzokwa mgbe ọ pụtara ihe? Nʼihi na ọ ga-adị ka ọkụ na-anụcha anụcha, dịkwa ka ncha e ji asụ akwa.

But who can sustain the day of his coming? and who can stand when he appeareth? for he is like the fire of the melter, and like the lye of the washers:

3 Ọ na-anọdụ ala dịka ndị na-anụcha ọlaọcha ime ka ọ dị ọcha. Ọ ga-anụcha ndị Livayị, ime ka ha dị ọcha, dịka ọlaedo na ọlaọcha a nụchara anụcha tutu ruo mgbe ha ga-ewetara Onyenwe anyị onyinye nʼezi omume.

And he will sit as a melter and purifier of silver; and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness

4 Mgbe ahụ, onyinye Juda na Jerusalem ga-abụ onyinye Onyenwe anyị ga-anabata, dịka o si anabata ha nʼụbọchị ndị ahụ gara aga, na mgbe ochie gara aga.

And then shall be pleasant unto the Lord the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

5 “Mgbe ahụ, aga m abịa unu nso ikpe unu ikpe. Aga m abịakwa ngwangwa ịgbagide ha ama bụ ndị mgbaasị, na ndị na-akwa iko, na ndị na-aṅụ iyi ụgha, na ndị na-emegbu ndị inyom di ha nwụrụ, na ndị na-emegbu ndị na-enweghị nna, na ndị na-anapụ ndị ọbịa ikpe ziri ezi, ndị ahụ niile na-adịghị atụ egwu m.” Ọ bụ Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile kwuru.

And I will come near unto you to [hold] judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against those that swear falsely, and against those that withhold the wages of the hired laborer, [oppress] the widow, and the fatherless, and that do injustice to the stranger, and fear me not, saith the Lord of hosts.

6 “Nʼihi na mụ onwe m bụ Onyenwe anyị adịghị agbanwe agbanwe. Ya mere, unu bụ ụmụ Jekọb ji dịgide.

For I the Lord, —I have not changed: and ye sons of Jacob—ye have not ceased to be.

7 Site nʼoge nna nna unu ha, unu esitela nʼidebe iwu na ụkpụrụ m wezuga onwe unu. Unu adịghịkwa edebe ha. Ya mere, lọghachikwutenụ m, mụ onwe m ga-alọghachikwute unu.” Ọ bụ Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile na-ekwu. “Ma unu na-asị, ‘Anyị ga-esi aṅaa lọghachi?’

From the days of your fathers did ye depart from my statutes, and did not keep them; return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts; but ye say, Wherein shall we return?

8 “Mmadụ ọ na-ezu ihe bụ nke Chineke nʼohi? Ma unu apụnarịla m ihe bụ nke m. “Ma unu na-ajụ: ‘Anyị si aṅaa na-ezu gị ohi?’ “Ọ bụ site nʼotu ụzọ nʼime ụzọ iri unu, onyinye na aja niile.

Can a man rob God, that ye will rob me? But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and in heave-offerings.

9 Nʼihi ya, ọbụbụ ọnụ dịịrị unu, ka mba niile unu ha, nʼihi na ọ bụ mụ onwe m ka unu na-ezu ohi.

With the curse are ye cursed, and yet me do ye rob, O ye entire nation!

10 Webatanụ otu ụzọ nʼụzọ iri nke ihe niile unu nʼime ụlọakụ m, ka nri jupụta nʼime ụlọ m. Jirinụ nke a nwalee m,” ka unu hụ ma mụ onwe m agaghị emeghe ọnụ ụzọ eluigwe, site na ya wụdatara unu ngọzị dị ukwuu, nke ga-ejubiga oke na ọnọdụ agaghị adị ichebe ha. Ọ bụ Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile na-ekwu.

Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be provision in my house, and prove me but herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing, until it be more than enough.

11 “Aga m egbochi ihe nripịa ndị ahụ niile ka ha ghara iripịa mkpụrụ ubi unu. Osisi vaịnị unu agakwaghị atụpụsị mkpụrụ ya nʼala tutu ruo mgbe ha chara.” Ọ bụ ihe Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile na-ekwu.

And I will rebuke for you the devourer, and he shall not destroy for you the fruit of the ground: and the vine shall not cast its fruit for you before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

12 “Mgbe ahụ, mba niile dị iche iche ga-akpọ unu ndị a gọziri agọzi, nʼihi na ala unu ga-abụ nke na-enye ndị nwe ya obi ụtọ.” Ọ bụ ihe Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile kwuru.

And all the nations shall call you blessed; for ye shall be a land of delight, saith the Lord of hosts.

13 Onyenwe anyị na-ekwu, sị, “Unu ekwuola ọtụtụ okwu dị ike megide m.” “Ma unu na-ajụ, ‘Gịnị ka anyị kwuru megide gị?’

Your words have been strong against me, saith the Lord; but ye say, What have we spoken among us against thee?

14 “Unu ekwuola sị, ‘Ọ bụ ihe nzuzu ife Chineke ofufe, na ịtụ ya egwu. Gịnị bụ uru anyị na-erite site nʼidebe iwu ya, na ijegharị dịka ndị na-eru ụjụ nʼihu Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile?

Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked contritely before the Lord of hosts?

15 Ma site ugbu a gaa nʼihu, ndị nganga ka anyị ga-akpọ ndị ihe na-agara nke ọma. Nʼezie, ndị na-eme ihe ọjọọ ka ihe na-agara nke ọma. Ndị ahụ jikwa ihe ọjọọ ha na-anwa Chineke na-agbanarị ntaramahụhụ ya.’”

And now we call the presumptuous happy: yea, built up are those that practise wickedness; yea, they have even tempted God and are [yet] suffered to escape.

16 Mgbe ahụ, ndị niile na-atụ egwu Onyenwe anyị gwarịtara ibe ha okwu, Onyenwe anyị ṅara ntị, nụkwa ihe ha na-ekwu. Nʼihu ya, e nwere akwụkwọ ncheta dị ya, ebe e dere aha ndị niile na-atụ egwu Onyenwe anyị, ma na-echekwa echiche banyere aha ya.

Then conversed they that fear the Lord one with the other: and the Lord listened and heard it, and there was written a book of remembrance before him for those who fear the Lord, and for those who respect his name.

17 “Nʼụbọchị ahụ m ga-eme ihe,” ka Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile na-ekwu, “ha ga-abụ ihe oke ọnụahịa nke aka m. Aga m echebe ha, dịka nna na-enwe ọmịiko ma chebekwa nwa ya nwoke na-efe ya.

And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, on that day which I create as a special treasure: and I will spare them, as a man spareth his son that serveth him.

18 Unu ga-ahụ ihe dị iche nʼetiti ndị ezi omume na ndị ajọ omume, hụkwa ihe dị iche nʼetiti ndị na-efe Chineke na ndị na-adịghị efe ya.

And ye shall return, and see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that hath not served him.