The Book of Malachi, Chapter 2מלאכי 2

וְעַתָּ֗ה אֲלֵיכֶ֛ם הַמִּצְוָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את הַכֹּהֲנִֽים

And now, O you priests, this commandment for you.

אִם לֹ֣א תִשְׁמְע֡וּ וְאִם לֹא֩ תָשִׂ֨ימוּ עַל לֵ֜ב לָתֵ֧ת כָּב֣וֹד לִשְׁמִ֗י אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֤י בָכֶם֙ אֶת הַמְּאֵרָ֔ה וְאָרוֹתִ֖י אֶת בִּרְכֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וְגַם֙ אָרוֹתִ֔יהָ כִּ֥י אֵינְכֶ֖ם שָׂמִ֥ים עַל לֵֽב

If you will not hear, and if you will not lay to heart, to give glory to my name, says YHWH of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because you do not lay to heart.

הִנְנִ֨י גֹעֵ֤ר לָכֶם֙ אֶת הַזֶּ֔רַע וְזֵרִ֤יתִי פֶ֨רֶשׁ֙ עַל פְּנֵיכֶ֔ם פֶּ֖רֶשׁ חַגֵּיכֶ֑ם וְנָשָׂ֥א אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֵלָֽיו

Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, the dung of your solemn feasts; and shall take you away with it.

וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֚י שִׁלַּ֣חְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את לִֽהְי֤וֹת בְּרִיתִי֙ אֶת לֵוִ֔י אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת

And you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant might be with Levi, says YHWH of hosts.

בְּרִיתִ֣י הָיְתָ֣ה אִתּ֗וֹ הַֽחַיִּים֙ וְהַ֨שָּׁל֔וֹם וָאֶתְּנֵֽם ל֥וֹ מוֹרָ֖א וַיִּֽירָאֵ֑נִי וּמִפְּנֵ֥י שְׁמִ֖י נִחַ֥ת הֽוּא

My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.

תּוֹרַ֤ת אֱמֶת֙ הָיְתָ֣ה בְּפִ֔יהוּ וְעַוְלָ֖ה לֹא נִמְצָ֣א בִשְׂפָתָ֑יו בְּשָׁל֤וֹם וּבְמִישׁוֹר֙ הָלַ֣ךְ אִתִּ֔י וְרַבִּ֖ים הֵשִׁ֥יב מֵעָוֺֽן

The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.

כִּֽי שִׂפְתֵ֤י כֹהֵן֙ יִשְׁמְרוּ דַ֔עַת וְתוֹרָ֖ה יְבַקְשׁ֣וּ מִפִּ֑יהוּ כִּ֛י מַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהוָֽה צְבָא֖וֹת הֽוּא

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

וְאַתֶּם֙ סַרְתֶּ֣ם מִן הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ הִכְשַׁלְתֶּ֥ם רַבִּ֖ים בַּתּוֹרָ֑ה שִֽׁחַתֶּם֙ בְּרִ֣ית הַלֵּוִ֔י אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת

But you are departed out of the way; you have caused many to stumble at the law; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says YHWH of hosts.

וְגַם אֲנִ֞י נָתַ֧תִּי אֶתְכֶ֛ם נִבְזִ֥ים וּשְׁפָלִ֖ים לְכָל הָעָ֑ם כְּפִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֵֽינְכֶם֙ שֹׁמְרִ֣ים אֶת דְּרָכַ֔י וְנֹשְׂאִ֥ים פָּנִ֖ים בַּתּוֹרָֽה

Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as you have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

הֲל֨וֹא אָ֤ב אֶחָד֙ לְכֻלָּ֔נוּ הֲל֛וֹא אֵ֥ל אֶֽחָ֖ד בְּרָאָ֑נוּ מַדּ֗וּעַ נִבְגַּד֙ אִ֣ישׁ בְּאָחִ֔יו לְחַלֵּ֖ל בְּרִ֥ית אֲבֹתֵֽינוּ

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

בָּגְדָ֣ה יְהוּדָ֔ה וְתוֹעֵבָ֛ה נֶעֶשְׂתָ֥ה בְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וּבִירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם כִּ֣י חִלֵּ֣ל יְהוּדָ֗ה קֹ֤דֶשׁ יְהוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָהֵ֔ב וּבָעַ֖ל בַּת אֵ֥ל נֵכָֽר

Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holiness of YHWH which he loved, and has married the daughter of a strange god.

יַכְרֵ֨ת יְהוָ֜ה לָאִ֨ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יַעֲשֶׂ֨נָּה֙ עֵ֣ר וְעֹנֶ֔ה מֵאָהֳלֵ֖י יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וּמַגִּ֣ישׁ מִנְחָ֔ה לַֽיהוָ֖ה צְבָאֽוֹת

YHWH will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering to YHWH of hosts.

וְזֹאת֙ שֵׁנִ֣ית תַּֽעֲשׂ֔וּ כַּסּ֤וֹת דִּמְעָה֙ אֶת מִזְבַּ֣ח יְהוָ֔ה בְּכִ֖י וַֽאֲנָקָ֑ה מֵאֵ֣ין ע֗וֹד פְּנוֹת֙ אֶל הַמִּנְחָ֔ה וְלָקַ֥חַת רָצ֖וֹן מִיֶּדְכֶֽם

And this have you done again, covering the altar of YHWH with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth with good will at your hand.

וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם עַל מָ֑ה עַ֡ל כִּי יְהוָה֩ הֵעִ֨יד בֵּינְךָ֜ וּבֵ֣ין אֵ֣שֶׁת נְעוּרֶ֗יךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ בָּגַ֣דְתָּה בָּ֔הּ וְהִ֥יא חֲבֶרְתְּךָ֖ וְאֵ֥שֶׁת בְּרִיתֶֽךָ

Yet you say, Wherefore? Because YHWH has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously: yet she your companion, and the wife of your covenant.

וְלֹא אֶחָ֣ד עָשָׂ֗ה וּשְׁאָ֥ר ר֨וּחַ֙ ל֔וֹ וּמָה֙ הָֽאֶחָ֔ד מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ זֶ֣רַע אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ בְּר֣וּחֲכֶ֔ם וּבְאֵ֥שֶׁת נְעוּרֶ֖יךָ אַל יִבְגֹּֽד

And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

כִּֽי שָׂנֵ֣א שַׁלַּ֗ח אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְכִסָּ֤ה חָמָס֙ עַל לְבוּשׁ֔וֹ אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם בְּרוּחֲכֶ֖ם וְלֹ֥א תִבְגֹּֽדוּ

For YHWH, the God of Israel, says that he hateth putting away: for covereth violence with his garment, says YHWH of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that you deal not treacherously.

הוֹגַעְתֶּ֤ם יְהוָה֙ בְּדִבְרֵיכֶ֔ם וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם בַּמָּ֣ה הוֹגָ֑עְנוּ בֶּאֱמָרְכֶ֗ם כָּל עֹ֨שֵׂה רָ֜ע ט֣וֹב בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה וּבָהֶם֙ ה֣וּא חָפֵ֔ץ א֥וֹ אַיֵּ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י הַמִּשְׁפָּֽט

You have wearied YHWH with your words. Yet you say, Wherein have we wearied ? When you say, Every one that doeth evil good in the sight of YHWH, and he delighteth in them; or, Where the God of judgment?