UMalaki 1

1 Umthwalo welizwi leNkosi kuIsrayeli ngesandla sikaMalaki.

The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.

2 Ngilithandile, itsho iNkosi. Kodwa lithi: Usithande ngani? UEsawu kasuye yini umfowabo kaJakobe? itsho iNkosi. Kanti ngamthanda uJakobe,

I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, How hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,

3 loEsawu ngamzonda; ngenza izintaba zakhe incithakalo, lelifa lakhe laba ngelamakhanka enkangala.

And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

4 Lanxa uEdoma esithi: Senziwe abayanga, kodwa sizabuyela siyekwakha amanxiwa; itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Bona bangakha, kodwa mina ngizadiliza, njalo bazababiza ngokuthi: Ngumngcele wobubi, labantu iNkosi ebathukutheleleyo kuze kube phakade.

Though Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.

5 Lamehlo enu azabona, lani lithi: INkosi izakhuliswa kusukela ngaphetsheya komngcele wakoIsrayeli.

And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.

6 Indodana iyamhlonipha uyise, lenceku inkosi yayo. Uba-ke nginguyihlo, kungaphi ukuhlonitshwa kwami? Uba-ke ngiyiNkosi, kungaphi ukwesatshwa kwami? itsho iNkosi yamabandla kini, bapristi elidelela ibizo lami; kodwa lithi: Silidelele ngani ibizo lakho?

A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I am a father, where is my honour? and if I am a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, How have we despised thy name?

7 Lisondeza isinkwa esingcolileyo phezu kwelathi lami, lisithi: Sikungcolise ngani? Ngokuthi kwenu: Itafula leNkosi liyadeleleka.

Ye offer polluted bread upon my altar; and ye say, How have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.

8 Njalo nxa lisondeza okuyisiphofu kube ngumhlatshelo, kakukubi yini? Lalapho lisondeza okuqhulayo lokugulayo, kakukubi yini? Ake ukusondeze kumbusi wakho; angathokoza ngawe yini, kumbe angabemukela yini ubuso bakho? itsho iNkosi yamabandla.

And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now to thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.

9 Khathesi-ke ake lincenge ubuso bukaNkulunkulu ukuze abe lomusa kithi; lokhu kube ngesandla senu; uzabemukela ubuso benu yini? itsho iNkosi yamabandla.

And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious to us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your person? saith the LORD of hosts.

10 Ngubani okhona ngitsho phakathi kwenu ongavala izivalo? Njalo lingabaseli ize umlilo phezu kwelathi lami. Kangithokozi ngani, kutsho iNkosi yamabandla, njalo kangiyikwemukela umnikelo esandleni senu ngentokozo.

Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on my altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

11 Ngoba kusukela ekuphumeni kwelanga kuze kube sekutshoneni kwalo, ibizo lami lizakuba likhulu phakathi kwezizwe; lakuyo yonke indawo impepha izatshiselwa ibizo lami, lomnikelo ohlambulukileyo; ngoba ibizo lami lizakuba likhulu phakathi kwezizwe, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.

For from the rising of the sun even to the setting of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

12 Kodwa liyalingcolisa ngokuthi kwenu: Itafula leNkosi lingcolisiwe; lesithelo salo, ukudla kwalo, kudelelekile.

But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit of it, even his food, is contemptible.

13 Njalo lithi: Khangela, ukudinisa okungakanani! Njalo likuchilela amakhala, itsho iNkosi yamabandla; njalo lilethe impango, lokuqhulayo, lokugulayo; ngokunjalo lilethe umnikelo. Ngikwemukele lokhu yini ngokuthokoza esandleni senu? itsho iNkosi.

Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have sneered at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this from your hand? saith the LORD.

14 Kaqalekiswe-ke umkhohlisi oleduna emhlanjini wakhe, ofunga ahlabele iNkosi okonakeleyo; ngoba ngiyiNkosi enkulu, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, lebizo lami liyesabeka phakathi kwezizwe.

But cursed be the deceiver, who hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is terrible among the heathen.