Malaki 3
1 “Laba, ntuma omubaka wange, alinkulembera era alirongoosa ekkubo nga sinnajja: era Mukama gwe munoonya alijja mu yeekaalu ye nga tebamanyiridde; omubaka w’endagaano gwe musanyukira, laba ajja,” bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye.
“I am about to send my messenger and he will clear a path before me: And the Lord, who you are seeking, will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant who you long for is already coming, says the Lord of hosts.
2 “Naye ani ayinza okugumiikiriza olunaku olw’okujja kwe, era ani aliyimirira ye bw’alirabika? Kubanga ali ng’omuliro gw’oyo alongoosa effeeza era nga sabbuuni ow’abayoza.
But who can endure the day of his coming? And who will stand firm when he appears? He is like a refiner’s fire, and like a launderer’s soap,
3 Era alituula n’atunula ng’oyo alongoosa ffeeza n’agimalamu amasengere, era alirongoosa batabani ba Leevi, bakabona ba Katonda, era alibasengejja ng’ezaabu n’effeeza bwe bisengejjebwa; balyoke baweeyo ssaddaaka mu butuukirivu.
and he will sit as a refiner and purifier. He will purify the descendants of Levi, and refine them like gold and silver, until they are fit to bring offerings to the Lord.
4 Awo ekiweebwayo ekya Yuda ne Yerusaalemi kiryoke kisanyuse Mukama, nga mu nnaku ez’edda era nga mu myaka egyayita.
Then will the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
5 “Era mu kiseera ekyo awatali kulonzalonza ndibasemberera nsale omusango. Ndiyanguwa okuwa obujulizi ku baloga ne ku benzi ne ku abo abalayira eby’obulimba, ne ku abo abalyazaamaanya omupakasi empeera ye; abanyigiriza nnamwandu ne mulekwa, era abajoogereza munnaggwanga, abatatya Mukama,” bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye.
“I will come to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against the sorcerers, adulterers, perjurers, those who cheat workers, or widows, or orphans, deny justice to immigrants, and do not fear me,” says the Lord of hosts.
6 “Kubanga nze Mukama sijjulukuka: mmwe, batabani ba Yakobo, noolwekyo siribazikiriza.
“For I, the Lord, do not change; and you have not ceased to be descendants of Jacob.”
7 Okuva mu nnaku za bajjajjammwe mwakyuka ne mukyama okuva ku biragiro byange ne mutabikwata. Mudde gye ndi, nange nadda gye muli era nnaabasonyiwa,” bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye. “Naye mwebuuza nti, ‘Tunadda tutya?’
“From the days of your ancestors, you have turned aside from my statutes, and you have not kept them. Turn to me and I will turn to you,” says the Lord. “You say, ‘How should we turn?’
8 “Omuntu alinyaga Katonda? “Naye mmwe munnyaga. Kyokka mugamba nti, ‘Tukunyaga tutya?’ “Mu biweebwayo ne mu kimu eky’ekkumi.
Can a human rob God? Yet you robbed me. You ask, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes and gifts!
9 Mukolimiddwa ekikolimo ekyo, kubanga mmwe, eggwanga lyonna munnyaga nze.
You – your entire nation – are all cursed, because you rob me.
10 Muleete ekimu eky’ekkumi ekijjuvu mu nnyumba yange, ennyumba yange ebeeremu emmere, era mungezese,” bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye, “obanga siribaggulirawo ebituli eby’omu ggulu, ne mbawa omukisa ne gutabaako ne we guligya.
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there is food in my house. Test me in this way. See if I will not open to you the windows of the sky, and pour you out a blessing, until there is more than enough.
11 Kale ndikuuma ennimiro zammwe ne zitazikirizibwa balabe; so n’omuzabbibu gwammwe ne gutakunkumula bibala byagwo ebitannatuuka kwengera,” bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye.
I will rebuke for your sakes the devouring locust and he will not destroy your crops, nor will the vine fail to ripen its fruit in the field, says the Lord of hosts,
12 “Era amawanga gonna galibayita ba mukisa: kubanga muliba nsi esanyusa, kino ky’ekisuubizo,” bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye.
and all nations will call you happy, for you will be a delightful land,” says the Lord of hosts.
13 “Weewaawo ebigambo byammwe gye ndi bibadde bya bukambwe,” bw’ayogera Mukama. “Ate nga mugamba nti, ‘Twakwogerako tutya obubi?’
“You have said terrible things about me,” says the Lord. “You ask, ‘What have we said about you?’
14 “Mwayogera nti, ‘Eby’okuweereza Katonda tebigasa, era kigasa ki okukwata ebiragiro bye era n’okutambulira mu maaso ga Mukama ow’Eggye ng’abakungubaga?
You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God, and what do we gain from the Lord of hosts by keeping his commands, and walking mournfully in funeral garb before him?
15 Okuva kaakano abeegulumiza tubayita ba mukisa; abakozi b’ebibi bakulaakulana era n’abo abasoomoza Katonda nabo bawona.’”
So now we call the proud happy, evildoers thrive: they dare God and escape unharmed.’”
16 Abo abatya Mukama bayogeragana bokka ne bokka, Mukama n’abawulira. Ekitabo eky’okujjukira abatya Mukama ne balowooza ku linnya lye, ne kiwandiikibwa ng’alaba.
Such things those who revered the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord took notice, and a record was written before him of those who revered the Lord and those who keep in mind his name.
17 “Kale baliba bange,” bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye, “ku lunaku lwe ndibakyusizaako okuba ekintu kyange eky’omuwendo; era ndibasonyiwa ng’omuzadde bw’asonyiwa mutabani we amuweereza.
“They will be mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “my special possession on that day that I am preparing. I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.
18 Omulundi omulala mulyawula omutuukirivu n’omubi, oyo aweereza Katonda n’oyo atamuweereza.”
Once again my people will see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between the person who serves God and the person who does not.”
