1  And now, this commandment is for you, O ye priests.

1  NOW therefore, O priests, this commandment is for you.

2  If ye will not hearken, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto My name, saith YHWH of hosts, then will I send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; yea, I curse them, because ye do not lay it to heart.

2  If you will refuse to listen, and if you will refuse to take it to heart, so as to give glory to my name, says the Lord of hosts, I will send destitution upon you, and I will curse your blessings; yes, I will curse them. For you have not taken it to heart.

2  If you will not obey, and if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts, I will send curses upon you, and I will curse your blessings because you have not laid it to your heart.

3  Behold, I will rebuke the seed for your hurt, and will spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your sacrifices; and ye shall be taken away unto it.

3  Behold, I turn my back upon you, and I will scatter dung upon your faces, the dung of your feasts, and I will carry you away at the same time.

3  Behold, I will cast forth an arm to you, and I will scatter across your face the dung of your solemnities, and it will take you to itself.

4  Know then that I have sent this commandment unto you, that My covenant might be with Levi, saith YHWH of hosts.

4  And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant might be with the sons of Levi, saith the Lord Almighty.

4  And you will know that I sent you this commandment, so that my covenant might be with Levi, says the Lord of hosts.

5  My covenant was with him of life and peace, and I gave them to him, and of fear, and he feared Me, and was afraid of My name.

5  My covenant of life and peace was with him, and I gave it him that he might reverently fear me, and that he might be awe-struck at my name.

6  The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and did turn many away from iniquity.

7  For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of YHWH of hosts.

7  For the lips of the priests will keep knowledge, and they will request the law from his mouth, because he is an angel of the Lord of hosts.

8  But ye are turned aside out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble in the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith YHWH of hosts.

8  But ye have turned aside from the way, and caused many to fail in following the law: ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord Almighty.

8  But you have withdrawn from the way, and you have scandalized very many in the law. You have nullified the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts.

9  Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept My ways, but have had respect of persons in the law.

9  And I have made you despised and cast out among all the people, because ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

9  Because of this, I also have made you contemptible and debased to all the people, just as you have not served my ways, and you have accepted a face in the law.

10  Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers?

10  Is there not one Father of us all? Did not one God create us? Why, then, does each one of us despise his brother, violating the covenant of our fathers?

11  Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of YHWH which He loveth, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.

11  Juda has been forsaken, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Juda has profaned the holy things of the Lord, which he delighted in, and has gone after other gods.

11  Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD of hosts and has loved and served foreign gods.

12  May YHWH cut off to the man that doeth this, him that calleth and him that answereth out of the tents of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the YHWH of hosts.

12  The Lord will utterly destroy the man that does these things, until he be even cast down from out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and from among them that offer sacrifice to the Lord Almighty.

12  The LORD will destroy the man who does this, and also his son and his son's son out of the tabernacle of Jacob; and he shall have none to present the offering to the LORD of hosts.

13  And this further ye do: ye cover the altar of YHWH with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, insomuch that He regardeth not the offering any more, neither receiveth it with good will at your hand.

13  And these things which I hated, ye did: ye covered with tears the altar of the Lord, and with weeping and groaning because of troubles: is it meet for me to have respect to your sacrifice, or to receive anything from your hands as welcome?

13  And you have done this repeatedly: you have covered the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and bellowing, to such an extent that I no longer have respect towards the sacrifice, nor do I accept any appeasement that is from your hands.

14  Yet ye say: 'Wherefore?' Because YHWH hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously, though she is thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

14  And you have said, “What is the reason for this?” It is because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, whom you have despised. Yet she was your partner, and the wife of your covenant.

15  And not one hath done so who had exuberance of spirit! For what seeketh the one? a seed given of God. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

15  And did he not do well? and there was the residue of his spirit. But ye said, What does God seek but a seed? But take ye heed to your spirit, and forsake not the wife of thy youth.

16  For I hate putting away, saith YHWH, the God of Israel, and him that covereth his garment with violence, saith the YHWH of hosts; therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

16  If you would hold hatred, dismiss her, says the Lord, the God of Israel. But iniquity will cover his garment, says the Lord of hosts. Preserve your spirit, and do not be willing to despise.

16  For the LORD, the God of Israel, says that no one should conceal the iniquity in his robe; therefore take heed to your spirit, and do not deal treacherously.

17  Ye have wearied YHWH with your words. Yet ye say: 'Wherein have we wearied Him?' In that ye say: 'Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the YHWH, and He delighteth in them; or where is the God of justice?'

17  ye that have provoked God with your words. But ye said, Wherein have we provoked him? In that ye say, Every one that does evil is a pleasing object in the sight of the Lord, and he takes pleasure in such; and where is the God of justice?

17  You have wearied the Lord with your speeches, and you have said, “In what way, have we wearied him?” In that you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and such as these please him,” or certainly, “Where is the God of judgment?”

3:1  Behold, I send My messenger, and he shall clear the way before Me; and YHWH, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to His temple, and the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in, behold, he cometh, saith YHWH of hosts.

1  BEHOLD, I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me; and he for whom you are waiting shall suddenly come to the temple of the LORD, even the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight; behold, he shall come, says the LORD of hosts.

3:2  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;

2  And who will abide the day of his coming? or who will withstand at his appearing? for he is coming in as the fire of a furnace and as the herb of fullers.

2  And 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.

3:3  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; and there shall be they that shall offer unto YHWH offerings in righteousness.

3  He shall sit to melt and purify as it were silver, and as it were gold: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver, and they shall offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness.

3  And 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.

3:4  Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto YHWH, as in the days of old, and as in ancient years.

4  And the sacrifice of Juda and Jerusalem shall be pleasing to the Lord, according to the former days, and according to the former years.

3:5  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 YHWH of hosts.

5  And I will draw near to you in judgement; and I will be a swift witness against the witches, and against the adulteresses, and against them that swear falsely by my name, and against them that keep back the hireling’s wages, and them that oppress the widow, and afflict orphans, and that wrest the judgement of the stranger, and fear not me, saith the Lord Almighty.

5  And 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.

3:6  For I YHWH change not; and ye, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.

6  For I am the Lord your God, and I am not changed

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

3:7  From the days of your fathers ye have turned aside from Mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith YHWH of hosts. But ye say: 'Wherein shall we return?'

7  but ye, the sons of Jacob, have not refrained from the iniquities of your fathers: ye have perverted my statutes, and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, saith the Lord Almighty. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

3:8  Will a man rob God? Yet ye rob Me. But ye say: 'Wherein have we robbed Thee?' In tithes and heave-offerings.

8  Will a man insult God? for ye insult me. But ye say, Wherein have we insulted thee? In that the tithes and first-fruits are with you still.

8  If 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.

3:9  Ye are cursed with the curse, yet ye rob Me, even this whole nation.

9  And ye do surely look off from me, and ye insult me.

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

3:10  Bring ye the whole tithe into the store-house, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now herewith, saith YHWH of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall be more than sufficiency.

10  The year is completed, and ye have brought all the produce into the storehouses; but there shall be the plunder thereof in its house: return now on this behalf, saith the Lord Almighty, see if I will not open to you the torrents of heaven, and pour out my blessing upon you, until ye are satisfied.

10  Bring 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.

3:11  And I will rebuke the devourer for your good, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your land; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before the time in the field, saith YHWH of hosts.

11  And I will appoint food for you, and I will not destroy the fruit of your land; and your vine in the field shall not fail, saith the Lord Almighty.

3:12  And all nations shall call you happy; for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith YHWH of hosts.

3:13  Your words have been all too strong against Me, saith YHWH. Yet ye say: 'Wherein have we spoken against thee?'

13  Ye have spoken grievous words against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye said, Wherein have we spoken against thee?

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

3:14  Ye have said: 'It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked mournfully because of YHWH of hosts?

14  And 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?

3:15  And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up; yea, they try God, and are delivered.'

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

15  And henceforth we call the wicked blessed; yea, they that work wickedness are well established; they tempt God, and yet they are delivered.

3:16  Then they that feared YHWH spoke one with another; and the YHWH hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name.

16  Thus spoke they that feared the Lord, every one to his neighbour: and the Lord gave heed, and hearkened, and he wrote a book of remembrance before him for them that feared the Lord and reverenced his name.

16  Then 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.

3:17  And they shall be Mine, saith YHWH of hosts, in the day that I do make, even Mine own treasure; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

17  And 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.

3:18  Then shall ye again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not.

18  And 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.

18  Then shall you return and see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who served God and those who served him not.

4:2  But unto you that fear My name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings; and ye shall go forth, and gambol as calves of the stall.

2  But for you who revere my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing upon his lips; and you shall go forth and leap for joy like the calves of the herd.

4:3  And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I do make, saith YHWH of hosts.

3  And ye shall trample the wicked; for they shall be ashes underneath your feet in the day which I appoint, saith the Lord Almighty.

3  And you will trample the impious, while they will be ashes under the sole of your foot, on the day that I act, says the Lord of hosts.

4:4  Remember ye the law of Moses My servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances.

4:5  Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of YHWH.

5  And, behold, I will send to you Elias the Thesbite, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes;

4:6  And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers; lest I come and smite the land with utter destruction.

6  who shall turn again the heart of the father to the son, and the heart of a man to his neighbour, lest I come and smite the earth grievously.

6  And he will turn the heart of the fathers to the sons, and the heart of the sons to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with anathema.