Maraki 1

1 Ko te poropititanga, he kupu na Ihowa ki a Iharaira, he mea na Maraki.

[This is] the message that Yahweh gave to [the prophet] Malachi to [give to the people of] Israel.

2 I aroha ahau ki a koutou, e ai ta Ihowa, heoi e mea na koutou, He aroha aha tou ki a matou? He teka ianei he tuakana a Ehau no Hakopa? e ai ta Ihowa; heoi i aroha ahau ki a Hakopa,

Yahweh says, “I have [always] loved you [Israeli people].”

3 Engari i kino ahau ki a Ehau, a i meinga e ahau ona maunga hei ururua, a hoatu ana tona kainga tupu ki nga kirehe mohoao o te koraha.

But you reply, “In what way have you loved us?” Yahweh replies, “[This is how I loved you]: [It is true that your ancestor] Jacob was [RHQ] Esau’s [younger] brother, and I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau. I caused his hilly region to become (desolate/a place where crops did not grow). I caused the land which he possessed to become a desert where jackals/wolves live.”

4 Ko Eroma ia e ki ana, Kua pehia tatou ki raro, otiia ka hoki tatou, ka hanga i nga tuhea; ko te kupu tenei a Ihowa o nga mano, Ma ratou e hanga, a maku e wahi; a ka huaina aua wahi, Ko te rohe kino, Ko te iwi i riri ai a Ihowa a ake ake.

[The descendants of Esau who live in] Edom may say, “[Yes, ] we have been crushed/ruined, but we will rebuild [houses] in the ruins.” But the Commander of the armies of angels replies, “They may build [houses again], but I will demolish [them again]. Their [country] will be called ‘The land where wicked people [live]’ and [their people will be called] ‘The people with whom Yahweh is angry forever’.”

5 E kite ano o koutou kanohi, a ka mea koutou, Kia whakanuia a Ihowa i tua i te rohe o Iharaira.

When you [Israeli] people yourselves see [what I will do to them], you will say, “[It is evident far] beyond the borders of Israel that Yahweh is [very] great!”

6 E whakahonoretia ana te papa e te tama, tona ariki e te pononga: ki te mea he matua ahau, kei hea toku honore? ki te mea he ariki ahau, kei hea te wehi ki ahau? e ai ta Ihowa o nga mano ki a koutou, e nga tohunga e whakahawea na ki toku ingoa, e mea na koutou, He whakahawea aha ta matou ki tou ingoa?

But the Commander of the armies of angels says to the priests, “Boys honor their fathers, and servants [respect] their masters. So, if I am [like your] father and your master, why [RHQ] do you not honor and respect me? You have despised me [MTY]!” But you ask, “(How/In what way) have we despised you?”

7 He taro poke ta koutou e tapae na i runga i taku aata, a e mea na koutou, I whakapokea koe e matou ki te aha? Ki ta koutou e ki na, Ko te tepu a Ihowa, he hanga mo te whakahawea.

[Yahweh replies, ] “[Instead of honoring me, you have despised me] by offering sacrifices on my altar that are unacceptable to me.” Then you ask, “What sacrifices have we given that have been unacceptable to you?” [Yahweh replies, ] “You think that (it does not matter/it is okay) if you do not respect my altar.

8 Ki te tapaea hoki e koutou te matapo hei patunga tapu, ehara i te mea kino! ki te tapaea ano e koutou te mea totitoti, te mea mate, ehara i te kino! tena koa, hoatu aianei ki tou kawana; e pai ranei ia ki a koe? e manako ranei ia ki tou tinana? e ai ta Ihowa o nga mano.

You offer for sacrifices animals that are blind. (Is that not wrong?/That is disgusting!) [RHQ] And you offer for sacrifices animals that are crippled or that have diseases. (Is that also not wrong?/That [also] is disgusting!) [RHQ] If you tried to give presents like that to your governor, (do you think [RHQ] that he would be pleased?/he would certainly not be pleased!) (Would he [RHQ] accept such gifts? He would certainly not accept such gifts!) [That is what] the Commander of the armies of angels says!”

9 Na, tena ra, inoi ki te Atua kia atawhai ki a tatou: na ta koutou mahi tenei: e manako ranei ia ki tetahi o koutou? e ai ta Ihowa o nga mano.

[And he also says, ] “You plead with me to be merciful to you. But you bring to me sacrifices that are not acceptable to me, so why should I be kind to you [RHQ]?”

10 Aue, me kore noa ake tetahi o koutou hei tutaki i nga tatau, kei whakau kau koutou i te ahi ki runga ki taku aata! Kahore oku ngakau ki a koutou, e ai ta Ihowa o nga mano, e kore ano ahau e manako ki te whakahere a to koutou ringa.

The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says, “I wish/desire that one of you would shut the gates [of the temple courtyard], in order that no one could offer those worthless sacrifices. I am not pleased with you, and I will not accept the offerings that you bring to me.

11 Ka nui nei hoki toku ingoa i roto i nga tauiwi, i te whitinga o te ra a tae noa ki tona torengitanga; a ka tukua he whakakakara ki toku ingoa i nga wahi katoa, me te whakahere pokekore; ka nui hoki toku ingoa i roto i nga tauiwi, e ai ta Ihowa o nga mano.

[People of other] nations honor me [MTY] [every day], from sunrise/morning until sunset/evening. All over the world people offer incense and [other] pure/acceptable offerings to me [MTY]. [They do that] because [people among all] the nations know that I [MTY] am [very] great.

12 Ko koutou ia kei te whakapoke i taua ingoa, i a koutou e ki na, Ko te tepu a Ihowa he poke; ko ona hua, ko tana kai, he hanga mo te whakahawea.

But you [priests show that you] despise me [by what you do]. You say, ‘[It is all right if] people pollute the altar by bringing sacrifices that are unacceptable.’

13 E mea ana ano koutou, Nana, te whakahoha! whakatupererutia iho e koutou, e ai ta Ihowa o nga mano; a maua mai ana e koutou te mea i haea, te mea totitoti, te mea mate; na kei te mau mai i te whakahere; e manakohia ranei tenei mea a to koutou rin ga? e ai ta Ihowa.

You say ‘We are tired of [burning all these sacrifices on the altar].’ You (turn up your noses at/act very disrespectfully toward) [me]. When you bring [to me] animals that have been stolen or ones that are crippled or that have diseases, to offer them for sacrifices, [do you think that] [RHQ] I should accept them?

14 He kanga ia mo te tangata tinihanga, he toa nei tana i roto i tana kahui, na ka puaki tana ki taurangi, a patua ana e ia te mea he ma te Ariki; he kingi nui hoki ahau, e ai ta Ihowa o nga mano, he hanga whakawehi ano toku ingoa i roto i nga taui wi.

[I will] curse anyone who [tries to] cheat [me] by solemnly promising [to bring to me a perfect] ram from his flock [of sheep] and then brings to me one that has defects. [If anyone does that, I will punish him], because I am a great king; [I am] the Commander of the armies of angels and [people of the other] nations revere me [MTY], [but you do not]!”