The priests are sharply reproved for neglecting their covenant. The evil of marrying with idolaters: and too easily putting away their wives.

 1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is to you.
Et nunc ad vos mandatum hoc, o sacerdotes.

 2 If you will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, saith the Lord of hosts: I will send poverty upon you, and will curse your blessings, yea I will curse them, because you have not laid it to heart.
Si nolueritis audire, et si nolueritis ponere super cor, ut detis gloriam nomini meo, ait Dominus exercituum, mittam in vos egestatem, et maledicam benedictionibus vestris, et maledicam illis, quoniam non posuistis super cor.

 3 Behold, I will cast the shoulder to you, and I will scatter upon your face the dung of your solemnities, and it shall take you away with it.
Ecce ego projiciam vobis brachium, et dispergam super vultum vestrum stercus solemnitatum vestrarum, et assumet vos secum.

 4 And you shall know that I sent you this commandment, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
Et scietis quia misi ad vos mandatum istud, ut esset pactum meum cum Levi, dicit Dominus exercituum.

 5 My covenant was with him of life and peace: and I gave him fear: and he feared me, and he was afraid before my name.
Pactum meum fuit cum eo vitae et pacis : et dedi ei timorem, et timuit me, et a facie nominis mei pavebat.

 6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace, and in equity, and turned many away from iniquity.
Lex veritatis fuit in ore ejus, et iniquitas non est inventa in labiis ejus : in pace et in aequitate ambulavit mecum, et multos avertit ab iniquitate.

 7 For the lips of the priest shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth: because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts.
Labia enim sacerdotis custodient scientiam, et legem requirent ex ore ejus, quia angelus Domini exercituum est.

 8 But you have departed out of the way, and have caused many to stumble at the law: you have made void the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
Vos autem recessistis de via, et scandalizastis plurimos in lege : irritum fecistis pactum Levi, dicit Dominus exercituum.

 9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible, and base before all people, as you have not kept my ways, and have accepted persons in the law.
Propter quod et ego dedi vos contemptibiles, et humiles omnibus populis, sicut non servastis vias meas, et accepistis faciem in lege.

 10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why then doth every one of us despise his brother, violating the covenant of our fathers?
Numquid non pater unus omnium nostrum? numquid non Deus unus creavit nos? quare ergo despicit unusquisque nostrum fratrem suum, violans pactum patrum nostrorum?

 11 Juda hath transgressed, and abomination hath been committed in Israel, and in Jerusalem: for Juda hath profaned the holiness of the Lord, which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.
Transgressus est Juda, et abominatio facta est in Israel et in Jerusalem, quia contaminavit Juda sanctificationem Domini, quam dilexit, et habuit filiam dei alieni.

 12 The Lord will cut off the man that hath done this, both the master, and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering to the Lord of hosts.
Disperdet Dominus virum qui fecerit hoc, magistrum et discipulum, de tabernaculis Jacob, et offerentem munus Domino exercituum.

 13 And this again have you done, you have covered the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and bellowing, so that I have no more a regard to sacrifice, neither do I accept any atonement at your hands.
Et hoc rursum fecistis : operiebatis lacrimis altare Domini, fletu et mugitu, ita ut non respiciam ultra ad sacrificium, nec accipiam placabile quid de manu vestra.

 14 And you have said: For what cause? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee, and the wife of thy youth, whom thou hast despised: yet she was thy partner, and the wife of thy covenant.
Et dixistis : Quam ob causam? Quia Dominus testificatus est inter te et uxorem pubertatis tuae, quam tu despexisti : et haec particeps tua, et uxor foederis tui.

 15 Did not one make her, and she is the residue of his spirit? And what doth one seek, but the seed of God? Keep then your spirit, and despise not the wife of thy youth.
Nonne unus fecit, et residuum spiritus ejus est? et quid unus quaerit, nisi semen Dei? custodite ergo spiritum vestrum, et uxorem adolescentiae tuae noli despicere.

 16 When thou shalt hate her put her away, saith the Lord the God of Israel: but iniquity shall cover his garment, saith the Lord of hosts, keep your spirit, and despise not.
Cum odio habueris, dimitte, dicit Dominus Deus Israel : operiet autem iniquitas vestimentum ejus, dicit Dominus exercituum. Custodite spiritum vestrum, et nolite despicere.

 17 You have wearied the Lord with your words, and you said: Wherein have we wearied him? In that you say: Every one that doth evil, is good in the sight of the Lord, and such please him: or surely where is the God of judgment?
Laborare fecistis Dominum in sermonibus vestris, et dixistis : In quo eum fecimus laborare? In eo quod dicitis : Omnis qui facit malum bonus est in conspectu Domini, et tales ei placent : aut certe ubi est Deus judicii?