1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
Angalieni, namtuma mjumbe wangu, naye ataitengeneza njia mbele yangu; naye Bwana mnayemtafuta atalijilia hekalu lake ghafula; naam, yule mjumbe wa agano mnayemfurahia, angalieni, anakuja, asema Bwana wa majeshi.
2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
Lakini ni nani atakayestahimili siku ya kuja kwake? Au ni nani atakayesimama atakapoonekana yeye? Kwa maana yeye ni mfano wa moto wa mtu asafishaye fedha, ni mfano wa sabuni ya mtu afuaye nguo;
3 and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.
naye ataketi kama asafishaye fedha na kuitakasa, naye atawatakasa wana wa Lawi, atawasafisha kama dhahabu na fedha; nao watamtolea Bwana dhabihu katika haki.
4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
Wakati ule ndipo dhabihu za Yuda na Yerusalemu zitakapopendeza mbele za Bwana, kama katika siku za kale, na kama katika miaka ya zamani.
5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right , and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.
Nami nitawakaribieni ili kuhukumu; nami nitakuwa shahidi mwepesi juu ya wachawi, na juu ya wazinzi, na juu yao waapao kwa uongo; na juu yao wamwoneao mwenye kuajiriwa, kwa ajili ya mshahara wake, wamwoneao mjane na yatima, na kumpotosha mgeni asipate haki yake, wala hawaniogopi mimi, asema Bwana wa majeshi.
6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Kwa kuwa mimi, Bwana, sina kigeugeu; ndio maana ninyi hamkuangamizwa, enyi wana wa Yakobo.
Return Unto Me
7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them . Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
Tokea siku za baba zenu mmegeuka upande, mkayaacha maagizo yangu, wala hamkuyashika. Nirudieni mimi, nami nitawarudia ninyi, asema Bwana wa majeshi. Lakini ninyi mwasema, Turudi kwa namna gani?
8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
Je! Mwanadamu atamwibia Mungu? Lakini ninyi mnaniibia mimi. Lakini ninyi mwasema, Tumekuibia kwa namna gani? Mmeniibia zaka na dhabihu.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
Ninyi mmelaaniwa kwa laana; maana mnaniibia mimi, naam, taifa hili lote.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it .
Leteni zaka kamili ghalani, ili kiwemo chakula katika nyumba yangu, mkanijaribu kwa njia hiyo, asema Bwana wa majeshi; mjue kama sitawafungulia madirisha ya mbinguni, na kuwamwagieni baraka, hata isiwepo nafasi ya kutosha, au la.
11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, 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 katika mashamba, asema Bwana wa majeshi.
12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
Na mataifa yote watawaiteni heri; maana mtakuwa nchi ya kupendeza sana, asema Bwana wa majeshi.
Final Triumph
13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
Maneno yenu yamekuwa magumu juu yangu, asema Bwana. Lakini ninyi mwasema, Tumesema maneno juu yako kwa namna gani?
14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?
Mmesema, Kumtumikia Mungu hakuna faida; na, Tumepata faida gani kwa kuyashika maagizo yake, na kwa kwenda kwa huzuni mbele za Bwana wa majeshi?
15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
Na sasa twasema ya kwamba wenye kiburi ndio walio heri; naam, watendao uovu ndio wajengwao; naam, wamjaribuo Mungu ndio waponywao.
16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it , and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
Ndipo wale waliomcha Bwana waliposemezana wao kwa wao. Naye Bwana akasikiliza, akasikia; na kitabu cha ukumbusho kikaandikwa mbele zake, kwa ajili ya hao waliomcha Bwana, na kulitafakari jina lake.
17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Nao watakuwa wangu, asema Bwana wa majeshi, katika siku ile niifanyayo; naam, watakuwa hazina yangu hasa; nami nitawaachilia, kama vile mtu amwachiliavyo mwanawe mwenyewe amtumikiaye.
18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
Ndipo mtakaporudi, nanyi mtapambanua kati ya wenye haki na waovu, na kati ya yeye amtumikiaye Mungu na yeye asiyemtumikia.
