Malaki 3
1 Tazama, namtuma mjumbe wangu, atakayeandaa njia mbele yangu. Na Bwana, ambaye mnamtafuta, atakuja ghafla katika hekalu lake; na mjumbe wa agano, ambaye katika yeye mnafurahi, tazama anakuja.” asema Bwana wa Majeshi.
“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts.
2 Na ni nani atakeyevumilia siku ya kuja kwake? na nani atasimama akishatokea? Yeye ni kama mtu asafishaye kwa moto na kama sabuni ya kufulia.
But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap.
3 Atakaa na kutawala kama msafishaji wa fedha, na atawasafisha wana wa Lawi. na atawafanya wawe safi kama dhahabu na fedha, na wataleta sadaka za haki kwa Bwana.
And He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.
4 Na sadaka ya Yuda na Yerusalem itampendeza Bwana, kama siku za kale, na miaka ya zamani.
Then the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD, as in days of old and years gone by.
5 Kisha nitapita karibu na ninyi kuwahukumu. na nitakuwa shahidi mwepesi dhidi ya wachawi, wazinzi, mahsahidi wa uongo, na kinyume cha wale wanaoonea wafanyakazi katika mizigo yake, wanaoonea wajane na yatima, na anayemfukuza mgeni kutoka kwenye haki yake, na kwa wale wasionitii mimi,”asema Bwana wa majeshi.
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts.
6 Mimi Bwana, sibadiliki; pia ninyi, watu wa Yakobo, hamkutumia.
“Because I, the LORD, do not change, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.
7 Toka siku za baba zenu mmegeukia mbali na amri zangu na hamkuzitunza. Nigeukieni, nami nitawarudia ninyi,” asema Bwana wa majeshi. Lakini mwasema, tutakurudiaje?
Yet from the days of your fathers, you have turned away from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of Hosts. “But you ask, ‘How can we return?’
8 Mwanadamu anaweza kumwibia Mungu? Mnaniibia mimi, lakini mwasema, 'Tumekuibiaje?' kwa zaka na sadaka.
Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you ask, ‘How do we rob You?’ In tithes and offerings.
9 Mmelaani kwa laana, kwa kuniibia mimi, taifa lote hili.
You are cursed with a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing Me.
10 Leteni zaka kamili katika ghalani, ili kwamba kiwemo chakula katika nyumba yangu. Na mnijaribu kwa hili,” asema Bwana wa Majeshi. “kama sitawafungulia madilisha ya mbinguni na kuwamwagia baraka juu yenu, ili kwamba hakutakuwa na sehemu ya kutosha kuzipokea.
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD of Hosts. “See if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you blessing without measure.
11 Nitamkemea mharibifu kwako, kwamba asiharibu mavuno yenu ya nchi yenu; mizazibu yenu katika shamba haitapukutisha kabla ya wakati wake,” asema Bwana wa Majeshi.
I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your land, and the vine in your field will not fail to produce fruit,” says the LORD of Hosts.
12 Mataifa yote watakuita mbarikiwa; kwa ajili yako itakuwa ni nchi ya furaha,” asema Bwana wa Majeshi.
“Then all the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight,” says the LORD of Hosts.
13 Maneo yenu yamekuwa magumu kinyume changu,” asema Bwana. lakini mwasema, “Tumesema nini kinyume chako?'
“Your words against Me have been harsh,” says the LORD. “Yet you ask, ‘What have we spoken against You?’
14 mmesema, 'Hakuna maana kumtumikia Mungu. Kuna faida ya namna gani kutunza maagizo yake au kutembea huku mkiomboleza mbele za Bwana wa Majeshi?
You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What have we gained by keeping His requirements and walking mournfully before the LORD of Hosts?
15 Na sasa tunamwita mwenye kiburi mbarikiwa. Waharifu si kufanikiwa tu, bali kumjaribu Mungu na kumwepuka.”
So now we call the arrogant blessed. Not only do evildoers prosper, they even test God and escape.’”
16 Kisha wale wanaomweshimu Bwana walisemezana mmoja baada ya mwingine; Bwana yuko makini kutusikiliza, na kitabu cha kumbukumbu kiliandikwa mbele zake kwa ajili ya wale wanamwogopa Bwana na kuliheshimu jina lake.
At that time those who feared the LORD spoke with one another, and the LORD listened and heard them. So a scroll of remembrance was written before Him regarding those who feared the LORD and honored His name.
17 “Watakuwa wangu,” asema Bwana wa majeshi,” hazina zangu, katika siku nitakayotenda; nitawapenda, kama mtu anavyompenda mwanawe anayemhudumia.
“They will be Mine,” says the LORD of Hosts, “on the day when I prepare My treasured possession. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.
18 Kisha zaidi sana nitatofautisha kati ya haki wenye haki na waovu, kati ya anayemwabudu Mungu na asiyemwabudu yeye.
So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
