MALAKI

1 Isimemezelo:

Ilizwi uJehova alikhulume ngoMalaki* malungana nama-Israyeli:

2 “Nginitjengisile bona ngiyanithanda,”+ kutjho uJehova.

Kodwana nina nithi: “Usitjengise njani ukuthi uyasithanda?”

Kghani u-Esewu bekangasimnakwabo kaJakopo na?”+ Kutjho uJehova. “Nokho bengimthanda uJakopo, 3 kodwana ngamhloya u-Esewu+ bese ngatjhabalalisa iintaba zakhe+ nelifa lakhe laba yindawo yokuhlala iimpungutjha.”+

4 “Nanyana u-Edomu athi, ‘Sitjhatjalalisiwe kodwana sizokubuya sizokuvuselela amarubhi,’ ngilokhu uJehova wamabutho akutjhoko, ‘Bazokwakha kodwana mina ngizokugiriza, bazokubizwa ngokuthi “yindawo yobukhohlakali” nangokuthi “babantu uJehova abalahle unomphela.”+ 5 Amehlwenu azokubona lokhu begodu nizokuthi: “Kwanga uJehova angaphakanyiswa phezu kwendawo yakwa-Israyeli.”’”

6 “‘Indodana ihlonipha uyise+ nesisebenzi sihlonipha umphathaso. Nje-ke nangabe ngingubaba,+ kuphi ukuhlonitjhwa okungifaneleko?+ Nangabe ngimphathi, kuphi ukusatjwa* okungifaneleko?’ UJehova wamabutho utjho lokhu kini nina baphristi abadelela igama lami.+

“‘Kodwana nina nithi: “Silidelele njani igama lakho?”’

7 “‘Nilidelele ngokuletha ukudla okusilapheleko* e-aldareni lami.’

“‘Begodu nathi: “Sikusilaphaze njani?”’

“‘Nikusilaphaze ngokuthi nithi: “Itafula lakaJehova+ liyinto engakaqakatheki.” 8 Naniletha isilwana esiphopheleko bona nenze ngaso umhlatjelo, nithi: “Akusikumbi lokho.” Nalokha naniletha isilwana esirholopheleko namkha esigulako, nithi: “Akusikumbi lokho.”’”+

“Khenilinge ukwenza njalo kumbusenu. Uzonithabela na namkha anamukele?” Kutjho uJehova wamabutho.

9 “Nje-ke ngibawa nincenge uZimu bona abe nomusa kithi. Ngokwenza kwenu iminikelo enjalo, uzokuba nomusa na kini?” Kutjho uJehova wamabutho.

10 “Ngubani hlangana nani ozokuvala iminyango?*+ Ngombana angekhe nitjhise i-aldara lami ngesihle.+ Aningithabisi,” kutjho uJehova wamabutho “begodu ayingithabisi neminikelo evela kini.”+

11 “Ngombana igama lami lizokuba likhulu hlangana neentjhaba,+ kusukela ekuphumeni kwelanga ukuya ekutjhingeni kwalo. Kizo zoke iindawo igama lami lizokuthunyiselwa imihlatjelo neminikelo ibe sisipho esicwengileko; ngombana igama lami lizokuba likhulu hlangana neentjhaba,”+ kutjho uJehova wamabutho.

12 “Nina nilinyaza*+ ngokuthi, ‘Itafula lakaJehova lisilaphele neminikelo eyenziwa kilo nokudla kwalo kufuze kudelelwe.’+ 13 Godu nithi, ‘Lisidina! Begodu niyalikhwinyisela,” kutjho uJehova wamabutho. “Niletha iinlwana ezetjiweko, ezirholopheleko nezigulako. Niletha izinto ezinjalo bona zibe sisipho. Kufuze ngizamukele na?”+ Kutjho uJehova wamabutho.

14 “Uqalekisiwe umuntu okhohlisako othi anesilwana esiphile kuhle esiduna emhlambinakhe, afunge ukuthi uzokunikela ngaso kuJehova kodwana anikele ngesirholopheleko. Ngombana ngiyiKosi ekulu,”+ kutjho uJehova wamabutho “begodu igama lami lizokusatjwa eentjhabeni.”+

2 “Nje-ke nakhu umyalo onikelwa nina baphristi.+ 2 UJehova wamabutho uthi, nangabe anilaleli begodu anikufaki eenhliziyweni zenu ukuphazimulisa igama lami, ngizokuthumela isiqalekiso kini+ begodu ngizokutjhugulula iimbusiso zibe ziinqalekiso.+ Ngizitjhugululile iimbusiso zaba ziinqalekiso, ngombana anikufaki eenhliziyweni zenu lokhu.”

3 “Ngebanga lenu, ngizokutjhabalalisa imbewu eniyitjalileko+ begodu ngizokurhatjha ubuso benu ngobulongwe, ubulongwe beenlwana enenza ngazo umhlatjelo eminyanyenenu; nizokulahlelwa lapha kulahlelwa khona ubulongwe beenlwana zemihlatjelo. 4 Ngemva kwalokho, nizokwazi ukuthi ngininikele umyalo lo bona isivumelwano sami noLevi siragele phambili,”+ kutjho uJehova wamabutho.

5 “Isivumelwano engasenza naye saba ngesisindisa ukuphila. Samenza waphila ngokuthula. Nje-ke ngebanga leembusiswezi, wangihlonipha. Njengombana aphakamisa igama lami, wahloya ukwenza nanyana yini engangithabisiko. 6 Umthetho* weqiniso bewusemlonyenakhe+ begodu ukungalungi bekungekho emlonyenakhe. Wakhamba nami ngokuthula nangokulunga,+ wabuyisa abantu abanengi endleleni engakalungi. 7 Ngombana umphristi kufuze abe nelwazi emlonyenakhe begodu abantu kufuze beze kuye bona bafumane iinqophiso,*+ ngombana usithunywa sakaJehova wamabutho.

8 “Kodwana nina niphambukile endleleni. Ngebanga lenu abantu abanengi baphule umthetho.+ Nitjhabalalise isivumelwano engasenza noLevi,”+ kutjho uJehova wamabutho. 9 “Nje-ke ngizonenza nideleleke begodu nibe phasi kibo boke abantu ngombana akhenge nihlale eendleleni zami kodwana nitjengise ukukhetha ekusebenziseni umthetho.”+

10 “Asinababa munye na?+ Asikabunjwa nguZimu oyedwa na? Nje-ke kubayini sikhohlisana,+ sidelela isivumelwano sabokhokho bethu? 11 UJuda wenze ukukhohlisa begodu kwa-Israyeli nakwaJuda kwenzeke izinto ezinyenyisako; ngombana uJuda akhenge ahloniphe uJehova othanda ukucwengeka,+ utjhade nendodakazi kazimu weentjhaba.+ 12 Ematendeni kaJakopo, uJehova uzokubulala nanyana ngubani owenza lokhu, ophaphemeko nophendulako naloyo oletha umnikelo kuJehova wamabutho.”+

13 “Okhunye enikwenzako, nigubuzesa i-aldara lakaJehova ngeenyembezi, nilila benibibitheke kangangobana akasayinaki neminikelwenu namkha athabele nanyana yini evela esandleni senu.+ 14 Nithi, ‘Kubayini? Kungombana uJehova ube ngufakazi phakathi kwakho nomfazi wobutjha bakho omkhohlisileko, nanyana amnganakho begodu amfazakho wesivumelwano.+ 15 Kodwana ukhona ongakhenge akwenze ngombana bekasese nommoya ocwengileko kaZimu. Yena bekafunani-ke? Bekafuna isizukulwana sakaZimu. Nje-ke zitjhejeni malungana nommoyenu begodu ningabakhohlisi abafazi bobutjha benu. 16 Ngombana ngiyakuhloya ukutlhala,”+ kutjho uJehova uZimu ka-Israyeli begodu ngiyamhloya “umuntu ovala isambatho sakhe ngenturhu,” kutjho uJehova wamabutho. “Nje-ke tjhejani indlela enicabanga ngayo ningakhohlisi.+

17 “Nenze uJehova wadinwa ngamezwenu.+ Kodwana nithi, ‘Simenze njani wadinwa?’ Nimenze ngokuthi nithi, ‘Woke umuntu owenza okumbi muhle emehlweni kaJehova begodu uyamthabisa’+ namkha ngokuthi, ‘Uphi uZimu wobulungiswa?’”

3 “Qala! Ngithumela isithunywa sami esizokulungisa indlela phambi kwami.+ Khonokho iKosi yeqiniso eniyifunako izokuza ethempelini layo;+ isithunywa sesivumelwano sizokuza, enisilinde ngethabo. Kwamambala sizokuza,” kutjho uJehova wamabutho.

2 Yeke ngubani ozokukghodlhelela ilanga lokuza kwakhe begodu ngubani ozokukghona ukuqalana naye nakezako? Ngombana uzokuba njengomlilo womhlungi nanjengesibha+ sabantu abavasako. 3 Uzokuhlala njengomhlungi nomhlanzi wesiliva+ begodu uzokuhlanza amadodana kaLevi; uzowahlunga njengegolide nanjengesiliva, ngokuqinisekileko azokuba njengabantu abaletha umnikelo ngokulunga kuJehova. 4 Umnikelo wakwaJuda neweJerusalema uzomthabisa uJehova, njengemalangeni wakade nanjengeminyakeni yakade.+

5 “Ngizokuza bona nginahlulele begodu ngizokwahlulela msinya abaloyi,+ iimfebe, abenza iimfungo ezimamala,+ abadlelezela iinsebenzi eziqatjhiweko,+ umhlolokazi nomntwana onganayise,*+ nalabo abangafuni ukusiza umuntu ovela kwenye inarha.+ Laba akhenge bangisabe,” kutjho uJehova wamabutho.

6 “Ngombana nginguJehova; angitjhuguluki.*+ Nimadodana kaJakopo; kungebangelo ningakhenge nirhayilwe. 7 Kusukela emihleni yabokhokho benu, niphambukile eenqophisweni zami begodu akhenge nizilandele.+ Buyelani kimi, ngizokubuyela kini,”+ kutjho uJehova wamabutho.

Kodwana nithi: “Kufuze sibuyele njani?”

8 “Umuntu angamdlelezela na uZimu? Kodwana nina niyangidlelezela.”

Begodu nithi: “Sikudlelezele njani?”

“Ngokubhalelwa kuletha kwetjhumi neminikelo. 9 Ngokuqinisekileko niqalekisiwe,* ngombana niyangidlelezela, iye isitjhaba soke siyangidlelezela. 10 Lethani koke kwetjhumi ngesilulwini,+ bona kube nokudla ngendlinami+ begodu ngibawa ningilinge kilokhu,” kutjho uJehova wamabutho “khona nizokubona ukuthi angeze nganivulela amasango weenkhukhula wezulwini,+ nginikghuthulele iimbusiso bekube kulapho ningasatlhogi litho.”+

11 “Ngizonikhalimela iintethe* begodu angeze zitjhabalalise iinthelo zenarhenu namkha zenze isidiribe esisesiminenu singatheli,”+ kutjho uJehova wamabutho.

12 “Zoke iintjhaba kufuze zithi nithabile+ ngombana nizokuba yinarha ethabisako,” kutjho uJehova wamabutho.

13 “Amezwi eniwakhulume ngami ayahlaba,” kutjho uJehova.

Begodu nithi: “Sikhulume ngawe sathini?”+

14 “Nithi, ‘Akusizi ngalitho ukulotjha uZimu.+ Kusisize njani ukwenza koke akufunako nokukhamba sidanile phambi kwakaJehova wamabutho? 15 Kwanjesi sithi abagagamelako bathabile. Nalabo abenza ngokukhohlakala bayaphumelela.+ Balinga uZimu begodu bayaliswa.’”

16 Ngesikhatheso, labo abasaba uJehova bakhulumisana bodwa omunye nomunye nomnganakhe, uJehova wabatjhejisisa begodu wabalalela. Kwatlolwa nencwadi yesikhumbuzo phambi kwakhe+ yalabo abasaba uJehova nalabo abazindla ngegama lakhe.*+

17 “Bazokuba ngebami,”+ kutjho uJehova, “mhlazana ngiveza ipahla ekhethekileko.+ Ngizokuba nesirhawu kibo, njengomuntu onesirhawu endodanenakhe emlalelako.+ 18 Godu nizokubona umehluko phakathi komuntu olungileko nomuntu okhohlakeleko+ nomuntu olotjha uZimu nomuntu ongamlotjhiko.”

4 “Ngombana qala! Ilanga liyeza, litjhisa njengomlilo onamalangabi,+ lokha boke abagagamelako nalabo abenza ubukhohlakali bazokuba njengomhlanga. Ilanga elizakweli nangambala lizobarhiribidela,” kutjho uJehova wamabutho, “begodu angekhe libatjhiyele imirabhu neempande. 2 Kodwana nina enihlonipha* igama lami, ilanga eliletha ukulunga lizokukhanya begodu imisebalo izonilapha; nizokweqayeqa njengamakonyana anonileko.”

3 “Nizokugadanga abakhohlakeleko, ngombana bazokuba njengethuli ngaphasi kweenyawo zenu mhlazana ngithatha igadango,” kutjho uJehova wamabutho.

4 “Khumbulani umThetho engawunikela incekwami uMosi, iinqophiso nezahlulelo engamyala ngazo eRhorebe bona woke ama-Israyeli azilalele.+

5 “Qalani! Nginithumela u-Eliya umphorofidi+ ngaphambi kobana kufike ilanga elikhulu nelisabekako lakaJehova.+ 6 Uzokutjhugulula iinhliziyo zaboyise zibe njengezamadodana,+ neenhliziyo zamadodana zibe njengezaboyise bona ngingezi ngibethe iphasi ngilitjhabalalise.”