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.

“I am about to send my messenger and he will clear a path before me: And the Lord, who you are seeking, will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant who you long for is already 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 will stand firm when he appears? He is like a refiner’s fire, and 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. He will purify the descendants of Levi, and refine them like gold and silver, until they are fit to bring offerings to the Lord.

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

Then will the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former 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 to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against the sorcerers, adulterers, perjurers, those who cheat workers, or widows, or orphans, deny justice to immigrants, 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; and you have not ceased to be descendants of Jacob.”

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 ancestors, you have turned aside from my statutes, and you have not kept them. Turn to me and I will turn to you,” says the Lord. “You say, ‘How should we turn?’

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

Can a human rob God? Yet you robbed me. You ask, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes and gifts!

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

You – your entire nation – are all cursed, because you rob 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 whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there is food in my house. Test me in this way. See if I will not open to you the windows of the sky, and pour you out a blessing, until there is more than enough.

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 for your sakes the devouring locust and he will not destroy your crops, nor will the vine fail to ripen its fruit 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.

and all nations will call you happy, 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?'

“You have said terrible things about me,” says the Lord. “You ask, ‘What have we said about 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 useless to serve God, and what do we gain from the Lord of hosts by keeping his commands, and walking mournfully in funeral garb before him?

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

So now we call the proud happy, evildoers thrive: they dare God and escape unharmed.’”

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.

Such things those who revered the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord took notice, and a record was written before him of those who revered the Lord and those who keep in mind 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, “my special possession on that day that I am preparing. I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.

18 Kisha zaidi sana nitatofautisha kati ya haki wenye haki na waovu, kati ya anayemwabudu Mungu na asiyemwabudu yeye.

Once again my people will see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between the person who serves God and the person who does not.”