Malachi 3

1Behold I send my angel, and he shall prepare the way before my face. And presently the Lord, whom you seek, and the angel of the testament, whom you desire, shall come to his temple. Behold he cometh, saith the Lord of hosts.

2And who shall be able to think of the day of his coming? and who shall stand to see him? for he is like a refining fire, and like the fuller’s herb:

3And he shall sit refining and cleansing the silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and shall refine them as gold, and as silver, and they shall offer sacrifices to the Lord in justice.

4And the sacrifice of Juda and of Jerusalem shall please the Lord, as in the days of old, and in the ancient years.

5And I will come to you in judgment, and will be a speedy witness against sorcerers, and adulterers, and false swearers, and them that oppress the hireling in his wages; the widows, and the fatherless: and oppress the stranger, and have not feared me, saith the Lord of hosts.

6For I am the Lord, and I change not: and you the sons of Jacob are not consumed.

7For from the days of your fathers you have departed from my ordinances, and have not kept them: Return to me, and I will return to you, saith the Lord of hosts. And you have said: Wherein shall we return?

8Shall a man afflict God? for you afflict me. And you have said: Wherein do we afflict thee? in tithes and in firstfruits.

9And you are cursed with want, and you afflict me, even the whole nation of you.

10Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and try me in this, saith the Lord: if I open not unto you the flood-gates of heaven, and pour you out a blessing even to abundance.

11And I will rebuke for your sakes the devourer, and he shall not spoil the fruit of your land: neither shall the vine in the field be barren, saith the Lord of hosts.

12And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a delightful land, saith the Lord of hosts.

13Your words have been unsufferable to me, saith the Lord.

14And you have said: What have we spoken against thee? You have said: He laboureth in vain that serveth God, and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances, and that we have walked sorrowful before the Lord of hosts?

15Wherefore now we call the proud people happy, for they that work wickedness are built up, and they have tempted God and are preserved.

16Then they that feared the Lord spoke every one with his neighbour: and the Lord gave ear, and heard it: and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that fear the Lord, and think on his name.

17And they shall be my special possession, saith the Lord of hosts, in the day that I do judgment: and I will spare them, as a man spareth his son that serveth him.

18And you shall return, and shall see the difference between the just and the wicked: and between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not.

1Ecce ego mitto angelum meum, et præparabit viam ante faciem meam: et statim veniet ad templum suum Dominator quem vos quæritis, et angelus testamenti quem vos vultis. Ecce venit, dicit Dominus exercituum.

2Et quis poterit cogitare diem adventus ejus, et quis stabit ad videndum eum? ipse enim quasi ignis conflans, et quasi herba fullonum:

3et sedebit conflans, et emundans argentum: et purgabit filios Levi, et colabit eos quasi aurum et quasi argentum, et erunt Domino offerentes sacrificia in justitia.

4Et placebit Domino sacrificium Juda et Jerusalem, sicut dies sæculi, et sicut anni antiqui.

5Et accedam ad vos in judicio, et ero testis velox maleficis, et adulteris, et perjuris, et qui calumniantur mercedem mercenarii, viduas et pupillos, et opprimunt peregrinum, nec timuerunt me, dicit Dominus exercituum.

6Ego enim Dominus, et non mutor: et vos filii Jacob, non estis consumpti.

7A diebus enim patrum vestrorum recessistis a legitimis meis, et non custodistis: revertimini ad me, et revertar ad vos, dicit Dominus exercituum. Et dixistis: In quo revertemur?

8Si affliget homo Deum, quia vos configitis me? Et dixistis: In quo configimus te? In decimis et in primitiis.

9Et in penuria vos maledicti estis, et me vos configitis gens tota.

10Inferte omnem decimam in horreum, et sit cibus in domo mea: et probate me super hoc, dicit Dominus: si non aperuero vobis cataractas cæli, et effudero vobis benedictionem usque ad abundantiam:

11et increpabo pro vobis devorantem, et non corrumpet fructum terræ vestræ, nec erit sterilis vinea in agro, dicit Dominus exercituum.

12Et beatos vos dicent omnes gentes: eritis enim vos terra desiderabilis, dicit Dominus exercituum.

13Invaluerunt super me verba vestra, dicit Dominus.

14Et dixistis: Quid locuti sumus contra te? Dixistis: Vanus est qui servit Deo: et quod emolumentum quia custodivimus præcepta ejus, et quia ambulavimus tristes coram Domino exercituum?

15Ergo nunc beatos dicimus arrogantes: siquidem ædificati sunt facientes impietatem, et tentaverunt Deum, et salvi facti sunt.

16Tunc locuti sunt timentes Dominum, unusquisque cum proximo suo: et attendit Dominus, et audivit, et scriptus est liber monumenti coram eo timentibus Dominum, et cogitantibus nomen ejus.

17Et erunt mihi, ait Dominus exercituum, in die qua ego facio, in peculium: et parcam eis, sicut parcit vir filio suo servienti sibi.

18Et convertemini, et videbitis quid sit inter justum et impium, et inter servientem Deo et non servientem ei.

1Behold, I send my angel, and he will prepare the way before my face. And presently the Sovereign, whom you seek, and the angel of testimony, whom you desire, will arrive at his temple. Behold, he approaches, says the Lord of hosts.

2And who will be able to consider the day of his advent, and who will stand firm in order to see him? For he is like a refining fire, and like the fuller’s herb.

3And he will sit refining and cleansing the silver, and he will purge the sons of Levi, and he will gather them like gold, and like silver, and they will offer sacrifices to the Lord in justice.

4And the sacrifice of Judah and of Jerusalem will please the Lord, just as in the days of past generations, and as in the ancient years.

5And I will approach you in judgment, and I will be a swift witness against evil-doers, and adulterers, and perjurers, and those who cheat the hired hand in his wages, the widows and the orphans, and who oppress the traveler, and who have not feared me, says the Lord of hosts.

6For I am the Lord, and I do not change. And you, the sons of Jacob, have not been consumed.

7For, from the days of your fathers, you have withdrawn from my ordinances and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. And you have said, “In what way, shall we return?”

8If a man will afflict God, then you greatly afflict me. And you have said, “In what way, do we afflict you?” In tithes and in first-fruits.

9And you have been cursed with privation, and you greatly afflict me, even your entire people.

10Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, and let there be food in my house. And test me about this, says the Lord, as to whether I will not open to you the floodgates of heaven, and pour out to you a blessing all the way to abundance.

11And I will rebuke for your sakes the devourer, and he will not corrupt the fruit of your land. Neither will the vine in the field be barren, says the Lord of hosts.

12And all nations will call you blessed. For you will be a desirable land, says the Lord of hosts.

13Your words have gathered strength over me, says the Lord.

14And you have said, “What have we spoken against you?” You have said, “He labors in vain who serves God,” and, “What advantage is it that we have kept his precepts, and that we have walked sorrowfully in the sight of the Lord of hosts?”

15Now, therefore, we call the arrogant blessed, as if those who work impiety have been built up, and as if they have tempted God and been saved.

16Then those who fear the Lord spoke, each one with his neighbor. And the Lord paid attention and heeded. And a book of remembrance was written in his sight, for those who fear the Lord and for those who consider his name.

17And they will be my special possession, says the Lord of hosts, on the day that I act. And I will spare them, just as a man spares his son who serves him.

18And you shall be converted, and you will see the difference between the just and the impious, and between those who serve God and those who do not serve him.