< Malaki 2 >

1 “Sasa onyo hili ni kwa ajili yenu, enyi makuhani.
‘Now, you priests, this command is for you.
2 Kama hamtasikiliza, na kama hamtaki kuielekeza mioyo yenu kuheshimu Jina langu, nitatuma laana juu yenu, nami nitalaani baraka zenu. Naam, nimekwisha kuzilaani, kwa sababu hamkuielekeza mioyo yenu kuniheshimu mimi,” Asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
If you will not hear, and if you do not take it to heart, to give glory to my name,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘Then I will lay a curse on you. I will turn your blessings into curses. Indeed I have already done so, because you pay no attention.
3 “Kwa sababu yenu nitawakatilia mbali wazao wenu. Nitazipaka nyuso zenu mavi, mavi ya dhabihu zenu. Nanyi mtafukuzwa pamoja nazo mtoke mbele zangu.
I will punish your descendants! I will spread offal upon your faces, even the offal of your pilgrim feasts, you will be discarded.
4 Nanyi mtajua kuwa nimewapelekea onyo hili ili kwamba Agano langu na Lawi lipate kuendelea,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
You will then know that I have sent this command to you, so that my covenant with Levi may be preserved,’ says the Lord of hosts.
5 “Agano langu lilikuwa pamoja naye, agano la uhai na amani, nami nilimpa yote, ili aniche na kuniheshimu, naye akaniheshimu na kusimama akilicha Jina langu.
‘My covenant with him was to give life and peace. I gave them to him so that he might revere me. He revered me, and stood in awe of my name.
6 Fundisho la kweli lilikuwa kinywani mwake, wala hakuna uongo wowote uliopatikana katika midomo yake. Alitembea nami katika amani na unyofu, naye akawageuza wengi kutoka dhambini.
The true instruction was in his mouth, and injustice was not found in his lips; He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity.
7 “Kwa maana yapasa midomo ya kuhani kuhifadhi maarifa. Tena kutoka kinywani mwake watu wangepaswa kutafuta mafundisho, kwa sababu yeye ni mjumbe wa Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and people should seek the law from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
8 Lakini mmegeuka mkaiacha njia, na kwa mafundisho yenu mmesababisha wengi kujikwaa. Mmevunja agano na Lawi,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
‘But you have turned aside from that way. You have caused many to stumble in the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,’ says the Lord of hosts.
9 “Kwa hiyo nimewasababisha ninyi kudharauliwa na kufedheheshwa mbele ya watu wote, kwa sababu hamkufuata njia zangu, bali mmeonyesha upendeleo katika mambo ya sheria.”
‘So I have I made you contemptible and degraded before all the people, because you have not kept my ways, and have had no respect for me in imparting the law.’
10 Je, sote hatuna Baba mmoja? Hatukuumbwa na Mungu mmoja? Kwa nini basi tunalinajisi Agano la baba zetu kwa kukosa uaminifu kila mmoja kwa mwenzake?
Don’t we have all one father? Didn’t one God created us? Why do we deal faithlessly with one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors?
11 Yuda amevunja uaminifu. Jambo la kuchukiza limetendeka katika Israeli na katika Yerusalemu: Yuda amepanajisi mahali patakatifu apendapo Bwana, kwa kuoa binti wa mungu mgeni.
Judah is treacherous, and abominations are committed in Israel and in Jerusalem because Judah has profaned the holy things loved by the Lord, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.
12 Kwa maana kwa mtu yeyote atendaye jambo hili, Bwana na amkatilie mbali kutoka hema za Yakobo, hata kama huwa anamletea Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote sadaka.
May the Lord banish from the community of Jacob anyone who does this, anyone awaking, testifying, and making an offering to the Lord of hosts.
13 Kitu kingine mnachokifanya: Mnaifurikisha madhabahu ya Bwana kwa machozi. Mnalia na kuugua kwa sababu yeye haziangalii tena sadaka zenu wala hazikubali kwa furaha kutoka mikononi mwenu.
And you also do this: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears, because he doesn’t accept the offering any more, doesn’t accept it from your hand.
14 Mnauliza, “Kwa nini?” Ni kwa sababu Bwana ni shahidi kati yako na mke wa ujana wako, kwa sababu umevunja uaminifu naye, ingawa yeye ni mwenzako, mke wa agano lako la ndoa.
Yet you ask, ‘Why?’ Because the Lord is testifying against you on behalf of the wife you married when you were young. You have been unfaithful to her, even though she is your companion, and your legal wife.
15 Je, Bwana hakuwafanya wao kuwa mmoja? Katika mwili na katika roho wao ni wa Mungu. Kwa nini wawe mmoja? Kwa sababu Mungu alikuwa akitafuta mzao mwenye kumcha Mungu. Kwa hiyo jihadharini wenyewe katika roho zenu, mtu asivunje uaminifu kwa mke wa ujana wake.
Did not the one God make everyone, so that all both flesh and spirit is his? And what does that one God seek but godly children? Therefore keep watch over your spirit, and let none of you deal faithlessly with the wife of your youth.
16 “Ninachukia kuachana,” asema Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, “pia nachukia mtu anayejivika jeuri kama vazi,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote. Kwa hiyo jihadharini wenyewe katika roho zenu, wala msije mkavunja uaminifu.
‘A man who divorces or puts away his wife,’ says Lord, the God of Israel, ‘overwhelms her with cruelty.’ The Lord of hosts says: ‘Keep watch over your spirit, do not be unfaithful.’
17 Mmemchosha Bwana kwa maneno yenu. Nanyi mnauliza, “Tumemchosha kwa namna gani?” Mmemchosha kwa kusema, “Wote watendao mabaya ni wema machoni pa Bwana, naye anapendezwa nao” au “Mungu wa haki yuko wapi?”
You have wearied the Lord with your words. You ask, ‘How have we wearied him?’ By saying, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.’ Or, ‘Where is the God of justice?’

< Malaki 2 >