< Malaki 3 >
1 “Angalieni, nitamtuma mjumbe wangu, atakayeiandaa njia mbele yangu. Ndipo ghafula Bwana mnayemtafuta atakuja hekaluni mwake. Mjumbe wa Agano, ambaye mnamwonea shauku, atakuja,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
Behold, I send forth my messenger, and he shall survey the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come into his temple, even the angel of the covenant, whom ye take pleasure in: behold, he is coming, saith the Lord Almighty.
2 Lakini ni nani atakayeweza kustahimili hiyo siku ya kuja kwake? Ni nani awezaye kusimama atakapotokea? Kwa kuwa atakuwa kama moto wa mfua fedha au kama sabuni ya afuaye nguo.
And who will abide the day of his coming? or who will withstand at his appearing? for he is coming in as the fire of a furnace and as the herb of fullers.
3 Ataketi kama mfuaji na asafishaye fedha. Atawatakasa Walawi, naye atawasafisha kama dhahabu na fedha. Kisha Bwana atakuwa na watu watakaoleta sadaka katika haki,
He shall sit to melt and purify as it were silver, and as it were gold: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver, and they shall offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness.
4 nazo sadaka za Yuda na Yerusalemu zitakubalika kwa Bwana, kama katika siku zilizopita, kama katika miaka ya zamani.
And the sacrifice of Juda and Jerusalem shall be pleasing to the Lord, according to the former days, and according to the former years.
5 “Basi nitakuja karibu nanyi ili kuhukumu. Nami nitakuwa mwepesi kushuhudia dhidi ya wachawi, wazinzi, waapao kwa uongo, wanaopunja vibarua malipo yao, wanaowaonea wajane na yatima, na wanaowanyima wageni haki, lakini hawaniogopi mimi,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
And I will draw near to you in judgment; and I will be a sift witness against the witches, and against the adulteresses, and against them that swear falsely by my name, and against them that keep back the hireling's wages, and them that oppress the widow, and afflict orphans, and that wrest the judgment of the stranger, and fear not me, saith the Lord Almighty.
6 “Mimi Bwana sibadiliki. Kwa hiyo ninyi, enyi uzao wa Yakobo, hamjaangamizwa.
For I am the Lord your God, and I am not changed:
7 Tangu wakati wa baba zenu mmegeukia mbali na amri zangu nanyi hamkuzishika. Nirudieni mimi, nami nitawarudia ninyi,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote. “Lakini mnauliza, ‘Tutarudi kwa namna gani?’
but ye, the sons of Jacob, have not refrained from the iniquities of your fathers: ye have perverted my statutes, and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, saith the Lord Almighty. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
8 “Je, mwanadamu atamwibia Mungu? Hata hivyo mnaniibia mimi. “Lakini mnauliza, ‘Tunakuibia kwa namna gani?’ “Mnaniibia zaka na dhabihu.
Will a man insult God? for ye insult me. But ye say, Wherein have we insulted thee? In that the tithes and first-fruits are with you [still].
9 Mko chini ya laana, ninyi taifa lote, kwa sababu mnaniibia mimi.
And ye do surely look off from me, and ye insult me.
10 Leteni zaka kamili ghalani, ili kuwe na chakula katika nyumba yangu. Nijaribuni katika hili,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, “nanyi mwone kama sitawafungulia madirisha ya mbinguni na kuwamwagieni baraka nyingi mpaka mkose nafasi ya kutosha.
The year is completed, and ye have brought all the produce into the storehouses; but there shall be the plunder thereof in its house: return now on this behalf, saith the Lord Almighty, [see] if I will not open to you the torrents of heaven, and pour out my blessing upon you, until ye are satisfied.
11 Nami kwa ajili yenu nitamkemea yeye alaye, wala hataharibu mazao ya ardhi yenu, wala mzabibu wenu hautapukutisha matunda yake kabla ya wakati wake,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
And I will appoint food for you, and I will not destroy the fruit of your land; and your vine in the field shall not fail, saith the Lord Almighty.
12 “Ndipo mataifa yote yatawaita mliobarikiwa, kwa maana nchi yenu itakuwa ya kupendeza sana,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a desirable land, saith the Lord Almighty.
13 “Mmesema vitu vigumu dhidi yangu,” asema Bwana. “Hata hivyo mnauliza, ‘Tumesema nini dhidi yako?’
Ye have spoken grievous words against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye said, Wherein have we spoken against thee?
14 “Mmesema, ‘Ni bure kumtumikia Mungu. Tumepata faida gani kwa kushika maagizo yake na kwenda kama waombolezaji mbele za Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote?
Ye said, He that serves God labours in vain: and what have we gained in that we have kept his ordinances, and in that we have walked as suppliants before the face of the Lord Almighty?
15 Lakini sasa wenye kiburi wanabarikiwa. Hakika watenda mabaya wanastawi, pia hata wale wanaoshindana na Mungu ndio wanaosalimika.’”
And now we pronounce strangers blessed; and all they who act unlawfully are built up; and they have resisted God, and [yet] have been delivered.
16 Ndipo wale waliomcha Bwana wakasemezana wao kwa wao, naye Bwana akasikiliza na akasikia. Kitabu cha kumbukumbu kikaandikwa mbele yake kuhusu wale ambao walimcha Bwana na kuliheshimu jina lake.
Thus spoke they that feared the Lord, every one to his neighbour: and the Lord gave heed, and hearkened, and he wrote a book of remembrance before him for them that feared the Lord and reverenced his name.
17 “Nao watakuwa watu wangu,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, “katika siku ile nitakapowafanya watu kuwa hazina yangu. Nitawahurumia, kama vile kwa huruma mtu amhurumiavyo mwanawe anayemtumikia.
And they shall be mine, saith the Lord Almighty, in the day which I appoint for a peculiar possession; and I will make choice of them, as a man makes choice of his son that serves him.
18 Kwa mara nyingine tena utaona tofauti kati ya wenye haki na waovu, kati ya wale wanaomtumikia Mungu na wale wasiomtumikia.
Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, and between him that serves God, and him that serves [him] not.