1 ¶ The burden of the word of the LORD against Israel by the hand of Malachi.

The burden of a word of Jehovah unto Israel by the hand of Malachi:

2 I have loved you, said the LORD. Yet ye say, In what hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? said the LORD; yet I loved Jacob,

I have loved you, said Jehovah, And ye have said, `In what hast Thou loved us?'

3 a nd I rejected Esau and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

Is not Esau Jacob's brother? -- an affirmation of Jehovah, And I love Jacob, and Esau I have hated, And I make his mountains a desolation, And his inheritance for dragons of a wilderness.

4 W hen Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus hath the LORD of the hosts said, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The province of wickedness and The people against whom the LORD has indignation for ever.

Because Edom saith, `We have been made poor, And we turn back and we build the wastes,' Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: They do build, and I do destroy, And have called to them, `O region of wickedness,' `O people whom Jehovah defied to the age.'

5 A nd your eyes shall see and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified over the province of Israel.

And your eyes do see, and ye say, `Magnified is Jehovah beyond the border of Israel,

6 ¶ The son honours his father and the slave his master; if then I am a father, where is my honour? and if I am a master, where is my fear? said the LORD of the hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, In what have we despised thy name?

A son honoureth a father, and a servant his master. And if I a father, where Mine honour? And if I a master, where My fear? Said Jehovah of Hosts to you, O priests, despising My name! And ye have said: `In what have we despised Thy name?'

7 Y e offer polluted bread upon my altar; and ye say, In what have we polluted thee? In that ye say, We die of hunger in the service of the LORD.

Ye are bringing nigh on Mine altar polluted bread, And ye have said: `In what have we polluted Thee?' In your saying: `The table of Jehovah -- it despicable,'

8 A nd when ye offer the blind animal for sacrifice, is it not evil? Likewise when ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy prince; will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person? said the LORD of the hosts.

And when ye bring nigh the blind for sacrifice, `There is no evil,' And when ye bring nigh the lame and sick, `There is no evil;' Bring it near, I pray thee, to thy governor -- Doth he accept thee? or doth he lift up thy face? Said Jehovah of Hosts.

9 A nd now, therefore, beseech the face of God, and he will have compassion on us; this has come by your hand: will he regard your persons? said the LORD of the hosts.

And now, appease, I pray thee, the face of God, And He doth favour us; From your own hand hath this been, Doth He accept of you appearances? Said Jehovah of Hosts.

10 W ho is there even among you that would shut the doors or tend the fire on my altar for free? I have no pleasure in you, said the LORD of the hosts, neither will the offering from your hand be agreeable unto me.

Who even among you, And he shutteth the two-leaved doors? Yea, ye do not kindle Mine altar for nought, I have no pleasure in you, said Jehovah of Hosts, And a present I do not accept of your hand.

11 F or from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, my name is great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense is offered unto my name, and a clean offering; for my name is great among the Gentiles, said the LORD of the hosts.

For, from the rising of the sun to its going in, Great My name among nations, And in every place perfume is brought nigh to My name, and a pure present, For great My name among nations, Said Jehovah of Hosts.

12 A nd ye have profaned it when ye say, We die of hunger at the service of the LORD and when ye speak that his food is contemptible.

And ye are polluting it in your saying, `The table of Jehovah -- it is polluted, As to its fruit -- despicable is its food.'

13 A nd ye say, Behold, what a weariness it is! and ye have rejected it, said the LORD of the hosts; and ye brought that which was stolen or lame or sick and presented an offering: should this be acceptable unto me by your hand? said the LORD.

And ye have said, `Lo, what a weariness,' And ye have puffed at it, said Jehovah of Hosts, And ye have brought in plunder, And the lame and the sick, And ye have brought in the present! Do I accept it from your hand? said Jehovah.

14 B ut cursed be the deceiver, who has in his flock a male and vows and sacrifices unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of the hosts, and my name is formidable among the Gentiles.

And cursed a deceiver, who hath in his drove a male, And is vowing, and is sacrificing a marred thing to the Lord, For a great king I, said Jehovah of Hosts, And My name revered among nations!