Malachi 3
1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord whom ye seeke, shall speedely come to his Temple: euen the messenger of the couenant whom ye desire: beholde, he shall come, sayth the Lord of hostes.
“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 But who may abide the day of his comming? and who shall endure, when he appeareth? for he is like a purging fire, and like fullers sope.
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 downe to trye and fine the siluer: he shall euen fine the sonnes of Leui and purifie them as golde and siluer, that they may bring offerings vnto the Lord in righteousnesse.
Ataketi kama mfuaji na asafishaye fedha. Atawatakasa Walawi, naye atawasafisha kama dhahabu na fedha. Kisha Bwana atakuwa na watu watakaoleta sadaka katika haki,
4 Then shall the offerings of Iudah and Ierusalem be acceptable vnto the Lord, as in old time and in the yeeres afore.
nazo sadaka za Yuda na Yerusalemu zitakubalika kwa Bwana, kama katika siku zilizopita, kama katika miaka ya zamani.
5 And I will come neere to you to iudgement, and I will be a swift witnesse against the southsayers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hirelings wages, and vexe the widowe, and the fatherlesse, and oppresse the stranger, and feare not me, sayth the Lord of hostes.
“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: I change not, and ye sonnes of Iaakob are not consumed.
“Mimi Bwana sibadiliki. Kwa hiyo ninyi, enyi uzao wa Yakobo, hamjaangamizwa.
7 From the dayes of your fathers, ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and haue not kept them: returne vnto me, and I will returne vnto you, saith the Lord of hostes: but ye saide, Wherein shall we returne?
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 Will a man spoyle his gods? yet haue ye spoyled me: but ye say, Wherein haue we spoyled thee? In tithes, and offerings.
“Je, mwanadamu atamwibia Mungu? Hata hivyo mnaniibia mimi. “Lakini mnauliza, ‘Tunakuibia kwa namna gani?’ “Mnaniibia zaka na dhabihu.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye haue spoyled me, euen this whole nation.
Mko chini ya laana, ninyi taifa lote, kwa sababu mnaniibia mimi.
10 Bring ye all the tythes into the storehouse that there may be meate in mine House, and proue me nowe herewith, sayeth the Lord of hostes, if I will not open the windowes of heauen vnto you, and powre you out a blessing without measure.
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 the deuourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruite of your grounde, neither shall your vine be baren in the fielde, sayeth the Lord of hostes.
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 ye shall be a pleasant lande, sayeth the Lord of hostes.
“Ndipo mataifa yote yatawaita mliobarikiwa, kwa maana nchi yenu itakuwa ya kupendeza sana,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
13 Your wordes haue bene stout against me, sayeth the Lord: yet ye say, What haue we spoken against thee?
“Mmesema vitu vigumu dhidi yangu,” asema Bwana. “Hata hivyo mnauliza, ‘Tumesema nini dhidi yako?’
14 Ye haue saide, It is in vaine to serue God: and what profite is it that we haue kept his commandement, and that we walked humbly before the Lord of hostes?
“Mmesema, ‘Ni bure kumtumikia Mungu. Tumepata faida gani kwa kushika maagizo yake na kwenda kama waombolezaji mbele za Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote?
15 Therefore wee count the proude blessed: euen they that worke wickednesse, are set vp, and they that tempt God, yea, they are deliuered.
Lakini sasa wenye kiburi wanabarikiwa. Hakika watenda mabaya wanastawi, pia hata wale wanaoshindana na Mungu ndio wanaosalimika.’”
16 Then spake they that feared the Lord, euery one to his neighbour, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought vpon 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 to me, sayeth the Lord of hostes, in that day that I shall do this, for a flocke, and I will spare them, as a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth 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 Then shall you returne, and discerne betweene the righteous and wicked, betweene him that serueth God, and him that serueth him not.
Kwa mara nyingine tena utaona tofauti kati ya wenye haki na waovu, kati ya wale wanaomtumikia Mungu na wale wasiomtumikia.
