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.

The Commander of the armies of angels says [this]: “Listen! I [am about to] send my messenger who will prepare [the people to receive me] when I come. [You claim that] [IRO] you are wanting to see me, and I will suddenly come to my temple. The messenger [who will tell you about a new] agreement, the one whom you are eagerly [SAR] awaiting, is certainly going to come [to you].”

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.

But will anyone [RHQ] be able to survive when he comes? Will anyone [RHQ] be able to [remain] standing in front of him? [Certainly not, ] because he will be like [SIM] a blazing fire that refines/purifies [metal/gold]. He will be like [SIM] a very strong soap [that bleaches clothes].

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 be like a worker who] sits [in front of his work] to cause silver to become pure by burning all the impurities. Like [a worker refines] silver and gold, he will cause the (descendants of Levi/priests) to become pure, [in order that they will again become acceptable to] offer sacrifices that will be acceptable to him.

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

When that happens, Yahweh will [again] accept the offerings brought to him by [the people of] Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah, as [he did] previously.

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.

[This is what] the Commander of the armies of angels says: “At that time, I will come to you to judge you. I will quickly testify against [all] those who practice sorcery/witchcraft, [all] who have committed adultery, and [all] liars. [I will testify] against those who have not given their workers the pay/wages that they promised, those who (oppress/treat cruelly) widows and orphans, and those who do not allow foreigners who live among you to be treated fairly. [I will testify that all] the people who do those things do not revere me.”

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

“I am Yahweh, and I never change. And although you [deceive people like] your ancestor Jacob did, I have not [yet] gotten rid of you.

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?’

You and your ancestors have ignored my commands and you have not obeyed them. [Now] return to me; and when that happens, I will (return/do good) to you. [That is what I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, say.” But you ask, “[We have never gone away from you, so] how can we return [to you]?”

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.

[I reply, ] “People should certainly not [RHQ] cheat God; but you people have cheated me!” You ask, “In what way did we cheat you?” [I reply, ] “[You have cheated me by not bringing to me each year] (the tithes/one tenth of [all] your crops and animals) and [other] offerings [that you are required to give to me].

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

All that you do is cursed, because all you people in this country have been cheating 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.

[Now] bring all the tithes to the storage rooms [in the temple], in order that there will be [enough] food [for the people who serve me] there. If you do that, I, the Commander of the armies of angels, promise that I will open the windows of heaven, and pour out [from them] blessings on you. [If you bring your tithes to the temple, the blessings will be] very great, with the result that you will not have enough space to store all of them. So test me [to see if I am telling the truth].

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

You will have abundant crops [to harvest], because I will protect them in order that they will not be harmed by locusts/insects. Your grapes will not fall from the vines [before they are ripe].

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

When that happens, [the people of] all nations will say that [I] have blessed you, because your country will be delightful. [That is what I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, say.

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

[I, ] Yahweh, [have something else] to say [to you]. You have said terrible things about me.” But you reply, “What terrible things have we said about 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?

[I reply], “You have said, ‘It is useless [for us] to serve God. We have gained nothing [RHQ] by obeying the commands that he gave [to us] and by trying to show the Commander of the armies of angels that we are sorry [for the sins that we have committed].

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 will say/consider that those who are proud are [the ones whom God has] blessed. [We will say that because it seems that it is] those who do evil who become rich, and [that it is] those who try to find out how many evil things they can do without God punishing them who are not punished.’”

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.

After [the people heard my message], those who revered Yahweh discussed [those things] with each other, and Yahweh listened to what they said. While Yahweh was watching, they wrote on a scroll the things that would remind them [about what they promised], and they wrote on that scroll the names of those who revered Yahweh and who [said that they] always wanted to honor him [MTY].

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.

The Commander of the armies of angels says this [about those people]: “They will be my people. At the time that I judge people, [they will be like] [MET] a special treasure to me. I will be kind to them, like [SIM] fathers are kind to their sons who obey them.

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

When that happens, you will again see that [the manner in which I treat] righteous people is different from [the manner in which I treat] wicked people. [You will see that the manner in which I act toward] those who serve me is different from [the manner in which I act toward] those who do not.”