1 This is the message that the Lord gave Malachi to tell the people of Israel.
The Lord's Love for Israel
2 The Lord says to his people, “I have always loved you.”
But they reply, “How have you shown your love for us?”
The Lord answers, “Esau and Jacob were brothers, but I have loved Jacob and his descendants, 3 and have hated Esau and his descendants. I have devastated Esau's hill country and abandoned the land to jackals.”
4 If Esau's descendants, the Edomites, say, “Our towns have been destroyed, but we will rebuild them,” then the Lord will reply, “Let them rebuild—I will tear them down again. People will call them ‘The evil country’ and ‘The nation with whom the Lord is angry forever.’”
5 The people of Israel are going to see this with their own eyes, and they will say, “The Lord is mighty even outside the land of Israel!”
The Lord Reprimands the Priests
6 The Lord Almighty says to the priests, “Children honor their parents, and servants honor their masters. I am your father—why don't you honor me? I am your master—why don't you respect me? You despise me, and yet you ask, ‘How have we despised you?’ 7 This is how—by offering worthless food on my altar. Then you ask, ‘How have we failed to respect you?’ I will tell you—by showing contempt for my altar. 8 When you bring a blind or sick or lame animal to sacrifice to me, do you think there's nothing wrong with that? Try giving an animal like that to the governor! Would he be pleased with you or grant you any favors?”
9 Now, you priests, try asking God to be good to us. He will not answer your prayer, and it will be your fault. 10 The Lord Almighty says, “I wish one of you would close the Temple doors so as to prevent you from lighting useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you; I will not accept the offerings you bring me. 11 People from one end of the world to the other honor me. Everywhere they burn incense to me and offer acceptable sacrifices. All of them honor me! 12 But you dishonor me when you say that my altar is worthless and when you offer on it food that you despise. 13 You say, ‘How tired we are of all this!’ and you turn up your nose at me. As your offering to me you bring a stolen animal or one that is lame or sick. Do you think I will accept that from you? 14 A curse on the cheater who sacrifices a worthless animal to me, when he has in his flock a good animal that he promised to give me! For I am a great king, and people of all nations fear me.”
Ohole yOmwene yokuhola oshiwana shaye Oshiwana inashi shiiva okupandula
1 Exunganeko, ondjovo yOmwene kuIsrael ya endela muMalakia. 2 Ame nda li ndi mu hole, Omwene ta ti. Ndelenee nye tamu pula: Ohole yoye ya holoka peni? Esau ke fi omumwaxe waJakob? Omwene ta ti. Ndelenee nda li ndi hole Jakob, 3 ndelenee nda li nda tonda Esau, ndele nda tokeka eemhunda daye, noshifyuululwa shaye nde shi yandja keembadje domombuwa. 4 Nge Edom tashi ti: Fye otwa hanaunwa po sheke, ndelenee fye ohatu ka tungulula omakulukuma, opo Omwene womatanga ovakwaita ta ti: Nava tunge, ohandi ke shi ngumauna po. Novanhu otave va luku: Onhele youkolokoshi, navali: Oshiwana eshi sha handukilwa kOmwene fiyo alushe! 5 Ndele omesho eni otae ke shi tala, ndele tamu ka tya: Omwene Ye omunene kombada yeengaba daIsrael!
6 Omona ta fimaneke xe, nomupiya omwene waye! Aame ngeenge oxo, efimaneko lange oli li peni? Naame ngeenge Omwene, etilo lokutila nge oli li peni? Omwene womatanga ovakwaita ta ti kunye ovapristeli, ohamu dini edina lange! Ndelenee nye tamu ti: Edina loye otwe li nyateka ngahelipi? 7 Nye otamu eta koaltari yange omingome da nyata, ndele tamu pula: Mushike twe ku nyateka? Eshi tamu ti: Oshililo shOmwene nashi dinike. 8 Ndele ngeenge tamu eta oshinamwenyo sha twika mu shi yambe, eshi kashi fi shii? Ndele ngeenge tamu eta odjona ile oshinamwenyo tashi vele, kashi fi shii? Shi twala ngeno kelenga loye! Lo otali ke ku hokwa mbela ile ove to mu wapalele? Omwene womatanga ovakwaita ta ti. 9 Heeno paife handukulukifeni Kalunga, Ye e tu filonghenda! Oinima ya tya ngaha mwe i ninga, Ye ota ka kala tuu e mu hokwa? Omwene womatanga ovakwaita ta ti. 10 Ngeno mokati keni mu kale umwe ou ta idile oivelo, muha shiive okutema omundilo oshimha koaltari yange! Ame inandi mu hokwa nande, Omwene womatanga ovakwaita ta ti, ndele itandi tambula eyambo tali di momake eni. 11 Osheshi edina lange otali kala linene mokati kovapaani kokudja kepito letango fiyo okokuningina kwalo. Ndele monhele keshe tamu twiminwa efimano ledina lange notamu etwa eyambo la koshoka. Osheshi edina lange otali kala linene mokati kovapaani, Omwene womatanga ovakwaita ta ti. 12 Ndelenee nye otamu li shekifa, eshi tamu ti: Oshililo shOmwene osha yapululuka noiimati yasho, eendja dasho da dinika. 13 Ndele nye tamu ti: Taleni, oudjuu u fike peni! Ndele nye tamu shi dini, Omwene womatanga ovakwaita ta ti. Ndele nye tamu eta oshimuna sha vakwa, ile shilema ile tashi vele; osho ngaha tamu eta omayambo! Ame ohandi hokwa tuu oku shi tambula momake eni, Omwene womatanga ovakwaita ta ti. 14 Omukengeleli na fingwe, ou e noshikombo oshindume mokati koikombo, ndele nande e shi udaneka, ta eta eshi shi noshipo osho a yambele Omwene. Osheshi Aame ohamba inene, Omwene womatanga ovakwaita ta ti, nedina lange ola tilika mokati kovapaani.
