Malaki 3

1 Hwɛ! Mɛsoma me bɔfo a obesiesie kwan ama me. Afei mpofirim, Awurade a morehwehwɛ no no bɛba nʼasɔredan mu. Na apam no ho bɔfo a mopɛ no no bɛba, sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni.

Behold me! sending my messenger, who will prepare a way before me, — and, suddenly, shall come to his temple The Lord whom ye are seeking, even the messenger of the covenant in whom ye are delighting, Lo! he cometh! saith Yahweh of hosts.

2 Na hena na obetumi agyina ne da a ɔbɛba no ano? Sɛ opue a, hena na obetumi agyina? Ɔbɛyɛ sɛ ogya a wɔde nan dade anaa ntamahorofo samina.

But who may endure the day of his coming? And who is he that can stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ alkali;

3 Ɔbɛtena ase sɛ obi a ɔhoa dwetɛ ho. Ɔbɛtew Lewifo no ho na wɔayɛ sɛ sikakɔkɔɔ ne dwetɛ. Afei Awurade benya mmarima a wɔde ayɛyɛde bɛba wɔ kronkronyɛ mu,

Therefore will he sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and will purify the sons of Levi, and will smelt them, as gold and as silver; so shall they belong to Yahweh, offering a gift in righteousness.

4 na afɔrebɔde a efi Yuda ne Yerusalem bɛyɛ nea ɛsɔ Awurade ani sɛnea na ɛte wɔ nna ne mfe a atwa mu no.

Then shall the gift of Judah and Jerusalem, be pleasant to Yahweh, —as in the days of age-past times, and as in the ancient years.

5 “Enti metwiw abɛn mo, abebu atɛn. Mɛyɛ ntɛm adi adanse atia ntafowayifo, aguamammɔ ne atorofo, wɔn a wosisi adwumayɛfo wɔ wɔn akatua ho, wɔn a wɔhyɛ akunafo ne ayisaa so na wobu ntɛnkyew tia ahɔho na wonsuro me,” sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni.

Therefore will I draw near unto you for judgment, and will become a swift witness against the mutterers of incantations, and against the adulterers, and against them that swear to a falsehood, —and against them who rob the hire of the hireling, the widow and the fatherless, and that drive away the sojourner, and do not revere me, saith Yahweh of hosts.

6 “Meyɛ Awurade a mennsakra. Ɛno nti na mo Yakob asefo, wɔnsɛee mo no.

Because, I, Yahweh, have not changed, therefore, ye, the sons of Jacob, have not been utterly consumed.

7 Efi mo nenanom bere so moatwe mo ho afi me mmara ho, moanni so. Monsan mmra me nkyɛn, na me nso mɛba mo nkyɛn,” sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni. “Nanso mubisa se, ‘Ɔkwan bɛn so na yɛmfa nsan mmra?’

From the days of your fathers, have ye departed from my statutes, and not observed them, Return ye unto me, that I may return unto you, saith Yahweh of hosts. And yet ye say, Wherein shall we return?

8 “Onipa betumi abɔ Onyankopɔn korɔn ana? Nanso, mobɔ me korɔn! Na mubebisa se, ‘ɔkwan bɛn so na yɛfa bɔɔ wo korɔn?’ “Wɔ ntotoso du du ne afɔrebɔde mu.

Will, a son of earth, defraud, God? Nevertheless, ye, have been defrauding me, and yet ye say, Wherein have we defrauded thee? In the tithe and the offering.

9 Nnome aba mo so, ɔman mu no nyinaa, efisɛ, morebɔ me korɔn.

With a curse, have ye been cursing, and yet, me, have ye been defrauding, — the whole nation.

10 Momfa ntotoso du du no nyinaa mmra adekoradan no mu, na aduan mmra me fi. Monsɔ me nhwɛ wɔ saa ɔkwan yi so, na monhwɛ sɛ meremmue ɔsoro mfɛnsere na merenhwie nhyira bebree ngu mo so a, morennya baabi nkora ne nyinaa mpo,” sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni.

Bring ye all the tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, Yea, I pray you, put me to the proof hereby, saith Yahweh of hosts, whether I will not open to you the sluices of the heavens, and pour out for you blessing, until there be no room.

11 “Meremma mmoa mmɛsɛe mo nnɔbae na borɔdɔma aba rentew ngu wɔ bere a ɛmmeree ɛ,” sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni.

Then will I rebuke, for you, the devourer that he spoil not, for you, the fruit of the ground, — neither shall the vine in the field, be barren to you, saith Yahweh of hosts.

12 “Na aman no nyinaa bɛka se wɔahyira mo, efisɛ mo asase so bɛyɛ anigye,” sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni.

So shall all the nations, pronounce you happy, —for, ye, shall become, a land of delight, saith Yahweh of hosts.

13 “Moaka nsɛm a ɛmfata atia me, nanso mubisa se, ‘Asɛm bɛn na yɛaka atia wo?’ Sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni.

Stout against me, have been your words, saith Yahweh, —and yet ye say, What have we spoken, one to another, against thee?

14 “Moaka se, ‘Onyankopɔn som yɛ ɔbrɛgu, na yedii nʼahyɛde so na yɛkɔɔ Asafo Awurade anim te sɛ wɔn a wɔredi awerɛhow no, mfaso bɛn na yenyae?

Ye have said, Vain is it to serve God, —and, What profit when we have kept his charge, or when we have walked gloomily before Yahweh of hosts?

15 Afei, wɔfrɛ ɔhantanni no nea wɔahyira no. Nokware ni, nnebɔneyɛfo di yiye, na mpo wɔn a wɔne Onyankopɔn di asi no, wɔfa wɔn ho di.’”

Now, therefore, we are pronouncing happy—the proud, —and, the doers of lawlessness have, even been built up, and, they who have put God to the proof, have even been delivered.

16 Na wɔn a wosuro Awurade no ne wɔn ho wɔn ho kasae, na Awurade tiei, na ogyee wɔn so. Wɔn a wosuro Awurade na wodi ne din ni no, wɔkyerɛw wɔn din wɔ nhoma mmobɔwee so wɔ nʼanim de yɛɛ nkae ade.

Then, they who revered Yahweh, conversed, one with another, —and Yahweh hearkened, and heard, and there was written a book of remembrance before him, for them who revered Yahweh, and for such as thought of his Name.

17 “Wɔbɛyɛ me dea,” sɛnea, Asafo Awurade se ni. Da a mɛkeka me ho no, wɔbɛyɛ mʼahode a ɛsom bo. Mede wɔn ho bɛkyɛ wɔn, sɛnea agya nya ayamhyehye de ɔba a ɔyɛ osetie ho kyɛ no no.

Therefore shall they be mine, saith Yahweh of hosts, in the day for which, I, am preparing treasure, —and I will deal tenderly with them, just as a man, dealeth tenderly, with his own son who is serving him.

18 Na mubehu nsonoe a ɛda atreneefo ne amumɔyɛfo ntam, ne wɔn a wɔsom Onyankopɔn ne wɔn a wɔnsom Onyankopɔn no ntam.

So shall ye return, and see the difference, between the righteous and the lawless, —between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not.