1 N a inaianei he whakahau tenei mo koutou, e nga tohunga.

“And now, this word is for you, O religious leaders.

2 K i te kore koutou e rongo, ki te kore e takoto i o koutou ngakau kia homai he kororia ki toku ingoa, e ai ta Ihowa o nga mano, ina ka tukua atu e ahau he kanga ki a koutou, ka kanga ano e ahau a koutou manaaki: ae ra, kua oti ano i ahau te kanga, no te mea kahore i te ngoto ki o koutou ngakau.

If you do not listen, and if you do not set your heart to honor My name,” says the Lord of All, “then I will send the curse on you. I will destroy the good things you have been given. Yes, I have cursed them already, because you have not set your heart to honor Me.

3 N ana, ka riria e ahau te purapura, he mea mo koutou, ka akiritia atu hoki he paru kararehe ki runga ki o koutou mata, ara ko te paru o a koutou whakahere; a ka riro tahi atu koutou me tena.

I will speak sharp words to your children. I will spread animal waste on your faces, the waste of your special suppers. And you will be taken away with it.

4 A ka mohio koutou naku tenei whakahau i tuku ki a koutou, kia mau ai taku kawenata ki a Riwai, e ai ta Ihowa o nga mano.

Then you will know that I have sent this word to you, so that My agreement with Levi may be kept,” says the Lord of All.

5 I a ia taku kawenata mo te ora, mo te rongo mau; he mea hoatu naku ki a ia kia wehi ai ia, a i wehi ia ki ahau, a hopohopo ana ki toku ingoa.

“My agreement with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him, that he might honor Me with fear. So he honored Me with fear. My name filled him with fear and wonder.

6 I roto i tona mangai te ture o te pono, kihai hoki te he i kitea ki ona ngutu: i haere tahi ia i ahau i runga i te rongo mau, i te tika, he tini hoki i tahuri mai i a ia i te kino.

True teaching was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and was right and good. And he turned many from sin.

7 K o te tikanga hoki ma nga ngutu o te tohunga he tiaki matauranga, a ma ratou e rapu te ture ki tona mangai: no te mea ko te karere ia a Ihowa o nga mano.

For the lips of a religious leader should have much learning. Men should listen for teaching from his mouth, for he is sent by the Lord of All.

8 K o koutou ia kua peka ke i te ara, kua mea i te ture hei tutukitanga waewae mo etahi, he tokomaha; he iho i a koutou te kawenata ki a Riwai, e ai ta Ihowa o nga mano.

But you have turned aside from the way. You have made many fall by your teaching. You have sinned against the agreement of Levi,” says the Lord of All.

9 N a kua meinga na koutou e ahau kia whakahaweatia, kia iti, i te aroaro o nga tangata katoa, kua rite ki ta koutou kihai na i mau ki aku ara; a i nga mea o te ture he whakapai tangata ta koutou.

“So I have made you hated and ashamed in front of all the people, for you are not keeping My ways. You have shown favor to certain people when you teach them.” The People Are Not Faithful to God

10 H e teka ianei kotahi ano te papa o tatou katoa? he teka ianei kotahi ano te Atua nana tatou i hanga? he aha tatou i tinihanga ai, te tuakana ki te teina, i whakanoa ai i te kawenata ki o tatou matua?

“Do we not all have one Father? Has not one God made us? Why can we not be trusted by one another? Why do we sin against the agreement of our fathers?

11 K ua tinihanga a Hura, e mahia ana hoki te mea whakarihariha i roto i a Iharaira, i Hiruharama; kua noa hoki i a Hura te tapu o Ihowa, tana hoki i aroha ai, a marenatia ana mana te tamahine a te atua ke.

Judah has not been faithful. A very sinful thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has made unclean the holy place of the Lord, which He loves. And he has married the daughter of a strange god.

12 K a hatepea atu e Ihowa ki te tangata nana tenei mahi te kaiwhakaoho raua ko te tangata whakao, i roto i nga teneti o Hakopa, ratou ano ko te kaitapae i te whakahere ki a Ihowa o nga mano.

May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob every man who does this, even if he brings a gift in worship to the Lord of All.

13 N a kei te mahi ano koutou i tenei: kei te hipoki koutou i te aata a Ihowa ki te roimata, ki te tangi, ki te aue, nawai a ka kore ia e aro ki te whakahere i muri atu, kahore hoki e manako ki te tango mai i ta to koutou ringa.

This is another thing you do: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears from much crying, because He no longer cares about the gift or receives it with favor from your hands.

14 H eoi e mea na koutou, Na te aha? No te mea he kaiwhakaatu a Ihowa mo tau ki te wahine o tou taitamarikitanga i tinihangatia ra e koe, ahakoa ko ia tou hoa, ko te wahine o tau kawenata.

You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord has seen how you have not been faithful to the wife you married when you were young, even when she stays with you and is your wife by agreement.

15 H e teka ianei kotahi tana i hanga ai, ahakoa i a ia ano te toenga iho o te wairua? A na te aha i kotahi ai? I rapu ia i te uri atua. Na tiakina to koutou wairua, kaua hoki tetahi e tinihanga ki te wahine o tona taitamarikitanga.

Has not the Lord made them one in flesh and spirit? And what does He desire but God-like children? Be careful then in your spirit, and stay faithful to the wife you married when you were young.

16 E kino ana hoki ahau ki te whakarere, e ai ta Ihowa, ta te Atua o Iharaira; ki te hipoki ano hoki i tona kakahu ki te tutu, e ai ta Ihowa o nga mano; no reira tiakina to koutou wairua, kia kaua koutou e tinihanga.

“For I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel. “And I hate the man who does wrong to his wife,” says the Lord of All. “So be careful in your spirit, and be one who can be trusted.”

17 K ua hoha a Ihowa i a koutou kupu. A e mea na koutou, I whakahohatia ia e matou ki te aha? I a koutou e ki na, He pai ki te titiro a Ihowa nga tangata katoa e mahi ana i te kino, e manako ana hoki ia ki a ratou. Kei hea oti te Atua o te whakawa?

You have made the Lord tired with your words. Yet you say, “How have we made Him tired?” By saying, “Everyone who sins is good in the eyes of the Lord, and He is pleased with them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God Who is fair?”