Malachi 2

1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.

Og nu udgaar følgende Paabud til eder, I Præster:

2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, then will I send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

Hvis I ikke adlyder og lægger eder paa Sinde at holde mit Navn i Ære, siger Hærskarers HERRE, saa sender jeg Forbandelse over eder og vender eders Velsignelse til Forbandelse, ja til Forbandelse, fordi I ikke lægger eder det paa Sinde.

3 Behold, I will rebuke the seed for your sake, and will spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your sacrifices; and ye shall be taken away with it.

Se, jeg afhugger Armen paa eder og kaster Skarn i Ansigtet paa eder, Skarnet fra eders Højtider, og eders Ofre oven i Købet;

4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

og I skal kende, at jeg har sendt eder dette Paabud, fordi jeg har en Pagt med Levi, siger Hærskarers HERRE.

5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him that he might fear, and he feared me, and stood in awe of my name.

Min Pagt med ham var, at jeg skulde give ham Liv og Fred, og han skulde frygte mig og bæve for mit Navn;

6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and uprightness, and did turn many away from iniquity.

Sandheds Lære var i hans Mund, Svig fandtes ikke paa hans Læber; i Fred og Sanddruhed vandrede han med mig, og mange holdt han fra Brøde.

7 For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

Thi Præstens Læber vogter paa Kundskab, og Vejledning søger man af hans Mund; thi han er Hærskarers HERRES Sendebud.

8 But ye are turned aside out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble in the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

Men I veg bort fra Vejen; mange har I bragt til Fald ved eders Vejledning, Levis Pagt har I ødelagt, siger Hærskarers HERRE.

9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have had respect of persons in the law.

Derfor har jeg ogsaa gjort eder ringeagtede og oversete af alt Folket, fordi I ikke tager Vare paa mine Veje eller bryder eder om Loven.

10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers?

Har vi ikke alle en og samme Fader, er det ikke en og samme Gud, som har skabt os? Hvorfor er vi da troløse mod hverandre, saa vi vanhelliger vore Fædres Pagt?

11 Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loveth, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.

Juda er troløst, og Vederstyggelighed øves i Israel og Jerusalem; thi Juda vanhelliger den Helligdom, HERREN elsker, og tager en fremmed Guds Datter til Ægte.

12 The LORD will cut off to the man that doeth this him that waketh and him that answereth, out of the tents of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.

HERREN unddrage den Mand, som gør sligt, en til at vaage og svare i Jakobs Telte og en til at frembære Offergave for Hærskarers HERRE!

13 And this again ye do: ye cover the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, neither receiveth it with good will at your hand.

Og for det andet gør I dette: I hyller HERRENS Alter i Taarer, Graad og Klage, saa han ikke mere vender sig til Offergaven eller med Glæde modtager Gaver af eders Haand.

14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously, though she is thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

Og I spørger: »Hvorfor?« Fordi HERREN var Vidne mellem dig og din Ungdomshustru, mod hvem du har været troløs, skønt hun hører til dit Folk og deler din Tro.

15 And did he not make one, although he had the residue of the spirit? And wherefore one? He sought a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

Saaledes gør ingen, saa længe der er Aand i ham. Hvorledes har det sig med ham? Han ønsker Afkom for Gud. Saa tag Vare paa eders Aand, og ingen være troløs imod sin Ungdomshustru!

16 For I hate putting away, saith the LORD, the God of Israel, and him that covereth his garment with violence, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

Thi jeg hader Skilsmisse, siger HERREN, Israels Gud, og at man hyller sin Klædning i Uret, siger Hærskarers HERRE. Saa tag eder i Vare for eders Aands Skyld og vær ikke troløse!

17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? In that ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or where is the God of judgment?

I trætter HERREN med eders Ord. Og I spørger: »Hvorved trætter vi?« Ved at sige: »Enhver som gør ondt, er god i HERRENS Øjne; i dem har han Behag; hvor er ellers Dommens Gud?«