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.

"Look, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, look, he comes." 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 will stand when he appears? For he is coming like a refiner's fire, and like 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, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer to the LORD offerings in righteousness.

4 Na sadaka ya Yuda na Yerusalem itampendeza Bwana, kama siku za kale, na miaka ya zamani.

Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in ancient years.

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.

I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the perjurers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who deprive the foreigner of justice, and do not fear me," says the LORD of hosts.

6 Mimi Bwana, sibadiliki; pia ninyi, watu wa Yakobo, hamkutumia.

"For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, sons of Jacob, are not consumed.

7 Toka siku za baba zenu mmegeukia mbali na amri zangu na hamkuzitunza. Nigeukieni, nami nitawarudia ninyi,” asema Bwana wa majeshi. Lakini mwasema, tutakurudiaje?

From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my ordinances, and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts. "But you say, 'How shall we return?'

8 Mwanadamu anaweza kumwibia Mungu? Mnaniibia mimi, lakini mwasema, 'Tumekuibiaje?' kwa zaka na sadaka.

Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In tithes and offerings.

9 Mmelaani kwa laana, kwa kuniibia mimi, taifa lote hili.

You are cursed with the curse; for you rob me, even this whole nation.

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 whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough for.

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 your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before its time in the field," says the LORD of hosts.

12 Mataifa yote watakuita mbarikiwa; kwa ajili yako itakuwa ni nchi ya furaha,” asema Bwana wa Majeshi.

"All nations shall call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land," says the LORD of hosts.

13 Maneo yenu yamekuwa magumu kinyume changu,” asema Bwana. lakini mwasema, “Tumesema nini kinyume chako?'

"Your words have been stout against me," says the LORD. "Yet you say, '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 vain to serve God;' and 'What profit is it that we have followed his instructions, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?

15 Na sasa tunamwita mwenye kiburi mbarikiwa. Waharifu si kufanikiwa tu, bali kumjaribu Mungu na kumwepuka.”

Now we call the proud blessed; indeed, evildoers prosper. They even tempt 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.

Then those who feared the LORD spoke one with another; and the LORD listened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for those who feared the LORD, and who honored his name.

17 “Watakuwa wangu,” asema Bwana wa majeshi,” hazina zangu, katika siku nitakayotenda; nitawapenda, kama mtu anavyompenda mwanawe anayemhudumia.

They shall be mine," says the LORD of hosts, "my own possession in the day that I make, 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.

Then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who doesn't serve him.