Malaki 3

1 Hwɛ! Mɛsoma me ɔbɔfoɔ a ɔbɛsiesie ɛkwan ama me. Na afei, mpofirim, Awurade a morehwehwɛ no no bɛba nʼasɔredan mu. Na apam no ho ɔbɔfoɔ a mopɛ no no bɛba, sɛdeɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ nie.

Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way for me. The Lord you are seeking will suddenly arrive at his Temple. The messenger of the agreement you say is so happy with you is coming, says the Lord Almighty.

2 Na hwan na ɔbɛtumi agyina ne da a ɔbɛba no ano? Sɛ opue a, hwan na ɔbɛtumi agyina? Ɔbɛyɛ sɛ ogya dɛreɛ a wɔde nane dadeɛ anaa ntoma sifoɔ samina.

Who can survive the day when he comes? Who can stand before him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing furnace that refines metal, or like the strong alkali that cleanses stains.

3 Ɔbɛtena ase sɛ obi a ɔhoa dwetɛ ho. Ɔbɛte Lewifoɔ no ho na wɔayɛ sɛ sikakɔkɔɔ ne dwetɛ. Afei Awurade bɛnya mmarimma a wɔde ayɛyɛdeɛ bɛba wɔ kronkronyɛ mu,

He will sit down like a refiner who purifies silver; he will purify Levi's descendants and refine them like gold and silver so they can present pure offerings to the Lord.

4 na afɔrebɔdeɛ a ɛfiri Yuda ne Yerusalem bɛyɛ deɛ ɛsɔ Awurade ani sɛdeɛ na ɛteɛ wɔ mfeɛ a atwam no.

Then the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will please the Lord as they did in the old days, in the former years.

5 “Enti mɛtwe abɛn mo, abɛbu atɛn. Mɛyɛ ntɛm adi adanseɛ atia ntafowayifoɔ, awaresɛefoɔ ne atorofoɔ, wɔn a wɔsisi adwumayɛfoɔ wɔ wɔn akatua ho, wɔn a wɔhyɛ akunafoɔ ne nwisiaa so na wɔbu ntɛnkyea tia ahɔhoɔ na wɔnnsuro me,” sɛdeɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ nie.

I will come and put you on trial. I am ready to be a witness against those who: practice witchcraft commit adultery tell lies give false evidence cheat employees oppress widows and orphans abuse foreigners and do not respect me, says the Lord Almighty.

6 “Meyɛ Awurade a mennsakyera. Ɛno enti na mo Yakob asefoɔ, wɔnsɛee mo no.

For I am the Lord, I don't change, and you haven't stopped being descendants of Jacob.

7 Ɛfiri mo nananom ɛberɛ so, moatwe mo ho afiri me mmara ho. Moanni so. Monsane mmra me nkyɛn, na me nso mɛba mo nkyɛn,” sɛdeɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ nie. “Nanso mobisa sɛ, ‘Ɛkwan bɛn so na yɛmfa nsane mmra?’

From the time of your forefathers onward, you have turned away from my laws and not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty. But you ask, “How should we return?”

8 “Onipa bɛtumi abɔ Onyankopɔn korɔno anaa? Nanso, mobɔ me korɔno! Na mobɛbisa sɛ, ‘ɛkwan bɛn so na yɛfa bɔɔ wo korɔno?’ “Wɔ ntotosoɔ dudu ne afɔrebɔdeɛ mu.

Should people defraud God? Yet you are defrauding me! But you ask, “How have we defrauded you?” In tithes and offerings.

9 Nnome aba mo so, ɔman mu no nyinaa, ɛfiri sɛ, morebɔ me korɔno.

You are under a curse, for you and the whole nation are defrauding me.

10 Momfa ntotosoɔ dudu no nyinaa mmra adekoradan no mu, na aduane mmra me fie. Monsɔ me nhwɛ saa ɛkwan yi so, na monhwɛ sɛ meremmue ɔsoro mpomma na merenhwie nhyira bebree ngu mo so a morennya baabi nkora ne nyinaa mpo.” Sɛdeɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ nie.

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse so that there will be food in my Temple. Put me to the test in this, says the Lord Almighty, and I will open the windows of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you won't have enough room for it.

11 “Meremma mmoa mmɛsɛe mo mfudeɛ na borɔdɔma aba rente ngu wɔ ɛberɛ a ɛmmereɛ,” sɛdeɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ nie.

I will prevent locusts from destroying your crops, and your vineyards will not fail to bear fruit, says the Lord Almighty.

12 “Na aman no nyinaa bɛka sɛ wɔahyira mo, ɛfiri sɛ, mo asase so bɛyɛ anika,” sɛdeɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ nie.

All nations will call you blessed because you live in such a wonderful land, says the Lord Almighty.

13 “Moaka nsɛm a ɛmfata atia me, nanso mobisa sɛ, ‘Asɛm bɛn na yɛaka atia wo?’ Sɛdeɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ nie.

You have said hard things about me, says the Lord. But you say, “What have we said against you?”

14 “Moaka sɛ, ‘Onyankopɔn som yɛ ɔbrɛguo, na yɛdii nʼahyɛdeɛ so na yɛkɔɔ Asafo Awurade anim te sɛ wɔn a wɔredi awerɛhoɔ no, mfasoɔ bɛn na yɛnyaeɛ?

You have said, “What's the point of serving God? What benefit is there in keeping his commandments or going before the Lord Almighty with long faces?

15 Afei, wɔfrɛ ɔhantanni no deɛ wɔahyira no. Nokorɛm, nnebɔneyɛfoɔ di yie, na mpo wɔn a wɔne Onyankopɔn di asie no, wɔfa wɔn ho di.’”

From now on we'll say that the proud are blessed. Evil people do well, and nothing happens when they dare God to punish them.”

16 Ɛnna wɔn a wɔsuro Awurade no ne wɔn ho wɔn ho kasaeɛ, na Awurade tieeɛ na ɔgyee wɔn so. Wɔn a wɔsuro Awurade na wɔdi ne din ni no, wɔtwerɛɛ wɔn din wɔ nwoma mmobɔeɛ so wɔ nʼanim de yɛɛ nkaeɛ adeɛ.

Then those who truly respected the Lord spoke to each other, and the Lord heard what they said. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence of those who respected the Lord and paid attention to him.

17 “Wɔbɛyɛ me dea,” sɛdeɛ, Asafo Awurade seɛ nie. Ɛda a mɛkeka me ho no, wɔbɛyɛ mʼahodeɛ a ɛsom bo. Mede wɔn ho bɛkyɛ wɔn, sɛdeɛ agya nya ayamhyehyeɛ de ɔba a ɔyɛ ɔsetie ho kyɛ no no.

They shall be mine, says the Lord Almighty, my prized possession on the day when I take action. I will treat them kindly, as a father treats an obedient son.

18 Na mobɛhunu nsonsonoeɛ a ɛda ateneneefoɔ ne amumuyɛfoɔ ntam, ne wɔn a wɔsom Onyankopɔn ne wɔn a wɔnnsom Onyankopɔn no ntam.

Then you will once again be able to distinguish those who do right from those who do wrong, between those who serve him and those who don't.