UMalaki 1
1 Umthwalo welizwi leNkosi kuIsrayeli ngesandla sikaMalaki.
An oracle. The message of the Lord to Israel through Malachi.
2 Ngilithandile, itsho iNkosi. Kodwa lithi: Usithande ngani? UEsawu kasuye yini umfowabo kaJakobe? itsho iNkosi. Kanti ngamthanda uJakobe,
‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord. ‘But you ask, “How have you shown love to us?” Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?’ explains the Lord of hosts, ‘yet I loved Jacob,
3 loEsawu ngamzonda; ngenza izintaba zakhe incithakalo, lelifa lakhe laba ngelamakhanka enkangala.
but hated Esau, and made his mountains a desolation, and transformed his ancestral land into a 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.
When Edom says, “We are beaten down, but we will return and rebuild the ruined places”’ the Lord of hosts says, ‘They may build, but I will throw down. They will be called, “The border land of wickedness,” the people against whom the Lord is angry forever.
5 Lamehlo enu azabona, lani lithi: INkosi izakhuliswa kusukela ngaphetsheya komngcele wakoIsrayeli.
Your own eyes will see this, and you will say, “the Lord’s greatness reaches beyond 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 honours his father and servant their master. If I am a father, where is my honour? And if I am a master, where is the one who fears me? So says the Lord to you, priests who despise my name. You ask, “How have we despised your name?”
7 Lisondeza isinkwa esingcolileyo phezu kwelathi lami, lisithi: Sikungcolise ngani? Ngokuthi kwenu: Itafula leNkosi liyadeleleka.
You offer on my altar bread that is polluted. You ask, “How have we polluted it?” Because you 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.
When you offer the blind animal for sacrifice, “It doesn’t matter!” And when you offer the lame and the sick “It doesn’t matter!” Give an animal like that to your governor; will he be pleased with it? Will he receive you favourably?’ says 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.
Now, plead for the favour of God with such an offering, so that he may be gracious to us. ‘Would I receive any of you favourably?’ says 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.
‘If only one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you could not kindle useless fires on my altar! I have no pleasure in you,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘Nor will I accept an offering from 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 to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place they offer to my name a pure offering. For my name is great among the nations,’ says the Lord of hosts.
12 Kodwa liyalingcolisa ngokuthi kwenu: Itafula leNkosi lingcolisiwe; lesithelo salo, ukudla kwalo, kudelelekile.
‘But you profane me when you say, “The table of the Lord is polluted, and its 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.
You say also, “How tired we are of all this!” and you sniff contemptuously at it. You have brought the blind, the lame and the sick as offerings. Should I accept this from your hand?’ says the Lord of hosts.
14 Kaqalekiswe-ke umkhohlisi oleduna emhlanjini wakhe, ofunga ahlabele iNkosi okonakeleyo; ngoba ngiyiNkosi enkulu, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, lebizo lami liyesabeka phakathi kwezizwe.
‘Cursed be the cheat, who has in his flock a valuable male, but vows and sacrifices to the Lord a blemished animal! For I am a great king,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and my name is feared among the nations.’
