UMalaki 2
1 Khathesi-ke, bapristi, umlayo lo ngowenu.
And now, O ye priests, this commandment is to you.
2 Uba lingalaleli, njalo uba lingakubeki enhliziyweni ukunika ibizo lami udumo, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, ngizathumela isiqalekiso phakathi kwenu, ngiqalekise izibusiso zenu. Yebo, sengiziqalekisile, ngoba kalikubeki enhliziyweni.
If you will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, saith the Lord of hosts: I will send poverty upon you, and will curse your blessings, yea I will curse them, because you have not laid it to heart.
3 Khangelani, ngizakona inzalo yenu, ngithele umswane ebusweni benu, umswane wamadili enu, lisuswe kanye lawo.
Behold, I will cast the shoulder to you, and I will scatter upon your face the dung of your solemnities, and it shall take you away with it.
4 Njalo lizakwazi ukuthi ngithumele lumlayo kini, ukuze isivumelwano sami sibe loLevi, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
And you shall know that I sent you this commandment, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
5 Isivumelwano sami besilaye siyikuphila lokuthula; ngamnika khona kube yikwesaba angesaba ngakho; wathuthumela phambi kwebizo lami.
My covenant was with him of life and peace: and I gave him fear: and he feared me, and he was afraid before my name.
6 Umlayo weqiniso wawusemlonyeni wakhe, lesiphambeko kasitholakalanga endebeni zakhe. Wahamba lami ngokuthula langobuqotho, waphendula abanengi ebubini.
The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace, and in equity, and turned many away from iniquity.
7 Ngoba indebe zompristi ziyagcina ulwazi, njalo bayadinga umlayo emlonyeni wakhe, ngoba uyisithunywa seNkosi yamabandla.
For the lips of the priest shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth: because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts.
8 Kodwa lina liphambukile endleleni, lakhubekisa abanengi emlayweni; lona isivumelwano sikaLevi, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
But you have departed out of the way, and have caused many to stumble at the law: you have made void the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
9 Ngakho lami ngilenzile laba ngabadelelekayo labehliselwe phansi phambi kwabantu bonke, njengokuba lingagcinanga izindlela zami, kodwa lamukele ubuso emlayweni.
Therefore have I also made you contemptible, and base before all people, as you have not kept my ways, and have accepted persons in the law.
10 Kasilababa munye yini thina sonke? UNkulunkulu munye kasidalanga yini? Kungani sisenza ngenkohliso, omunye emelene lomfowabo, ngokungcolisa isivumelwano sabobaba?
Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why then doth every one of us despise his brother, violating the covenant of our fathers?
11 UJuda wenze ngenkohliso, njalo kwenziwe amanyala koIsrayeli leJerusalema; ngoba uJuda ungcolisile ubungcwele bukaJehova abuthandayo, uthethe indodakazi kankulunkulu wezizweni.
Juda hath transgressed, and abomination hath been committed in Israel, and in Jerusalem: for Juda hath profaned the holiness of the Lord, which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange God.
12 INkosi izaquma umuntu owenza lokhu, ovusayo lophendulayo, asuke emathenteni kaJakobe, lalowo oletha umnikelo eNkosini yamabandla.
The Lord will cut off the man that hath done this, both the master, and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering to the Lord of hosts.
13 Lalokhu likwenzile kabili; lisibekela ilathi leNkosi ngezinyembezi, ngokukhala, langokububula, okungangokuthi kayisawunanzi umnikelo, kumbe ukuwemukela ngokuthokoza esandleni senu.
And this again have you done, you have covered the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and bellowing, so that I have no more a regard to sacrifice, neither do I accept any atonement at your hands.
14 Kanti lithi: Kungani? Kungoba iNkosi yayingumfakazi phakathi kwakho lomfazi wobutsha bakho, wena omphethe ngenkohliso, kanti engumngane wakho, lomfazi wesivumelwano sakho.
And you have said: For what cause? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee, and the wife of thy youth, whom thou hast despised: yet she was thy partner, and the wife of thy covenant.
15 Kenzanga yini oyedwa? Njalo elomoya oseleyo. Njalo kungani oyedwa? Wadinga inzalo kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho qaphelisani ngomoya wenu, njalo kakungabi lophatha umfazi wobutsha bakhe ngenkohliso.
Did not one make her, and she is the residue of his spirit? And what doth one seek, but the seed of God? Keep then your spirit, and despise not the wife of thy youth.
16 Ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli ithi iyazonda ukwalana. Ngoba omunye usibekela udlakela ngesembatho sakhe, itsho iNkosi yamabandla. Ngakho qaphelisani ngomoya wenu, ukuze lingenzi ngenkohliso.
When thou shalt hate her put her away, saith the Lord the God of Israel: but iniquity shall cover his garment, saith the Lord of hosts, keep your spirit, and despise not.
17 Liyidinisile iNkosi ngamazwi enu. Kanti lithi: Siyidinise ngani? Ngokuthi kwenu: Wonke owenza okubi ulungile emehlweni eNkosi, njalo iyathokoza ngabo; kumbe: Ungaphi uNkulunkulu wesahlulelo?
You have wearied the Lord with your words, and you said: Wherein have we wearied him? In that you say: Every one that doth evil, is good in the sight of the Lord, and such please him: or surely where is the God of judgment?
