Ma-la-chi

1「众祭司啊，这诫命是传给你们的。

2万军之耶和华说：你们若不听从，也不放在心上，将荣耀归与我的名，我就使咒诅临到你们，使你们的福分变为咒诅；因你们不把诫命放在心上，我已经咒诅你们了。

3我必斥责你们的种子，又把你们牺牲的粪抹在你们的脸上；你们要与粪一同除掉。

4你们就知道我传这诫命给你们，使我与利未所立的约可以常存。这是万军之耶和华说的。

5我曾与他立生命和平安的约。我将这两样赐给他，使他存敬畏的心，他就敬畏我，惧怕我的名。

6真实的律法在他口中，他嘴里没有不义的话。他以平安和正直与我同行，使多人回头离开罪孽。

7祭司的嘴里当存知识，人也当由他口中寻求律法，因为他是万军之耶和华的使者。

8你们却偏离正道，使许多人在律法上跌倒。你们废弃我与利未所立的约。这是万军之耶和华说的。

9所以我使你们被众人藐视，看为下贱；因你们不守我的道，竟在律法上瞻徇情面。」

百姓对 神不忠

10我们岂不都是一位父吗？岂不是一位 神所造的吗？我们各人怎么以诡诈待弟兄，背弃了 神与我们列祖所立的约呢？

11犹大人行事诡诈，并且在以色列和耶路撒冷中行一件可憎的事；因为犹大人亵渎耶和华所喜爱的圣洁，娶事奉外邦神的女子为妻。

12凡行这事的，无论何人，就是献供物给万军之耶和华，耶和华也必从雅各的帐棚中剪除他。

13你们又行了一件这样的事，使前妻叹息哭泣的眼泪遮盖耶和华的坛，以致耶和华不再看顾那供物，也不乐意从你们手中收纳。

14你们还说：「这是为什么呢？」因耶和华在你和你幼年所娶的妻中间作见证。她虽是你的配偶，又是你盟约的妻，你却以诡诈待她。

15虽然 神有灵的余力能造多人，他不是单造一人吗？为何只造一人呢？乃是他愿人得虔诚的后裔。所以当谨守你们的心，谁也不可以诡诈待幼年所娶的妻。

16耶和华—以色列的 神说：「休妻的事和以强暴待妻的人都是我所恨恶的！所以当谨守你们的心，不可行诡诈。」这是万军之耶和华说的。

审判之日已近

17你们用言语烦琐耶和华，你们还说：「我们在何事上烦琐他呢？」因为你们说：「凡行恶的，耶和华眼看为善，并且他喜悦他们」；或说：「公义的 神在哪里呢？」

A Warning to the Priests

1“And now this decree is for you, O priests:

2If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to honor My name,” says the LORD of Hosts, “I will send a curse among you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already begun to curse them, because you are not taking it to heart.

3Behold, I will rebuke your descendants,and I will spread dung on your faces, the waste from your feasts, and you will be carried off with it.

4Then you will know that I have sent you this commandment so that My covenant with Levi may continue,” says the LORD of Hosts.

5“My covenant with him was one of life and peace, which I gave to him; it called for reverence, and he revered Me and stood in awe of My name.

6True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.

7For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.

8But you have departed from the way, and your instruction has caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of Hosts.

9“So I in turn have made you despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not kept My ways, but have shown partiality in matters of the law.”

Judah’s Unfaithfulness

10Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us? Why then do we break faith with one another so as to profane the covenant of our fathers?

11Judah has broken faith; an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the LORD’s beloved sanctuary by marrying the daughter of a foreign god.

12As for the man who does this, may the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob everyone who is awake and aware—even if he brings an offering to the LORD of Hosts.

13And this is another thing you do: You cover the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping and groaning, because He no longer regards your offerings or receives them gladly from your hands.

14Yet you ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have broken faith, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.

15Has not the LORD made them one, having a portion of the Spirit? And why one? Because He seeks godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.

16“For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel. “He who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,”says the LORD of Hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith.

17You have wearied the LORD with your words; yet you ask, “How have we wearied Him?” By saying, “All who do evil are good in the sight of the LORD, and in them He delights,” or, “Where is the God of justice?”