Malachi 3

1 Behold I send my angel, and he shall prepare the way before my face. And presently the Lord, whom you seek, and the angel of the testament, whom you desire, shall come to his temple. Behold he cometh, saith the Lord of hosts.

“Angalieni, nitamtuma mjumbe wangu, atakayeiandaa njia mbele yangu. Ndipo ghafula Bwana mnayemtafuta atakuja hekaluni mwake. Mjumbe wa Agano, ambaye mnamwonea shauku, atakuja,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.

2 And who shall be able to think of the day of his coming? and who shall stand to see him? for he is like a refining fire, and like the fuller’s herb:

Lakini ni nani atakayeweza kustahimili hiyo siku ya kuja kwake? Ni nani awezaye kusimama atakapotokea? Kwa kuwa atakuwa kama moto wa mfua fedha au kama sabuni ya afuaye nguo.

3 And he shall sit refining and cleansing the silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and shall refine them as gold, and as silver, and they shall offer sacrifices to the Lord in justice.

Ataketi kama mfuaji na asafishaye fedha. Atawatakasa Walawi, naye atawasafisha kama dhahabu na fedha. Kisha Bwana atakuwa na watu watakaoleta sadaka katika haki,

4 And the sacrifice of Juda and of Jerusalem shall please the Lord, as in the days of old, and in the ancient years.

nazo sadaka za Yuda na Yerusalemu zitakubalika kwa Bwana, kama katika siku zilizopita, kama katika miaka ya zamani.

5 And I will come to you in judgment, and will be a speedy witness against sorcerers, and adulterers, and false swearers, and them that oppress the hireling in his wages; the widows, and the fatherless: and oppress the stranger, and have not feared me, saith the Lord of hosts.

“Basi nitakuja karibu nanyi ili kuhukumu. Nami nitakuwa mwepesi kushuhudia dhidi ya wachawi, wazinzi, waapao kwa uongo, wanaopunja vibarua malipo yao, wanaowaonea wajane na yatima, na wanaowanyima wageni haki, lakini hawaniogopi mimi,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.

6 For I am the Lord, and I change not: and you the sons of Jacob are not consumed.

“Mimi Bwana sibadiliki. Kwa hiyo ninyi, enyi uzao wa Yakobo, hamjaangamizwa.

7 For from the days of your fathers you have departed from my ordinances, and have not kept them: Return to me, and I will return to you, saith the Lord of hosts. And you have said: Wherein shall we return?

Tangu wakati wa baba zenu mmegeukia mbali na amri zangu nanyi hamkuzishika. Nirudieni mimi, nami nitawarudia ninyi,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote. “Lakini mnauliza, ‘Tutarudi kwa namna gani?’

8 Shall a man afflict God? for you afflict me. And you have said: Wherein do we afflict thee? in tithes and in firstfruits.

“Je, mwanadamu atamwibia Mungu? Hata hivyo mnaniibia mimi. “Lakini mnauliza, ‘Tunakuibia kwa namna gani?’ “Mnaniibia zaka na dhabihu.

9 And you are cursed with want, and you afflict me, even the whole nation of you.

Mko chini ya laana, ninyi taifa lote, kwa sababu mnaniibia mimi.

10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and try me in this, saith the Lord: if I open not unto you the flood-gates of heaven, and pour you out a blessing even to abundance.

Leteni zaka kamili ghalani, ili kuwe na chakula katika nyumba yangu. Nijaribuni katika hili,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, “nanyi mwone kama sitawafungulia madirisha ya mbinguni na kuwamwagieni baraka nyingi mpaka mkose nafasi ya kutosha.

11 And I will rebuke for your sakes the devourer, and he shall not spoil the fruit of your land: neither shall the vine in the field be barren, saith the Lord of hosts.

Nami kwa ajili yenu nitamkemea yeye alaye, wala hataharibu mazao ya ardhi yenu, wala mzabibu wenu hautapukutisha matunda yake kabla ya wakati wake,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a delightful land, saith the Lord of hosts.

“Ndipo mataifa yote yatawaita mliobarikiwa, kwa maana nchi yenu itakuwa ya kupendeza sana,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.

13 Your words have been unsufferable to me, saith the Lord.

“Mmesema vitu vigumu dhidi yangu,” asema Bwana. “Hata hivyo mnauliza, ‘Tumesema nini dhidi yako?’

14 And you have said: What have we spoken against thee? You have said: He laboureth in vain that serveth God, and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances, and that we have walked sorrowful before the Lord of hosts?

“Mmesema, ‘Ni bure kumtumikia Mungu. Tumepata faida gani kwa kushika maagizo yake na kwenda kama waombolezaji mbele za Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote?

15 Wherefore now we call the proud people happy, for they that work wickedness are built up, and they have tempted God and are preserved.

Lakini sasa wenye kiburi wanabarikiwa. Hakika watenda mabaya wanastawi, pia hata wale wanaoshindana na Mungu ndio wanaosalimika.’”

16 Then they that feared the Lord spoke every one with his neighbour: and the Lord gave ear, and heard it: and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that fear the Lord, and think on his name.

Ndipo wale waliomcha Bwana wakasemezana wao kwa wao, naye Bwana akasikiliza na akasikia. Kitabu cha kumbukumbu kikaandikwa mbele yake kuhusu wale ambao walimcha Bwana na kuliheshimu jina lake.

17 And they shall be my special possession, saith the Lord of hosts, in the day that I do judgment: and I will spare them, as a man spareth his son that serveth him.

“Nao watakuwa watu wangu,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, “katika siku ile nitakapowafanya watu kuwa hazina yangu. Nitawahurumia, kama vile kwa huruma mtu amhurumiavyo mwanawe anayemtumikia.

18 And you shall return, and shall see the difference between the just and the wicked: and between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not.

Kwa mara nyingine tena utaona tofauti kati ya wenye haki na waovu, kati ya wale wanaomtumikia Mungu na wale wasiomtumikia.