1 The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel, in the hand of Malachi, the prophet. (The charge, or the heavy burden, of the word of the Lord to Israel, by the prophet Malachi.)

2 I loved you, saith the Lord, and ye said, In what thing lovedest thou us? Whether Esau was not the brother of Jacob, saith the Lord, and I loved Jacob, (I loved you, saith the Lord, and ye said, How hast thou loved us? or How hast thou shown that thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother, saith the Lord, and I loved Jacob,)

3 but I hated Esau? And I have put Seir, the hills of him, into wilderness, and his heritage into dragons of desert. (but I hated Esau? And I have made Seir, his hill country, into a wilderness, and his inheritance into a wilderness fit only for jackals, or for wild animals.)

4 That if Idumea saith, We be destroyed, but we shall turn again, and build those things that be destroyed; the Lord of hosts saith these things, These men shall build, and I shall destroy; and they shall be called the terms of wickedness, and a people to whom the Lord is wroth, till into without end. (And when Edom saith, We be destroyed, but we shall return, and rebuild those things that be destroyed; the Lord of hosts saith these things, These people can rebuild, but then I shall destroy it again; and they shall be called the land of wickedness, and a people with whom the Lord is angry forevermore.)

5 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The Lord be magnified on the term(s) of Israel. (And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The Lord is great even beyond the borders of Israel.)

6 The son honoureth the father, and the servant shall dread his lord; therefore if I am (a) father, where is mine honour? and if I am (a) lord, where is my dread? saith the Lord of hosts. A! ye priests, to you that despise my name; and ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? (The son honoureth the father, and the servant shall fear his lord; so if I am a father, where is my honour? and if I am a lord, where is your fear of me? saith the Lord of hosts. O ye priests! to you who despise my name; and ye say, How have we despised thy name?/The son honoureth the father, and the servant shall revere, or shall respect, his lord; so if I am a father, where is my honour? and if I am a lord, where is your reverence, or your respect, for me? saith the Lord of hosts. O ye priests! to you who despise my name; and ye say, How have we despised thy name?)

7 Ye offer on mine altar defouled, either unclean, bread, and ye say, Wherein have we defouled thee? In that thing that ye say, The board of the Lord is despised. (Ye offer on my altar defiled, (or unclean), food, and ye say, How have we defiled thee? Because ye say, The table of the Lord can be despised, or The Lord’s altar is contemptible, (or it is worthy to be despised).)

8 If ye offer a blind beast to be sacrificed, whether it is not evil? And if ye offer a crooked and sick beast, whether it is not evil? Offer thou it to thy duke, if it shall please him, either if he shall receive thy face, saith the Lord of hosts. (If ye offer a blind beast to be sacrificed, is that not evil? And if ye offer a lame, or a sick, beast, is that not evil? Offer thou it to thy ruler, and see if it shall please him, or if he shall even receive thee, saith the Lord of hosts.)

9 And now beseech ye the cheer of the Lord, that he have mercy on you; for of your hand this thing is done, if in any manner he receive your faces, saith the Lord of hosts. (And now, beseech ye before the Lord’s face, that he should have mercy upon you, for this thing is done by your hand, andalso if there is any way that he shall receive you, saith the Lord of hosts.)

10 Who is in you that closeth doors, and burneth (on) mine altar of his own will, either freely? Will is not to me in you, saith the Lord of hosts; and I shall not receive a gift of your hand. (Who is there among you who shall close the Temple doors, and so not allow anything to be burned upon my altar? I take no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts; and I shall not receive any gift from your hands.)

11 For from the rising of the sun till to the going down, my name is great among heathen men; and in each place a clean offering is sacrificed, and offered to my name; for my name is great among heathen men, saith the Lord of hosts. (For from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, my name is great among the heathen, or the Gentiles; and in each place a clean, or a pure, offering is sacrificed, and offered in my name; for my name is great among the heathen, or the Gentiles, saith the Lord of hosts.)

12 And ye have defouled it in that that ye say, The board of the Lord is defouled, and that that is put above is contemptible, or worthy for to be despised, with [the] fire that devoureth it. (But ye have defiled it because ye say, The table of the Lord, (or the Lord’s altar), can be defiled, and that the food that is put upon it is contemptible, (or it is worthy to be despised), by the fire that devoureth it.)

13 And ye said, Lo! of travail; and ye have blown it away, saith the Lord of hosts. And ye brought in of ravens a crooked thing, and sick, and brought (it) in (as) a gift; whether I shall receive it of your hand? saith the Lord. (And ye said, Behold! so much trouble! or how wearisome! and ye have blown it all away, saith the Lord of hosts. And then ye have brought in from your robberies a lame thing, or a sick thing, and brought it in as a gift (for me); shall I receive it from your hand? saith the Lord. No!)

14 Cursed is the guileful, that hath in his flock a male beast, and he making a vow, offereth a feeble beast to the Lord; for I am a great king, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among folks. (Cursed is the deceiver, who hath in his flock a male beast, yet when making a vow, he offereth a sick or a weak beast to the Lord; for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is feared among the heathen.)