Malashi 1
1 Liloba na Yawe. Liloba na Yawe epai ya Isalaele na nzela ya mosakoli Malashi.
An oracle. The message of the Lord to Israel through Malachi.
2 « Ngai, nalingaki bino, » elobi Yawe, « kasi bino bozali kotuna Ngai: ‹ Eloko nini ezali kolakisa ete olingaki biso? › Boni, Ezawu azalaki ndeko ya Jakobi te? » elobi Yawe, « Nzokande, nalingaki Jakobi,
‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord. ‘But you ask, “How have you shown love to us?” Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?’ explains the Lord of hosts, ‘yet I loved Jacob,
3 kasi nayinaki Ezawu; bongo nabongolaki bangomba na ye esobe mpe nakabaki libula na ye epai ya bambwa ya zamba. »
but hated Esau, and made his mountains a desolation, and transformed his ancestral land into a wilderness.
4 Edomi akoki koloba: « Ata babebisi mokili na biso, tokotonga yango kaka lisusu! » Kasi tala makambo oyo Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, alobi: « Solo, bakotonga na bango yango, kasi Ngai nakobuka yango! Bakobenga mokili yango: ‹ Mokili ya makambo mabe, bato oyo bazali tango nyonso na se ya kanda ya Yawe. ›
When Edom says, “We are beaten down, but we will return and rebuild the ruined places”’ the Lord of hosts says, ‘They may build, but I will throw down. They will be called, “The border land of wickedness,” the people against whom the Lord is angry forever.
5 Bokomona yango na miso na bino moko mpe bokoloba: ‹ Yawe azali Monene koleka ata bandelo ya etando ya Isalaele. ›
Your own eyes will see this, and you will say, “the Lord’s greatness reaches beyond the border of Israel.”’
6 Mwana mobali apesaka tata na ye lokumu, mpe mowumbu apesaka nkolo na ye lokumu. Soki Ngai nazali Tata, wapi lokumu oyo esengeli na Ngai? Soki nazali Nkolo, wapi lokumu na Ngai? » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga. « Ezali bino Banganga-Nzambe nde bozali kosambwisa Kombo na Ngai, kasi bozali mpe kotuna: ‹ Eloko nini ezali kolakisa ete tozali kosambwisa Kombo na Yo? ›
‘A son honours his father and servant their master. If I am a father, where is my honour? And if I am a master, where is the one who fears me? So says the Lord to you, priests who despise my name. You ask, “How have we despised your name?”
7 Bozali kotia bilei ya mbindo na etumbelo na Ngai, kasi bozali mpe kotuna: ‹ Eloko nini ezali kolakisa ete tokomisi etumbelo na Yo mbindo? › Ezali tango bolobaka: ‹ Mesa ya Yawe ezali na tina te. ›
You offer on my altar bread that is polluted. You ask, “How have we polluted it?” Because you say, “The table of the Lord is contemptible.”
8 Ezali tango bobonzaka lokola mbeka nyama oyo ekufa miso; boni, yango ezali mabe te? Bomeka nanu kopesa yango epai ya moyangeli na bino; boni, akosepela na bino? Akondima bino solo? » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga.
When you offer the blind animal for sacrifice, “It doesn’t matter!” And when you offer the lame and the sick “It doesn’t matter!” Give an animal like that to your governor; will he be pleased with it? Will he receive you favourably?’ says the Lord of hosts.
9 « Sik’oyo, bozali mpe kobondela Nzambe ete asalela bino ngolu na makabo ya lolenge oyo na maboko! Boni, andima bino solo? » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga.
Now, plead for the favour of God with such an offering, so that he may be gracious to us. ‘Would I receive any of you favourably?’ says the Lord of hosts.
10 « Nani kati na bino akoki kozwa mokano ya kokanga bikuke ya Tempelo mpo ete bopelisa moto na pamba te na etumbelo na Ngai? Nasepeli na bino ata moke te, » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga; « mpe nakoyamba te makabo oyo ewuti na maboko na bino.
‘If only one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you could not kindle useless fires on my altar! I have no pleasure in you,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘Nor will I accept an offering from your hand.
11 Kombo na Ngai ekozala monene kati na bikolo, longwa na ebimelo kino na elalelo ya moyi; bakobonza na bisika nyonso malasi ya ansa lokola mbeka mpo na Kombo na Ngai mpe makabo ya peto, pamba te Kombo na Ngai ekozala monene kati na bikolo, » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga.
For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place they offer to my name a pure offering. For my name is great among the nations,’ says the Lord of hosts.
12 « Kasi bino, bozali kosambwisa yango tango bozali koloba ete mesa ya Nkolo ezali na tina te mpe biloko na yango ezali mbindo.
‘But you profane me when you say, “The table of the Lord is polluted, and its food is contemptible.”
13 Bozali koloba lisusu: ‹ Mokumba nini lisusu oyo! › Bozali mpe kotiola Ngai lisusu, » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga. « Tango bozali komema bibwele oyo ezoka, oyo etambolaka tengu-tengu to oyo ezali na bokono, mpe bozali kobonza yango lokola mbeka, boni, nandima yango na maboko na bino? » elobi Yawe.
You say also, “How tired we are of all this!” and you sniff contemptuously at it. You have brought the blind, the lame and the sick as offerings. Should I accept this from your hand?’ says the Lord of hosts.
14 « Tika ete alakelama mabe, ye oyo azali na ebwele ya kitoko kati na etonga na ye, mpe alapi ndayi ete akobonza yango epai na Yawe, kasi abonzi ebwele oyo ebela! Pamba te Ngai, nazali Mokonzi Monene, » elobi Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, mpe bikolo nyonso esengeli kobanga Kombo na Ngai.
‘Cursed be the cheat, who has in his flock a valuable male, but vows and sacrifices to the Lord a blemished animal! For I am a great king,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and my name is feared among the nations.’
