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.
The Commander of the armies of angels says [this]: “Listen! I [am about to] send my messenger who will prepare [the people to receive me] when I come. [You claim that] [IRO] you are wanting to see me, and I will suddenly come to my temple. The messenger [who will tell you about a new] agreement, the one whom you are eagerly [SAR] awaiting, is certainly going to come [to you].”
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 will anyone [RHQ] be able to survive when he comes? Will anyone [RHQ] be able to [remain] standing in front of him? [Certainly not, ] because he will be like [SIM] a blazing fire that refines/purifies [metal/gold]. He will be like [SIM] a very strong soap [that bleaches clothes].
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.
[He will be like a worker who] sits [in front of his work] to cause silver to become pure by burning all the impurities. Like [a worker refines] silver and gold, he will cause the (descendants of Levi/priests) to become pure, [in order that they will again become acceptable to] offer sacrifices that will be acceptable to him.
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.
When that happens, Yahweh will [again] accept the offerings brought to him by [the people of] Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah, as [he did] previously.
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.
[This is what] the Commander of the armies of angels says: “At that time, I will come to you to judge you. I will quickly testify against [all] those who practice sorcery/witchcraft, [all] who have committed adultery, and [all] liars. [I will testify] against those who have not given their workers the pay/wages that they promised, those who (oppress/treat cruelly) widows and orphans, and those who do not allow foreigners who live among you to be treated fairly. [I will testify that all] the people who do those things do not revere me.”
6 “Nʼihi na mụ onwe m bụ Onyenwe anyị adịghị agbanwe agbanwe. Ya mere, unu bụ ụmụ Jekọb ji dịgide.
“I am Yahweh, and I never change. And although you [deceive people like] your ancestor Jacob did, I have not [yet] gotten rid of you.
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?’
You and your ancestors have ignored my commands and you have not obeyed them. [Now] return to me; and when that happens, I will (return/do good) to you. [That is what I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, say.” But you ask, “[We have never gone away from you, so] how can we return [to you]?”
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.
[I reply, ] “People should certainly not [RHQ] cheat God; but you people have cheated me!” You ask, “In what way did we cheat you?” [I reply, ] “[You have cheated me by not bringing to me each year] (the tithes/one tenth of [all] your crops and animals) and [other] offerings [that you are required to give to me].
9 Nʼihi ya, ọbụbụ ọnụ dịịrị unu, ka mba niile unu ha, nʼihi na ọ bụ mụ onwe m ka unu na-ezu ohi.
All that you do is cursed, because all you people in this country have been cheating me.
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.
[Now] bring all the tithes to the storage rooms [in the temple], in order that there will be [enough] food [for the people who serve me] there. If you do that, I, the Commander of the armies of angels, promise that I will open the windows of heaven, and pour out [from them] blessings on you. [If you bring your tithes to the temple, the blessings will be] very great, with the result that you will not have enough space to store all of them. So test me [to see if I am telling the truth].
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.
You will have abundant crops [to harvest], because I will protect them in order that they will not be harmed by locusts/insects. Your grapes will not fall from the vines [before they are ripe].
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.
When that happens, [the people of] all nations will say that [I] have blessed you, because your country will be delightful. [That is what I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, say.
13 Onyenwe anyị na-ekwu, sị, “Unu ekwuola ọtụtụ okwu dị ike megide m.” “Ma unu na-ajụ, ‘Gịnị ka anyị kwuru megide gị?’
[I, ] Yahweh, [have something else] to say [to you]. You have said terrible things about me.” But you reply, “What terrible things have we said about you?”
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?
[I reply], “You have said, ‘It is useless [for us] to serve God. We have gained nothing [RHQ] by obeying the commands that he gave [to us] and by trying to show the Commander of the armies of angels that we are sorry [for the sins that we have committed].
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.’”
From now on, we will say/consider that those who are proud are [the ones whom God has] blessed. [We will say that because it seems that it is] those who do evil who become rich, and [that it is] those who try to find out how many evil things they can do without God punishing them who are not punished.’”
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.
After [the people heard my message], those who revered Yahweh discussed [those things] with each other, and Yahweh listened to what they said. While Yahweh was watching, they wrote on a scroll the things that would remind them [about what they promised], and they wrote on that scroll the names of those who revered Yahweh and who [said that they] always wanted to honor him [MTY].
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.
The Commander of the armies of angels says this [about those people]: “They will be my people. At the time that I judge people, [they will be like] [MET] a special treasure to me. I will be kind to them, like [SIM] fathers are kind to their sons who obey them.
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.
When that happens, you will again see that [the manner in which I treat] righteous people is different from [the manner in which I treat] wicked people. [You will see that the manner in which I act toward] those who serve me is different from [the manner in which I act toward] those who do not.”
