Malachi 3

1 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.

萬軍之耶和華說：「我要差遣我的使者在我前面預備道路。你們所尋求的主必忽然進入他的殿；立約的使者，就是你們所仰慕的，快要來到。」

2 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.

他來的日子，誰能當得起呢？他顯現的時候，誰能立得住呢？因為他如煉金之人的火，如漂布之人的鹼。

3 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.

他必坐下如煉淨銀子的，必潔淨利未人，熬煉他們像金銀一樣；他們就憑公義獻供物給耶和華。

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

那時，猶大和耶路撒冷所獻的供物必蒙耶和華悅納，彷彿古時之日、上古之年。

5 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.

萬軍之耶和華說：「我必臨近你們，施行審判。我必速速作見證，警戒行邪術的、犯姦淫的、起假誓的、虧負人之工價的、欺壓寡婦孤兒的、屈枉寄居的，和不敬畏我的。」

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

「因我－耶和華是不改變的，所以你們雅各之子沒有滅亡。

7 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?”

萬軍之耶和華說：從你們列祖的日子以來，你們常常偏離我的典章而不遵守。現在你們要轉向我，我就轉向你們。你們卻問說：『我們如何才是轉向呢？』

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

人豈可奪取上帝之物呢？你們竟奪取我的供物。你們卻說：『我們在何事上奪取你的供物呢？』就是你們在當納的十分之一和當獻的供物上。

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

因你們通國的人都奪取我的供物，咒詛就臨到你們身上。

10 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.

萬軍之耶和華說：你們要將當納的十分之一全然送入倉庫，使我家有糧，以此試試我，是否為你們敞開天上的窗戶，傾福與你們，甚至無處可容。

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

萬軍之耶和華說：我必為你們斥責蝗蟲，不容牠毀壞你們的土產。你們田間的葡萄樹在未熟之先也不掉果子。

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

萬軍之耶和華說：萬國必稱你們為有福的，因你們的地必成為喜樂之地。」

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

耶和華說：「你們用話頂撞我，你們還說：『我們用甚麼話頂撞了你呢？』

14 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?

你們說：『事奉上帝是徒然的，遵守上帝所吩咐的，在萬軍之耶和華面前苦苦齋戒，有甚麼益處呢？

15 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.”

如今我們稱狂傲的人為有福，並且行惡的人得建立；他們雖然試探上帝，卻得脫離災難。』」

16 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.

那時，敬畏耶和華的彼此談論，耶和華側耳而聽，且有紀念冊在他面前，記錄那敬畏耶和華、思念他名的人。

17 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.

萬軍之耶和華說：「在我所定的日子，他們必屬我，特特歸我。我必憐恤他們，如同人憐恤服事自己的兒子。

18 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.

那時你們必歸回，將善人和惡人，事奉上帝的和不事奉上帝的，分別出來。」