< Malashi 2 >

1 « Sik’oyo, bino Banganga-Nzambe, likebisi oyo epesami epai na bino:
You priests, I will say something to warn you.
2 Soki boyoki te, soki boboyi kozwa mokano ya kopesa Kombo na Ngai lokumu, » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, « nakotindela bino elakeli mabe mpe nakolakela lipamboli na bino mabe. Solo, nasili kolakela yango mabe, pamba te bozwaki mokano te ya kopesa Kombo na Ngai lokumu.
The Commander of the armies of angels says [this]: “Pay attention [to what I am saying], and [then] decide [IDM] to honor me [MTY]. If you do not do that, I will curse you, and I will curse [the things that I have given to you to] bless you. And I have already cursed them, because you have not honored [IDM] me.
3 Likolo na bino, nakopamela bakitani na bino, nakobwakela bino basalite ya banyama na bino na bilongi, salite ya banyama oyo bobonzaka na mikolo ya bafeti na bino, mpe bakomema bino nzela moko na basalite yango.
I will punish your descendants [MET], and [it will be as though] I will splatter on your faces [some of] the material inside the stomachs of the animals that are brought to be sacrificed, and you will be thrown away with the rest of that material.
4 Bokoyeba solo ete napesi bino likebisi oyo mpo ete boyokani na Ngai elongo na Levi esuka te, » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga.
When that happens, you will know that I warned you like this, in order that my agreement with [you priests who are descendants of] Levi will continue [to be obeyed]. [That is what I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, am saying [to you].
5 « Boyokani na Ngai elongo na ye ezali boyokani ya bomoi mpe ya kimia, mpe nakopesa ye yango mpo ete atosa Ngai. Atosaki Ngai solo mpe azalaki kolenga liboso ya Kombo na Ngai.
My agreement with [your ancestor] Levi was because I wanted the priests to live prosperously and peacefully. And that is what I have done for them. I required that they greatly respect me and revere [DOU] me.
6 Monoko na ye ezalaki kobimisa malakisi ya solo; lokuta etikalaki komonana na bibebu na ye te. Azalaki kotambola elongo na Ngai na kimia mpe na alima. Na nzela na ye, bato ebele batikaki kotambola na nzela ya masumu.
They told the people that what I instructed them to do was right. And they did not tell [MTY] lies. They worked for me peacefully and loyally, and they helped many people to stop sinning.
7 Pamba te bibebu ya Nganga-Nzambe esengeli kobatela boyebi, mpe bato basengeli kozwa boyebi na monoko na ye mpo ete azali ntoma ya Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga.
What priests say [MTY] should enable more people to know [about me], and people should go to them [MTY] to be taught [what I want them to know], because priests [should] be messengers from me, the Commander of the armies of angels.
8 Kasi bino, bopengwi na nzela mpe bobetisi bato ebele mabaku na malakisi na bino; bobebisi boyokani elongo na Balevi, » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga.
But, you priests have stopped doing what I wanted you to do. What you have taught people has caused many [of them] to sin. You have rejected the agreement [that I made] with [the descendants of] Levi [long ago].
9 « Boye, nasalaki ete botiolama mpe bosambwa liboso ya bato nyonso, pamba te bolandaki banzela na Ngai te, kasi bozalaki kopona bilongi na makambo oyo etali mibeko. »
Therefore I have caused all the people to despise you, and I have caused you to be humiliated, because you have not obeyed me. When you teach [people] my commands, you do not treat all [people] equally.”
10 Boni, biso nyonso tozali bana ya tata moko te? Boni, tokelama na Nzambe moko te? Bongo mpo na nini tozali kobebisa boyokani ya batata na biso na ndenge tozali kosalana mabe biso na biso?
[Now I will warn you about something else]. We all certainly [RHQ] have the same [heavenly] Father. We are certainly [RHQ] [all] created by the same God. So why are [RHQ] [some of] you disobeying/despising the agreement [that Yahweh made] with our ancestors, by not doing for each other what you said that you would do?
11 Bato ya Yuda batamboli na boyengebene te, bakotisi likambo ya nkele kati na Isalaele mpe na Yelusalemi, pamba te bato ya Yuda babebisi bosantu ya Esika ya bule ya Yawe, Esika ya bule oyo Yawe alingaka makasi: babali basi oyo basambelaka nzambe mopaya.
[You people of] Judah have been unfaithful [to Yahweh]. You have done detestable things in Jerusalem and in [other places] in Israel. You Israeli men have defiled the temple that Yahweh loves. [You have done that by] marrying women who worship idols.
12 Mpo na mobali nyonso oyo akosala bongo, azala nani, tika ete Yawe alongola ye na bandako ya kapo ya Jakobi, ata amemi makabo epai na Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga.
I wish that Yahweh would expel from Israel every man who has done that, [even though] they [say that they are obeying] the Commander of the armies of angels by bringing offerings to him.
13 Tala makambo mosusu oyo bosalaka: bozali kotondisa etumbelo ya Yawe na mayi ya miso, bozali kolelalela mpo ete Yawe azali kotala lisusu makabo na bino te mpe aboyi koyamba yango na maboko na bino.
This is another thing that you do: You cover Yahweh’s altar with your tears. You wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings; but he is not pleased with them.
14 Bozali kotuna: « Mpo na nini boye? » Ezali mpo ete Yawe azali Motatoli kati na yo mpe mwasi na yo ya bolenge, kasi yo okosaki ye. Nzokande, azali mwasi oyo okangani na ye na nzela ya boyokani.
You [cry out], saying, “Why does Yahweh not like our offerings?” The answer is that Yahweh heard what each of you men solemnly promised to your wives when you were young. But you men have not done what you promised your wives; you sent them away, the ones to whom you made that agreement.
15 Boni, Yawe akomisaki bango te moto moko? Bazali ya Yawe na mosuni mpe na molimo. Moto yango alukaka nini? Alukaka bana kowuta epai na Nzambe. Boye, bosala keba mpo na bomoi na bino. Tika ete moto moko te akosa mwasi na ye ya bolenge!
It is certainly [RHQ] Yahweh who joined you together. Your spirits and your bodies belong to him. [So] what he wants [RHQ] from you are godly children. So make sure that each of you men remain (with/loyal to) the woman that you married when you were young.
16 Pamba te Yawe, Nzambe ya Isalaele, alobi: « Nayinaka likambo ya koboma libala; ekokani na moto oyo elamba na ye ezwi makila tango abomi moto, » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga. Yango wana, bosala keba mpo na bomoi na bino mpe botikala sembo.
Yahweh, the God to whom [we] Israelis belong, says, “I hate divorce!” [So] if you men divorce your wives, you are overwhelming them by being cruel to them. So be sure that you are (not disloyal/remain united) to your wives. [That is what] the Commander of the armies of angels says.
17 Bolembisi Yawe na maloba na bino mpe bozali lisusu kotuna: « Tolembisi Yo na likambo nini? » Ezali tango bozali koloba: « Moto oyo asalaka mabe azali malamu na miso ya Yawe, mpe Yawe asepelaka na ye » to mpe « Wapi Nzambe ya bosembo? »
Yahweh [also says], “What you have said has caused me to become disgusted.” You reply, “What have we said that caused him to become disgusted?” [The answer is that you have caused him to become disgusted] by saying that Yahweh is pleased with all those who do evil things. [You have caused him to become disgusted] by [constantly] asking, “Why does God not act fairly?”

< Malashi 2 >