¹And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.

¹Zvino imwi vapristi, chinzwai uyu murayiro unouya kwamuri.

²If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

²Kana imwi musingadi kunzwa, kana musingadi kuita nomwoyo wenyu zvandakaraira kuti mukudze zita rangu ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha wehondo ipapo ndichatuma kutuka pamusoro penyu, ndichatuka ropafadzo dzenyu; zvirokwazvo ndatozvituka, nekuti hamuzviiti nomwoyo wenyu.

³Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.

³Tarirai, ndichatuka vana venyu, ndichanamira ndove kuzviso zvenyu, iyo ndove yemitambo yenyu; muchabviswa pamwechete naro.

⁴And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

⁴Ipapo muchaziva kuti ndini ndakakutumirai murayiro uyu, kuti sungano yangu ive naRevhi ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha wehondo.

⁵My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.

⁵Sungano yangu navo yakanga iri youpenyu norugare; ndakavapa izvo kuti vanditye, vakanditya, vakadedera nokuda kwezita rangu.

⁶The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.

⁶Murayiro wezvokwadi wakange uri mumuromo wavo, kusarurama hakuna kuwanikwa pamiromo yavo; vakafambidzana neni norugare nokururama, vakadzora vazhinji pazvakaipa.

⁷For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

⁷nekuti miromo yomupristi inofanira kuchengeta zivo, vanhu vanofanira kubvunza murayiro pamusoro wake; nekuti ndiye nhume yaJehovha wehondo.

⁸But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

⁸Asi imwi makatsauka panzira; makagumbusa vazhinji pamurayiro; makasvibisa sungano yaRevhi ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha wehondo.

⁹Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

⁹Saka ndakakuitai vanhu vanozvidzwa navanorambwa navanhu vaose, zvamusina kuchengeta nzira dzangu, mukatsaura vanhu pakutonga murayiro.

¹⁰Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?

¹⁰Ko isu tose hatina baba vamwe here? Haazi Mwari mumwe wakatisika here? Tinogonyengerana neiko mumwe nomumwe hama yake, tichimhura sungano yamadzibaba edu?

¹¹Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.

¹¹Judha vakanyengera, chinhu chinonyangadza chaitwa pakati palsiraeri napaJerusaremu; nekuti Judha vakamhura nzvimbo tsvene yaJehovha, inodikamwa naye, vakawana mukunda wamwari wavatorwa.

¹²The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.

¹²Munhu anoita zvakadai, Jehovha achamubvisira pamatende aJakove, anodana neanopindura, neanovigira Jehovha wehondo zvipiriso

¹³And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.

¹³Munoitawo izvozvi munofukidza atari yaJehovha nemisodzi, nokuchema, nokugomera, naizvozvo haacharangariri chipiriso, kana kuchigamuchira nomufaro pamaoko enyu.

¹⁴Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

¹⁴Kunyange zvakadaro munoti, Nemhaka yeiko? nekuti Jehovha akanga ari chapupu pakati pako nomukadzi woujaya hwako, wawakanyengera, kunyange ari shamwari yako, nomukadzi wako wawakaita sungano yako naye.

¹⁵And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

¹⁵Ko haana kuita mumwe chete, kunyange akanga ane mumwe Mweya wakasara here? Zvino wakaitireiko mumwe chete? Wakatsvaka rudzi rwaMwari. Saka chenjererai mweya yenyu, kurege kuva nomumwe anonyengera mukadzi woujaya hwake.

¹⁶For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

¹⁶nekuti ndinovenga kurambana ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha, Mwari waIsiraeri uye munhu anofukidza nguvo yake nokumanikidza ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha wehondo; saka chenjererai mweya yenyu, kuti murege kunyengera.

¹⁷Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

¹⁷Makanetsa Jehovha namashoko enyu. Kunyange zvakadaro munoti, Takamunetsa neiko? Pakutaura kwenyu, muchiti, Mumwe nomumwe anoita zvakaipa, vakanaka pamberi paJehovha, ndivo vaanofarira, kana: Mwari wezvakarurama aripiko?