UMalakhi 1

1 ¹Leli yizwi likaBaba wethu ku-Israyeli, elalethwa ngoMalaki. ^a a v1 Igama elithi Malaki lisho ukuthi “isithunywa sami” — igama elifanele le ncwadi evala iTestamente Elidala ngokumemezela isithunywa esilungisa indlela.

²“Nginithandile,” kusho uBaba wethu. “Kodwa nibuza nithi, ‘Usithande kanjani na?’ Kanti u-Esawu wayengumfowabo kaJakobe na?” kusho uBaba wethu. “Kepha ngamthanda uJakobe, ³kodwa u-Esawu ngamzonda. Ngenza izintaba zakhe zaba yihlane, ngashiya ifa lakhe ezimpungusheni zasehlane.” ⁴U-Edomi angathi, “Sichithekile, kodwa sizowakha kabusha amanxiwa.” Kodwa uBaba wamabutho asezulwini uthi: “Bangakha, kodwa mina ngizodiliza. Bayakubizwa ngokuthi yiZwe Elibi, abantu uBaba wethu ahlala ebathukuthelele kuze kube phakade.” ⁵Amehlo enu ngokwawo ayakukubona lokhu, nithi, ‘Mkhulu uBaba wethu—ngale kwemingcele yakwa-Israyeli!’

Abapristi abadelela igama likaBaba

⁶“Indodana iyamhlonipha uyise, nenceku ihlonipha inkosi yayo. Uma ngingubaba, luphi udumo lwami? Uma ngiyinkosi, kuphi ukuhlonishwa kwami? kusho uBaba wamabutho asezulwini kini nina bapristi enidelela igama lami. Kodwa nibuza nithi, ‘Sidelele kanjani igama lakho?’” ^b b v6 Lapha uBaba wethu uzibiza ngokusobala ngokuthi unguBaba, acele ebantwaneni bakhe udumo indodana evame ukulunika uyise — yisikhalo senhliziyo esihamba kuyo yonke incwadi.

⁷“Nibeka ukudla okungcolileyo e-altare lami, bese nibuza, ‘Sikungcolise kanjani?’ Ngokubiza itafula likaBaba wethu ngelidelelekile. ⁸Lapho ninikela ngesilwane esiyimpumputhe, lokho akukubi na? Nikelani ngesishosha nesigulayo—lokho akukubi na? Kwethuleni kumbusi wenu—uzokwaneliseka yini ngani? Uzonamukela yini?” kusho uBaba wamabutho asezulwini.

⁹“Manje ncengani uBaba wethu ukuba abe nomusa kithi. Ngeminikelo enjalo evela ezandleni zenu, uyakwamukela yini noma ubani kini?” kusho uBaba wamabutho asezulwini.

¹⁰“Sengathi omunye wenu angavala iminyango, ukuze ningabasi imililo eyize e-altare lami! Anginenjabulo ngani,” kusho uBaba wamabutho asezulwini, “futhi angiyikwamukela mnikelo ovela ezandleni zenu. ¹¹Kusukela ekuphumeni kwelanga kuze kube sekushoneni kwalo, igama lami liyakuba likhulu phakathi kwezizwe. Yonke indawo kuyakulethwa impepho neminikelo ehlanzekileyo egameni lami, ngokuba igama lami liyakuba likhulu phakathi kwezizwe,” kusho uBaba wamabutho asezulwini. ¹²“Kodwa niyalingcolisa, nithi itafula likaBaba oyiNkosi lingcolile nokudla kwalo kungadelelwa.”

¹³“Nithi, ‘Yeka umthwalo!’ niwufinyela ngokudelela,” kusho uBaba wamabutho asezulwini. “Niletha izilwane ezintshontshiweyo, eziyizishosha nezigulayo njengeminikelo—ngingazamukela yini kini?” kusho uBaba wethu.

¹⁴“Uqalekisiwe umkhohlisi onesilwane sesilisa esiphilile emhlambini wakhe asithembise, kodwa anikele ngesilwane esinesici kuBaba oyiNkosi. Ngokuba ngiyiNkosi enkulu,” kusho uBaba wamabutho asezulwini, “negama lami liyesabeka phakathi kwezizwe.”