Malaki 1
1 Buno bwe bubaka Mukama bwe yawa Malaki abutuuse eri abaana ba Isirayiri.
[This is] the message that Yahweh gave to [the prophet] Malachi to [give to the people of] Israel.
2 “Nabaagala,” bw’ayogera Mukama. “Naye mmwe ne mumbuuza nti, ‘Watwagala otya?’ “Esawu teyali muganda wa Yakobo?” bw’ayogera Mukama: “naye nze Yakobo gwe nayagala.
Yahweh says, “I have [always] loved you [Israeli people].”
3 Esawu namukyawa ne nfuula ensi ye ey’ensozi okuba amatongo, obusika bwe ne mbuwa ebibe eby’omu ddungu.”
But you reply, “In what way have you loved us?” Yahweh replies, “[This is how I loved you]: [It is true that your ancestor] Jacob was [RHQ] Esau’s [younger] brother, and I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau. I caused his hilly region to become (desolate/a place where crops did not grow). I caused the land which he possessed to become a desert where jackals/wolves live.”
4 Singa Edomu, ekika ekyava mu Esawu kigamba nti, “Wadde tukubiddwa wansi naye tulidda ne tuzimba ebyagwa.” Mukama ow’Eggye ayogera nti, “Bo balizimba, naye nze ndibimenya; era abantu banaabayitanga, ensi embi, era nti abantu Mukama be yanyiigira ennaku zonna.
[The descendants of Esau who live in] Edom may say, “[Yes, ] we have been crushed/ruined, but we will rebuild [houses] in the ruins.” But the Commander of the armies of angels replies, “They may build [houses again], but I will demolish [them again]. Their [country] will be called ‘The land where wicked people [live]’ and [their people will be called] ‘The people with whom Yahweh is angry forever’.”
5 Era amaaso gammwe galiraba ne mwogera nti, ‘Mukama agulumizibwe okusukka ensalo ya Isirayiri.’
When you [Israeli] people yourselves see [what I will do to them], you will say, “[It is evident far] beyond the borders of Israel that Yahweh is [very] great!”
6 “Omwana assaamu kitaawe ekitiibwa, n’omuddu atya mukama we. Kale obanga ddala ndi kitammwe, ekitiibwa kye munzisaamu kiri ludda wa? Era obanga ndi mukama wammwe, lwaki temuntya?” bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye. Mukama ow’Eggye bw’abagamba mmwe nti, “Mmwe bakabona munyooma erinnya lyange. “Ne mubuuza nti, ‘Twayonoona tutya?’
But the Commander of the armies of angels says to the priests, “Boys honor their fathers, and servants [respect] their masters. So, if I am [like your] father and your master, why [RHQ] do you not honor and respect me? You have despised me [MTY]!” But you ask, “(How/In what way) have we despised you?”
7 “Muwaayo ku kyoto kyange emmere eyonoonese. “Kyokka ne mwebuuza nti, ‘Twakwonoona tutya?’ “Kubanga olujjuliro lwange mulufuula ekitagasa.
[Yahweh replies, ] “[Instead of honoring me, you have despised me] by offering sacrifices on my altar that are unacceptable to me.” Then you ask, “What sacrifices have we given that have been unacceptable to you?” [Yahweh replies, ] “You think that (it does not matter/it is okay) if you do not respect my altar.
8 Bwe muwaayo ensolo enzibe z’amaaso okuba ssaddaaka, muba temukoze kibi? Ate bwe muwaayo eziwenyera oba endwadde, ekyo si kibi? Kale nno mugezeeko okuzitonera omufuzi wammwe, anaabasanyukira? Ye anaafaayo okukutunulako?” bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye.
You offer for sacrifices animals that are blind. (Is that not wrong?/That is disgusting!) [RHQ] And you offer for sacrifices animals that are crippled or that have diseases. (Is that also not wrong?/That [also] is disgusting!) [RHQ] If you tried to give presents like that to your governor, (do you think [RHQ] that he would be pleased?/he would certainly not be pleased!) (Would he [RHQ] accept such gifts? He would certainly not accept such gifts!) [That is what] the Commander of the armies of angels says!”
9 “Kale nno mbasaba mwegayirire Katonda, atukwatirwe ekisa, kubanga ebyo ffe twabyereetera. Nga muleese ebiweebwayo ebifaanana bityo, waliwo n’omu gw’ayinza okukkiriza?” bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye.
[And he also says, ] “You plead with me to be merciful to you. But you bring to me sacrifices that are not acceptable to me, so why should I be kind to you [RHQ]?”
10 “Kale waakiri singa omu ku bakabona aggalawo enzigi muleme okukuma omuliro ku kyoto kyange ogw’obwereere! Sibasanyukira n’akatono,” bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye, “so sikkirize kiweebwayo kyonna ekiva mu mikono gyammwe.
The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says, “I wish/desire that one of you would shut the gates [of the temple courtyard], in order that no one could offer those worthless sacrifices. I am not pleased with you, and I will not accept the offerings that you bring to me.
11 Kubanga okuva enjuba gy’eva okutuusa gy’egwa erinnya lyange kkulu mu baamawanga; obubaane buweerwayo mu buli kifo eri erinnya lyange, nga kuliko n’ekiweebwayo ekirongoofu, kubanga erinnya lyange kkulu mu baamawanga,” bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye.
[People of other] nations honor me [MTY] [every day], from sunrise/morning until sunset/evening. All over the world people offer incense and [other] pure/acceptable offerings to me [MTY]. [They do that] because [people among all] the nations know that I [MTY] am [very] great.
12 “Naye mmwe bakabona muvumisa erinnya lyange mu baamawanga buli lukya nga mugamba nti kya Mukama okuwaayo emmere etesaana n’ebiweebwayo ku kyoto kyange.
But you [priests show that you] despise me [by what you do]. You say, ‘[It is all right if] people pollute the altar by bringing sacrifices that are unacceptable.’
13 Era mwogera nti, ‘Nga tulabye;’ ne mugiwunyako ne mwetamwa, era ne mwesooza,” bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye. “Bwe muleeta ekinyage, n’ekiwenyera, n’ekirwadde, ebyo bye biweebwayo bye mulina okuleeta, mbikkirize?” bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye.
You say ‘We are tired of [burning all these sacrifices on the altar].’ You (turn up your noses at/act very disrespectfully toward) [me]. When you bring [to me] animals that have been stolen or ones that are crippled or that have diseases, to offer them for sacrifices, [do you think that] [RHQ] I should accept them?
14 “Buli mulimba yenna akolimirwe, oyo alina ennume mu kisibo kye eyeeyama okugiwaayo nga ssaddaaka eri Mukama naye n’awaayo ekintu ekiriko obulema: kubanga ndi Kabaka mukulu,” bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye, “n’erinnya lyange lya ntiisa mu baamawanga.”
[I will] curse anyone who [tries to] cheat [me] by solemnly promising [to bring to me a perfect] ram from his flock [of sheep] and then brings to me one that has defects. [If anyone does that, I will punish him], because I am a great king; [I am] the Commander of the armies of angels and [people of the other] nations revere me [MTY], [but you do not]!”
