Malachi 3

1 Behold, I send my angel, and he will prepare the way before my face. And presently the Sovereign, whom you seek, and the angel of testimony, whom you desire, will arrive at his temple. Behold, he approaches, says the Lord of hosts.

看，我要派遺我的使者，在我前面預備道路。你們所尋求的主宰，必要忽然進入衪的殿內；你們所想望盟約的使者，看，他來了──萬軍的上主說。

2 And who will be able to consider the day of his advent, and who will stand firm in order to see him? For he is like a refining fire, and like the fuller’s herb.

但是衪來臨之日，有誰能支得住﹖衪顯現時，有誰能站立得住﹖因為衪像煉金者用的爐火，又像漂布者用的滷汁

3 And he will sit refining and cleansing the silver, and he will purge the sons of Levi, and he will gather them like gold and like silver, and they will offer sacrifices to the Lord in justice.

衪必要坐下，像個溶化和煉淨銀子的人，煉淨肋未的子孫，精煉他們像精煉金銀一像，使他們能懷著虔誠，向上主奉獻祭品：

4 And the sacrifice of Judah and of Jerusalem will please the Lord, just as in the days of past generations, and as in the ancient years.

那時，猶大和耶路撒冷所獻的祭品，必能悅樂上主，有如昔日和往年。

5 And I will approach you in judgment, and I will be a swift witness against evil-doers, and adulterers, and perjurers, and those who cheat the hired hand in his wages, the widows and the orphans, and who oppress the traveler, and who have not feared me, says the Lord of hosts.

那時，我必前來你們接近，執行審判，迅速作證反對術士、犯奸和發虛誓的人，反對欺壓傭工，寡婦和孤兒的人，反對侵害外方人的權利，而不敬畏我的人──萬軍的上主說。

6 For I am the Lord, and I do not change. And you, the sons of Jacob, have not been consumed.

是的，我是上主，決不改變；但你們總是雅各伯的子孫!

7 For, from the days of your fathers, you have withdrawn from my ordinances and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. And you have said, “In what way, shall we return?”

自從你們祖先的日子以來，你們就離棄了我的法令，而不遵守。現在你們轉向我吧! 我必轉向你們──萬軍的上主說。你們卻說：「我們應怎樣轉向你呢﹖」

8 If a man will afflict God, then you greatly afflict me. And you have said, “In what way, do we afflict you?” In tithes and in first-fruits.

人豈能欺騙天主﹖可是你們卻欺騙了我! 你們卻說：「我們在什麼事上欺騙了你﹖」即在什一和應獻的祭物上。

9 And you have been cursed with privation, and you greatly afflict me, even your entire people.

他們全體人民! 你們必要遭受嚴厲的詛咒，因為你們都欺騙了我。

10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, and let there be food in my house. And test me about this, says the Lord, as to whether I will not open to you the floodgates of heaven, and pour out to you a blessing, all the way to abundance.

你們應把什一之物送入府庫，好使卜殿宇存有食糧。你們就在這事上試試我吧! ──萬軍的上主說──看我是否給你們開啟天閘，將祝福傾注在你們身上，直到你們心意滿足。

11 And I will rebuke for your sakes the devourer, and he will not corrupt the fruit of your land. Neither will the vine in the field be barren, says the Lord of hosts.

我必要為你們嚇走那舌食者，不容牠再損害你們的田產，也不讓你們田間的葡萄樹不結果實──萬軍的上主說。

12 And all nations will call you blessed. For you will be a desirable land, says the Lord of hosts.

萬民都要稱你們有福，因為你們將成為一片樂土──萬軍的上主說。

13 Your words have gathered strength over me, says the Lord.

上主說：「你們竟然敢用言語頂撞我。你們卻說：「我們在什麼話上頂撞了你﹖」

14 And you have said, “What have we spoken against you?” You have said, “He labors in vain who serves God,” and, “What advantage is it that we have kept his precepts, and that we have walked sorrowfully in the sight of the Lord of hosts?”

即在你們說：「事奉天主只是徒然! 遵守衪的誡命，在萬軍的上主面前，穿苦衣而行，有什麼好處﹖

15 Now, therefore, we call the arrogant blessed, as if those who work impiety have been built up, and as if they have tempted God and been saved.

現在我們該稱驕傲人有福；作惡的人，居然順利，試探天主的人居然免罰! 」

16 Then those who fear the Lord spoke, each one with his neighbor. And the Lord paid attention and heeded. And a book of remembrance was written in his sight, for those who fear the Lord and for those who consider his name.

這是敬畏上主的人彼此談論的。但上主都加以注意而聽見了，並且在衪面前的記錄簿上，為那些敬畏上主和投靠衪名號的人予以記錄了。

17 And they will be my special possession, says the Lord of hosts, on the day that I act. And I will spare them, just as a man spares his son who serves him.

在我行事的時日──萬軍的上主說──他們必是屬於我的產業，我要憐愛他們，有如人憐愛服事自己的兒子。

18 And you shall be converted, and you will see the difference between the just and the impious, and between those who serve God and those who do not serve him.

你們將要重新看出義人和惡人，服事天主和不服事天主的人的區別。