Malachi, 1

1. A message. The word of Yahweh to Israel through Malachi.

1. The oracle of the word of the LORD to Israel by Mal'achi.

2. 'I have loved you, says Yahweh. But you ask, "How have you shown your love?" Was not Esau Jacob's brother? declares Yahweh; even so, I loved Jacob

2. "I have loved you," says the LORD. But you say, "How hast thou loved us?" "Is not Esau Jacob's brother?" says the LORD. "Yet I have loved Jacob

3. but I hated Esau. I turned his mountains into a desert and his heritage into dwellings in the wastelands.

3. but I have hated Esau; I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert."

4. If Edom says, "We have been struck down but we shall rebuild our ruins," Yahweh Sabaoth says this, "Let them build, but I shall pull down! They will be known as Land of Wickedness and Nation-with-which-Yahweh-is-angry-for-ever.

4. If Edom says, "We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins," the LORD of hosts says, "They may build, but I will tear down, till they are called the wicked country, the people with whom the LORD is angry for ever."

5. You will see this yourselves and you will say: Yahweh is mighty beyond the borders of Israel."

5. Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, "Great is the LORD, beyond the border of Israel!"

6. 'The son honours his father, the slave stands in awe of his master. But if I am indeed father, where is the honour due to me? And if I am indeed master, where is the awe due to me? says Yahweh Sabaoth to you priests who despise my name. You ask, "How have we despised your name?"

6. "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. You say, `How have we despised thy name?'

7. By putting polluted food on my altar. You ask, "How have we polluted you?" By saying, "The table of Yahweh deserves no respect."

7. By offering polluted food upon my altar. And you say, `How have we polluted it?' By thinking that the LORD's table may be despised.

8. When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is this not wrong? When you bring the lame and the diseased, is this not wrong? If you offer them to your governor, see if he is pleased with them or receives you graciously, says Yahweh Sabaoth.

8. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that no evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that no evil? Present that to your governor; will he be pleased with you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts.

9. In that case, try pleading with God to take pity on us (that is what you have done), and will he take any notice? says Yahweh Sabaoth.

9. And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the LORD of hosts.

10. Why does one of you not close the doors and so stop the pointless lighting of fires on my altar? I am not pleased with you, says Yahweh Sabaoth; from your hands I find no offerings acceptable.

10. Oh, that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire upon my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand.

11. But from farthest east to farthest west my name is great among the nations, and everywhere incense and a pure gift are offered to my name, since my name is great among the nations, says Yahweh Sabaoth.

11. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.

12. 'But you have profaned it by saying, "The table of the Lord is polluted, hence the food offered on it deserves no respect."

12. But you profane it when you say that the LORD's table is polluted, and the food for it may be despised.

13. You say, "How tiresome it all is!" and sniff disdainfully at me, says Yahweh Sabaoth. You bring a stolen, lame or diseased animal, you bring that as an offering! Am I to accept this from you? says Yahweh Sabaoth.

13. `What a weariness this is,' you say, and you sniff at me, says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD.

14. Cursed be the rogue who has a male in his flock but pays his vow by sacrificing a blemished animal to me! For I am a great king, says Yahweh Sabaoth, and among the nations my name inspires awe.'

14. Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished; for I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name is feared among the nations.