Malachi 1

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 A message. The word of Yahweh to Israel through Malachi.	1 An oracle. The word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi.
2 'I have loved you, says Yahweh. But you ask, "How have you shown your love?" Was not Esau Jacob'sbrother? declares Yahweh; even so, I loved Jacob	2 I have loved you, says the LORD; but you say, "How have you loved us?"
3 but I hated Esau. I turned his mountains into a desert and his heritage into dwellings in the wastelands.	3 Was not Esau Jacob's brother? says the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, but hated Esau; I made his mountains a waste, his heritage a desert for jackals.
4 If Edom says, "We have been struck down but we shall rebuild our ruins," Yahweh Sabaoth says this,"Let them build, but I shal pul down! They wil be known as Land of Wickedness and Nation-with-which-Yahweh-is-angry-for-ever.	4 If Edom says, "We have been crushed but we will rebuild the ruins," Thus says the LORD of hosts: They indeed may build, but I will tear down, And they shall be called the land of guilt, the people with whom the LORD is angry forever.
5 You wil see this yourselves and you wil say: Yahweh is mighty beyond the borders of Israel."	5 Your own eyes shall see it, and you will say, "Great is the LORD, even beyond the land of Israel."
6 'The son honours his father, the slave stands in awe of his master. But if I am indeed father, where isthe honour due to me? And if I am indeed master, where is the awe due to me? says Yahweh Sabaoth to youpriests who despise my name. You ask, "How have we despised your name?"	6 A son honors his father, and a servant fears his master; If then I am a father, where is the honor due to me? And if I am a master, where is the reverence due to me?-- So says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise his name. But you ask, "How have we despised your name?"
7 By putting pol uted food on my altar. You ask, "How have we polluted you?" By saying, "The table ofYahweh deserves no respect."	7 By offering polluted food on my altar! Then you ask, "How have we polluted it?" By saying the table of the LORD may be slighted!
8 When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is this not wrong? When you bring the lame and thediseased, is this not wrong? If you offer them to your governor, see if he is pleased with them or receives yougraciously, says Yahweh Sabaoth.	8 When you offer a blind animal for sacrifice, is this not evil? When you offer the lame or the sick, is it not evil? Present it to your governor; see if he will accept it, or welcome you, 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 wil he take anynotice? says Yahweh Sabaoth.	9 So now if you implore God for mercy on us, when you have done the like Will he welcome 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 amnot pleased with you, says Yahweh Sabaoth; from your hands I find no offerings acceptable.	10 Oh, that one among you would shut the temple gates to keep you from kindling fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts; neither will I accept any sacrifice from your hands,
11 But from farthest east to farthest west my name is great among the nations, and everywhere incenseand 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, even to its setting, my name is great among the nations; And everywhere they bring sacrifice to my name, and a pure offering; For great is my name among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.
12 'But you have profaned it by saying, "The table of the Lord is pol uted, hence the food offered on itdeserves no respect."	12 But you behave profanely toward me by thinking the LORD'S table and its offering may be polluted, and its food slighted.
13 You say, "How tiresome it al is!" and sniff disdainful y at me, says Yahweh Sabaoth. You bring astolen, lame or diseased animal, you bring that as an offering! Am I to accept this from you? says YahwehSabaoth.	13 You also say, "What a burden!" and you scorn it, says the LORD of hosts; You bring in what you seize, or the lame, or the sick; yes, you bring it as a sacrifice. Shall I accept it from your hands? says the LORD.
14 Cursed be the rogue who has a male in his flock but pays his vow by sacrificing a blemished animal tome! For I am a great king, says Yahweh Sabaoth, and among the nations my name inspires awe.'	14 Cursed is the deceiver, who has in his flock a male, but under his vow sacrifices to the LORD a gelding; For a great King am I, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.