UMalaki 3

1 Khangelani, ngithuma isithunywa sami, esizalungisa indlela phambi kwami; leNkosi eliyidingayo izafika masinyane ethempelini layo, ngitsho isithunywa sesivumelwano elithokoza ngaso; khangela siyeza, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.

Behold, I send my angel, and he will prepare the way before my face. And presently the Sovereign, whom you seek, and the angel of testimony, whom you desire, will arrive at his temple. Behold, he approaches, says the Lord of hosts.

2 Kodwa ngubani ongalumela usuku lokuza kwaso, njalo ngubani ongema ekubonakaleni kwaso? Ngoba sinjengomlilo womcwengi wegolide, lanjengesepa yomwatshi.

And who will be able to consider the day of his advent, and who will stand firm in order to see him? For he is like a refining fire, and like the fuller’s herb.

3 Sizahlala njengomcwengi lomhlambululi wesiliva, sihlambulule amadodana kaLevi, siwacwenge njengegolide lanjengesiliva; ukuze asondeze iminikelo ngokulunga eNkosini.

And he will sit refining and cleansing the silver, and he will purge the sons of Levi, and he will gather them like gold and like silver, and they will offer sacrifices to the Lord in justice.

4 Lapho umnikelo wakoJuda loweJerusalema uzakuba mnandi eNkosini njengensukwini zendulo, lanjengeminyakeni yakuqala.

And the sacrifice of Judah and of Jerusalem will please the Lord, just as in the days of past generations, and as in the ancient years.

5 Njalo ngizasondela kini ngokwahlulela; ngibe ngumfakazi ophangisayo ngimelene labathakathi, ngimelene lezifebe, ngimelene labafungi bamanga, ngimelene labacindezeli bamaholo abaqhatshiweyo, umfelokazi, lentandane, labasunduzela abezizweni eceleni, njalo abangangesabiyo, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.

And I will approach you in judgment, and I will be a swift witness against evil-doers, and adulterers, and perjurers, and those who cheat the hired hand in his wages, the widows and the orphans, and who oppress the traveler, and who have not feared me, says the Lord of hosts.

6 Ngoba ngiyiNkosi, kangiphenduki; ngakho lina madodana kaJakobe kaliqedwa.

For I am the Lord, and I do not change. And you, the sons of Jacob, have not been consumed.

7 Ngitsho kusukela ensukwini zaboyihlo liphambukile ezimisweni zami, kalizigcinanga. Buyelani kimi, lami ngizabuyela kini, itsho iNkosi yamabandla. Kanti lithi: Sizabuyela ngani?

For, from the days of your fathers, you have withdrawn from my ordinances and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. And you have said, “In what way, shall we return?”

8 Umuntu angamphanga yini uNkulunkulu? Kanti lina lingiphangile. Kodwa lithi: Sikuphange ngani? Ngokwetshumi langomnikelo.

If a man will afflict God, then you greatly afflict me. And you have said, “In what way, do we afflict you?” In tithes and in first-fruits.

9 Liqalekisiwe ngesiqalekiso, ngoba lingiphangile, lesisizwe sonke.

And you have been cursed with privation, and you greatly afflict me, even your entire people.

10 Lethani konke okwetshumi esiphaleni ukuze kube lokudla endlini yami. Lingihlole-ke khathesi kukho, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, uba ngingayikulivulela amawindi amazulu, ngilithululele isibusiso kuze kungabi lendawo eyaneleyo.

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, and let there be food in my house. And test me about this, says the Lord, as to whether I will not open to you the floodgates of heaven, and pour out to you a blessing, all the way to abundance.

11 Ngizakhuza odlayo ngenxa yenu, njalo kayikulichithela izithelo zomhlabathi; levini kaliyikulibozisela ensimini, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.

And I will rebuke for your sakes the devourer, and he will not corrupt the fruit of your land. Neither will the vine in the field be barren, says the Lord of hosts.

12 Njalo zonke izizwe zizakuthi libusisiwe, ngoba lina lizakuba yilizwe elithokozisayo, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.

And all nations will call you blessed. For you will be a desirable land, says the Lord of hosts.

13 Amazwi enu abelukhuni emelene lami, itsho iNkosi. Kanti lithi: Sikhulumeni simelene lawe?

Your words have gathered strength over me, says the Lord.

14 Lithe: Kuyize ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Njalo kuyinzuzo bani ukuthi sigcine imfanelo yakhe, lokuthi sihambe sikwezimnyama phambi kweNkosi yamabandla?

And you have said, “What have we spoken against you?” You have said, “He labors in vain who serves God,” and, “What advantage is it that we have kept his precepts, and that we have walked sorrowfully in the sight of the Lord of hosts?”

15 Khathesi-ke sithi abaziqhenyayo babusisiwe; yebo, labo abenza inkohlakalo bayakhiwa; yebo balinga uNkulunkulu, baphephe.

Now, therefore, we call the arrogant blessed, as if those who work impiety have been built up, and as if they have tempted God and been saved.

16 Khona labo abayesabayo iNkosi bakhulumisana; njalo iNkosi yalalela, yezwa; logwalo lwesikhumbuzo lwalotshwa phambi kwayo ngabo abayesabayo iNkosi, langalabo abazindla ngebizo layo.

Then those who fear the Lord spoke, each one with his neighbor. And the Lord paid attention and heeded. And a book of remembrance was written in his sight, for those who fear the Lord and for those who consider his name.

17 Njalo bazakuba ngabami, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, ngalolosuku engizakwenza ngalo okuligugu kwami, njalo ngizabayekela njengendoda eyekela indodana yayo eyisebenzelayo.

And they will be my special possession, says the Lord of hosts, on the day that I act. And I will spare them, just as a man spares his son who serves him.

18 Beselibuya libona umehluko phakathi kolungileyo lomubi, phakathi kokhonza uNkulunkulu lalowo ongamkhonziyo.

And you shall be converted, and you will see the difference between the just and the impious, and between those who serve God and those who do not serve him.