Revised Literal Translation

Malachi 2

1And now, O ye priestsהַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃ha.ko.ha.NimH3548,this commandmentהַמִּצְוָ֥הha.mitz.VahH4687is for you.

2If ye will not hearתִשְׁמְע֡וּtish.me.'UH8085,and if ye will not layתָשִׂ֨ימוּta.Si.muH7760itto heartלֵ֜בlevH3820,to giveלָתֵ֧תla.TetH5414gloryכָּב֣וֹדka.VodH3519unto my nameלִשְׁמִ֗יlish.MiH8034,saithאָמַר֙'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'otH6635,I will even sendוְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֤יve.shi.lach.TiH7971a curseהַמְּאֵרָ֔הha.me.'e.RahH3994upon you, and I will curseוְאָרוֹתִ֖יve.'a.ro.TiH779your blessingsבִּרְכֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑םbir.kho.tei.KhemH1293:yea, I have cursedאָרוֹתִ֔יהָ'a.ro.Ti.haH779them already, because ye do not layשָׂמִ֥יםsa.MimH7760itto heartלֵֽב׃LevH3820.

3Behold, I will corruptגֹעֵ֤רgo.'ErH1605your seedהַזֶּ֔רַעha.Ze.ra'H2233,and spreadוְזֵרִ֤יתִיve.ze.Ri.tiH2219dungפֶ֙רֶשׁ֙fe.reshH6569upon your facesפְּנֵיכֶ֔םpe.nei.KhemH6440, eventhe dungפֶּ֖רֶשׁPe.reshH6569of your solemn feastsחַגֵּיכֶ֑םcha.gei.KhemH2282; and oneshall take you awayוְנָשָׂ֥אve.na.Sa'H5375with it.

4And ye shall knowוִֽידַעְתֶּ֕םvi.da'.TemH3045that I have sentשִׁלַּ֣חְתִּיshi.Lach.tiH7971this commandmentהַמִּצְוָ֣הha.mitz.VahH4687unto you, that my covenantבְּרִיתִי֙be.ri.TiH1285might be with Leviלֵוִ֔יle.ViH3878,saithאָמַ֖ר'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָאֽוֹת׃tze.va.'otH6635.

5My covenantבְּרִיתִ֣י׀be.ri.TiH1285was with him of lifeהַֽחַיִּים֙ha.chai.YimH2416and peaceוְהַ֨שָּׁל֔וֹםve.Ha.sha.LomH7965;and I gaveוָאֶתְּנֵֽם־va.'e.te.nem-H5414them to him forthe fearמוֹרָ֖אmo.Ra'H4172wherewith he fearedוַיִּֽירָאֵ֑נִיvai.yi.ra.'E.niH3372me, and was afraidנִחַ֥תni.ChatH2865beforeוּמִפְּנֵ֥יu.mi.pe.NeiH6440my nameשְׁמִ֖יshe.MiH8034.

6The lawתּוֹרַ֤תto.RatH8451of truthאֱמֶת֙'e.MetH571was in his mouthבְּפִ֔יהוּbe.Fi.huH6310,and iniquityוְעַוְלָ֖הve.'av.LahH5766was not foundנִמְצָ֣אnim.Tza'H4672in his lipsבִשְׂפָתָ֑יוvis.fa.TavH8193:he walkedהָלַ֣ךְha.LakhH1980with me in peaceבְּשָׁל֤וֹםbe.sha.LomH7965and equityוּבְמִישׁוֹר֙u.ve.mi.shOrH4334,and did turnH7725manyוְרַבִּ֖יםve.ra.BimH7227awayהֵשִׁ֥יבhe.ShivH7725from iniquityמֵעָוֹֽן׃me.'a.VonH5771.

7For the priest’sכֹהֵן֙kho.HenH3548lipsשִׂפְתֵ֤יsif.TeiH8193should keepיִשְׁמְרוּ־yish.me.ru-H8104knowledgeדַ֔עַתDa.'atH1847,and they should seekיְבַקְשׁ֣וּye.vak.ShuH1245the lawוְתוֹרָ֖הve.to.RahH8451at his mouthמִפִּ֑יהוּmi.Pi.huH6310: for he isthe messengerמַלְאַ֥ךְmal.'AkhH4397of Yhwhיְהוָֽה־Yah.weh-H3068of Armiesצְבָא֖וֹתtze.va.'otH6635.

8But ye are departedסַרְתֶּ֣םsar.TemH5493out of the wayהַדֶּ֔רֶךְha.De.rekhH1870;ye have caused manyרַבִּ֖יםra.BimH7227to stumbleהִכְשַׁלְתֶּ֥םhikh.shal.TemH3782at the lawבַּתּוֹרָ֑הba.to.RahH8451;ye have corruptedשִֽׁחַתֶּם֙shi.cha.TemH7843the covenantבְּרִ֣יתbe.RitH1285of Leviהַלֵּוִ֔יha.le.ViH3878,saithאָמַ֖ר'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָאֽוֹת׃tze.va.'otH6635.

9Therefore have I also madeנָתַ֧תִּיna.Ta.tiH5414you contemptibleנִבְזִ֥יםniv.ZimH959and baseוּשְׁפָלִ֖יםu.she.fa.LimH8217before all the peopleהָעָ֑םha.'AmH5971,accordingכְּפִ֗יke.FiH6310as ye have not keptשֹׁמְרִ֣יםsho.me.RimH8104my waysדְּרָכַ֔יde.ra.KhaiH1870,but have been partialוְנֹשְׂאִ֥ים פָּנִ֖יםve.no.se.'Im pa.NimH6440 H5375in the lawבַּתּוֹרָֽה׃ פba.to.RahH8451.

10Have we not all oneאֶחָד֙'e.ChadH259fatherאָ֤ב'avH1?hath not oneאֶֽחָ֖ד'e.ChadH259Godאֵ֥ל'elH410createdבְּרָאָ֑נוּbe.ra.'A.nuH1254us? why do we deal treacherouslyנִבְגַּד֙niv.GadH898every manאִ֣ישׁ'ishH376against his brotherבְּאָחִ֔יוbe.'a.ChivH251,by profaningלְחַלֵּ֖לle.cha.LelH2490the covenantבְּרִ֥יתbe.RitH1285of our fathersאֲבֹתֵֽינוּ׃'a.vo.Tei.nuH1?

11Judahיְהוּדָ֔הye.hu.DahH3063hath dealt treacherouslyבָּגְדָ֣הba.ge.DahH898,and an abominationוְתוֹעֵבָ֛הve.to.'e.VahH8441is committedנֶעֶשְׂתָ֥הne.'es.TahH6213in Israelבְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לve.Yis.ra.'ElH3478and in Jerusalemוּבִירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑םu.vi.ru.sha.LimH3389;for Judahיְהוּדָ֗הye.hu.DahH3063hath profanedחִלֵּ֣לchi.LelH2490the holinessקֹ֤דֶשׁKo.deshH6944of Yhwhיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068which he lovedאָהֵ֔ב'a.HevH157,and hath marriedוּבָעַ֖לu.va.'AlH1166the daughterבַּת־bat-H1323of a strangeנֵכָֽר׃ne.KharH5236godאֵ֥ל'elH410.

12Yhwhיְהוָ֜הYah.wehH3068will cut offיַכְרֵ֨תyakh.RetH3772the manלָאִ֨ישׁla.'IshH376that doethיַעֲשֶׂ֙נָּה֙ya.'a.Se.nahH6213this, the masterעֵ֣ר'erH5782and the scholarוְעֹנֶ֔הve.'o.NehH6030,out of the tabernaclesמֵאָהֳלֵ֖יme.'o.ho.LeiH168of Jacobיַֽעֲקֹ֑בya.'a.KoH3290,and him that offerethוּמַגִּ֣ישׁu.ma.GishH5066an offeringמִנְחָ֔הmin.ChahH4503unto Yhwhלַֽיהוָ֖הla.Yah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָאֽוֹת׃ פtze.va.'otH6635.

13And this have ye doneתַּֽעֲשׂ֔וּta.'a.SuH6213againשֵׁנִ֣יתshe.NitH8145,coveringכַּסּ֤וֹתka.SotH3680the altarמִזְבַּ֣חmiz.BachH4196of Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068with tearsדִּמְעָה֙dim.'AhH1832,with weepingבְּכִ֖יbe.KhiH1065,and with crying outוַֽאֲנָקָ֑הva.'a.na.KahH603,insomuch that he regardethפְּנוֹת֙pe.nOtH6437not the offeringהַמִּנְחָ֔הha.min.ChahH4503any more, or receivethוְלָקַ֥חַתve.la.Ka.chatH3947itwith good willרָצ֖וֹןra.TzonH7522at your handמִיֶּדְכֶֽם׃mi.yed.KhemH3027.

14Yet ye sayוַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖םva.'a.mar.TemH559,Whereforeמָ֑הMahH4100?because Yhwhיְהוָה֩Yah.wehH3068hath been witnessהֵעִ֨ידhe.'IdH5749between thee and the wifeאֵ֣שֶׁת'E.shetH802of thy youthנְעוּרֶ֗יךָne.'u.Rei.khaH5271,against whom thou hast dealt treacherouslyבָּגַ֣דְתָּהba.Gad.tahH898: yet isshe thy companionחֲבֶרְתְּךָ֖cha.ver.te.KhaH2278,and the wifeוְאֵ֥שֶׁתve.'E.shetH802of thy covenantבְּרִיתֶֽךָ׃be.ri.Te.khaH1285.

15And did not he makeעָשָׂ֗ה'a.SahH6213oneאֶחָ֣ד'e.ChadH259?Yet had he the residueוּשְׁאָ֥רu.she.'ArH7605of the spiritר֙וּחַ֙Ru.achH7307.And wherefore oneהָֽאֶחָ֔דha.'e.ChadH259?That he might seekמְבַקֵּ֖שׁme.va.KeshH1245a godlyאֱלֹהִ֑ים'E.lo.HimH430seedזֶ֣רַעZe.ra'H2233.Therefore take heedוְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ve.nish.mar.TemH8104to your spiritבְּר֣וּחֲכֶ֔םbe.Ru.cha.KhemH7307,and let none deal treacherouslyיִבְגֹּֽד׃yiv.GodH898against the wifeוּבְאֵ֥שֶׁתu.ve.'E.shetH802of his youthנְעוּרֶ֖יךָne.'u.Rei.khaH5271.

16For Yhwhיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068,the Godאֱלֹהֵ֣י'e.lo.HeiH430of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElH3478,saithאָמַ֤ר'a.MarH559that he hatethשָׂנֵ֣אsa.Ne'H8130putting awayשַׁלַּ֗חsha.LachH7971: for onecoverethוְכִסָּ֤הve.khi.SahH3680violenceחָמָס֙cha.MasH2555with his garmentלְבוּשׁ֔וֹle.vu.ShoH3830,saithאָמַ֖ר'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֑וֹתtze.va.'otH6635:therefore take heedוְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥םve.nish.mar.TemH8104to your spiritבְּרוּחֲכֶ֖םbe.ru.cha.KhemH7307,that ye deal not treacherouslyתִבְגֹּֽדוּ׃ סtiv.Go.duH898.

17Ye have weariedהוֹגַעְתֶּ֤םho.ga'.TemH3021Yhwhיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068with your wordsבְּדִבְרֵיכֶ֔םbe.div.rei.KhemH1697.Yet ye sayוַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖םva.'a.mar.TemH559,Wherein have we weariedהוֹגָ֑עְנוּho.Ga.'e.nuH3021him?When ye sayבֶּאֱמָרְכֶ֗םbe.'e.ma.re.KhemH559,Every one that doethעֹ֨שֵׂה'O.sehH6213evilרָ֜עra'H7451isgoodט֣וֹב׀TovH2896in the sightבְּעֵינֵ֣יbe.'ei.NeiH5869of Yhwhיְהוָ֗הYah.wehH3068,and he delightethחָפֵ֔ץcha.FetzH2654in them; or, Where isthe Godאֱלֹהֵ֥י'e.lo.HeiH430of judgmentהַמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃ha.mish.PatH4941?

Commentaries on Malachi 2