UMalaki 3
1 “Ngizathuma isithunywa sami esizangilungisela indlela. Kuzakuthi masinyane uThixo elimdingayo uzakuza ethempelini lakhe; isithunywa sesivumelwano, elisilangazelelayo sizakuza,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
Behold, I will send my messenger, And he shall prepare the way before me; And the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple; And the messenger of the covenant, whom ye desire, Behold, he shall come, saith Jehovah of hosts.
2 Kodwa ngubani na ongalumela usuku lokuza kwaso? Ngubani ongema nxa eqhamuka na? Ngoba sizakuba njengomlilo womcengi wensimbi kumbe njengesepa yomgezisi.
But who shall abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he shall be like the fire of the refiner, And like the soap of the fuller.
3 Sizahlala njengomcengi lomhlambululi wesiliva; sizahlambulula abaLevi sibacenge njengesiliva legolide. Kulapho-ke uThixo azakuba lawo amadoda azaletha iminikelo ngokulunga,
And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, And he shall purify the sons of Levi, And shall refine them as gold and silver, That, being holy to Jehovah, they may bring an offering in righteousness.
4 kuthi-ke iminikelo kaJuda leyeJerusalema yamukeleke kuThixo, njengezinsukwini ezedlulayo, njengeminyakeni yekadeni.
Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasing to Jehovah, As in the days of old, And as in former years.
5 “Ngakho ngizasondela kini ukuzakwahlulela. Ngizaphangisa ukufakaza okubi ngezangoma, ngeziphingi, labafungela amanga, lalabo abadlelezela izisebenzi ngomholo wazo, labo abancindezela abafelokazi lezintandane, abangahluleli kuhle abezizweni, kodwa abangangesabiyo mina,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
And I will come near to you to judgment; And I will be a swift witness Against sorcerers, and against adulterers, and against false swearers, And against those who defraud the hireling of his hire, And oppress the widow and the fatherless, And turn aside the stranger from his right, And fear not me, saith Jehovah of hosts.
6 “Mina Thixo kangiguquki. Ngalokho lina, bazukulu bakaJakhobe, kalibhujiswanga.
For I am Jehovah; I change not; Therefore, ye sons of Jacob, are ye not consumed.
7 Kulokhu kwasukela esikhathini sabokhokho benu laphambuka emilayweni yami kalaze layigcina. Buyani kimi, lami ngizabuya kini,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla. “Kodwa liyabuza lithi, ‘Sibuyele kanjani na?’
From the days of your fathers have ye turned aside from my statutes, And have not kept them; Return to me, and I will return to you, Saith Jehovah of hosts. But ye say, “Wherein shall we return?”
8 Umuntu angamphanga uNkulunkulu na? Lina liyangiphanga. Kodwa liyabuza lithi, ‘Sikuphanga kanjani na?’ Ngokwetshumi langeminikelo.
Shall a man rob God, That ye have robbed me? But ye say, “Wherein have we robbed thee?” In tithes and offerings.
9 Liphiwe isiqalekiso, isizwe sakini sonke ngoba liyangiphanga.
Ye are cursed with a curse, For ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10 Lethani konke okwetshumi esiphaleni ukuze kube lokudla endlini yami.” Uthi uThixo uSomandla, “Ngilingani kulokhu libone ingabe kangikuwavula amasango ezulu ngithulule izibusiso elizaze liswele ukuthi lizithele ngaphi.
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, That there be food in my house; And try me now in this, Saith Jehovah of hosts, Whether I will not open to you the windows of heaven, And pour out upon you a blessing, until there is none left.
11 Ngizaxotsha izibungu ukuze zingadli amabele enu, lamavini emasimini enu kawayikukhithiza izithelo zawo,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
And I will rebuke for you the devourer, And he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, Nor shall your vine be barren in the field, Saith Jehovah of hosts.
12 “Lapho izizwe zonke zizakuthi libusisiwe, ngoba elenu lizakuba yilizwe elibukekayo,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
And all nations shall call you blessed; For ye shall be a delightful land, Saith Jehovah of hosts.
13 Uthi uThixo, “Selikhuluma amazwi abuhlungu ngami. Kodwa liyabuza lithi, ‘Kuyini okubi esikutshiloyo ngawe na?’
Your words have been bold against me, saith Jehovah; Yet ye say, “What have we spoken against thee?”
14 Lithe lina, ‘Kakusizi ngalutho ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Sazuzani ngokulandela izimiso zakhe, saziphatha njengabalilayo phambi kukaThixo uSomandla na?
Ye have said, “It is a vain thing to serve God”; And, “What profit is it that we have kept his ordinances, And that we have walked mournfully before Jehovah of hosts?
15 Kodwa manje isiqholo sithi singobusisiweyo. Ngeqiniso izigangi ziyaphumelela, kanye lalabo abamhwedelayo uNkulunkulu kabenziwa lutho.’”
Therefore we call the proud happy; Yea, they that do wickedness are built up; Yea, they tempt God, and are delivered.”
16 Kwathi labo ababemesaba uThixo bakhulumisana, uThixo walalela, wezwa. Umqulu wencwadi yesikhumbuzo walotshwa phambi kwakhe mayelana lalabo ababemesaba uThixo ababehlonipha ibizo lakhe.
Then they that feared Jehovah spake to one another, And Jehovah gave ear and heard; And a book of remembrance was written before him, For them that feared Jehovah, And that thought upon his name.
17 Uthi uThixo uSomandla, “Bazakuba ngabami, ngosuku mhla ngibenza inotho yami eligugu. Ngizabayekela, njengoba indoda yayibe lesihawu ixolele indodana yayo eyincedisayo.
And they shall be to me, saith Jehovah of hosts, In the day which I appoint, as my own possession; And I will spare them, As a father spareth his own son that serveth him.
18 Njalo lizawubona umahluko phakathi kwabalungileyo lababi, phakathi kwalabo abamkhonzayo uNkulunkulu lalabo abangamkhonziyo.”
Then shall ye return and see What is the difference between the righteous and the wicked, Between him who serveth God And him who serveth him not.
