King James Version

Malachi 3:5

And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

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Hebrew

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וְקָרַבְתִּ֣יveqaravtiand approachקָרַבconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “and approach”, a completed action in a sequenceH7126to approach (causatively, bring near) for whatever purpose(cause to) approach, (cause to) bring (forth, near), (cause to) come (near, nigh), (cause to) draw near (nigh), go (near), be at hand, join, be near, offer, present, produce, make ready, stand, take.אֲלֵיכֶם֮aleykhemamongאֵלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).לַמִּשְׁפָּט֒lamishpatto lawמִשְׁפָּטpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to law”, the ordinary formH4941properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style[phrase] adversary, ceremony, charge, [idiom] crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly), (manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right,…וְהָיִ֣יתִיvehayitiand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “and be”, a completed action in a sequenceH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.עֵ֣דedwitnessעֵדnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “witness”, the ordinary formH5707concretely, a witness; abstractly, testimony; specifically, a recorder, i.e. princewitness.מְמַהֵ֗רmemaherbe carried headlongמָהַרverb, piel, participle, absolute — “be carried headlong”, a verb used as a describing wordH4116properly, to be liquid or flow easily, i.e. (by implication); to hurry (in a good or a bad sense); often used (with another verb) adverbially, promptlybe carried headlong, fearful, (cause to make, in, make) haste(-n, -ily), (be) hasty, (fetch, make ready) [idiom] quickly, rash, [idiom] shortly, (be so) [idiom] soon, make speed, [idiom] speedily, [idiom] straightway, [idiom] suddenly, swi…בַּֽמְכַשְּׁפִים֙bamkhashfimin sorcererכָּשַׁףpreposition, with the article, verb, piel, participle, absolute — “in sorcerer”, a verb used as a describing wordH3784properly, to whisper aspell, i.e. to inchant or practise magicsorcerer, (use) witch(-craft).וּבַמְנָ֣אֲפִ֔יםuvamnaafimand in commit adulteryנָאַףconjunction, preposition, with the article, verb, piel, participle, absolute — “and in commit adultery”, a verb used as a describing wordH5003to commit adultery; figuratively, to apostatizeadulterer(-ess), commit(-ing) adultery, woman that breaketh wedlock.וּבַנִּשְׁבָּעִ֖יםuvanishbaimand in swearשָׁבַעconjunction, preposition, with the article, verb, niphal, participle, absolute — “and in swear”, a verb used as a describing wordH7650to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times)adjure, charge (by an oath, with an oath), feed to the full (by mistake for H7646 (שָׂבַע)), take an oath, [idiom] straitly, (cause to, make to) swear.לַשָּׁ֑קֶרlashaqerto without a causeשֶׁקֶרpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to without a cause”, the ordinary formH8267an untruth; by implication, a sham (often adverbial)without a cause, deceit(-ful), false(-hood, -ly), feignedly, liar, [phrase] lie, lying, vain (thing), wrongfully.וּבְעֹשְׁקֵ֣יuveosheqeand in defraudעָשַׁקconjunction, preposition, verb, qal, participle, construct — “and in defraud”, a verb used as a describing wordH6231to press upon, i.e. oppress, defraud, violate, overflowget deceitfully, deceive, defraud, drink up, (use) oppress(-ion), -or), do violence (wrong).שְׂכַרsekharhireשָׂכָרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “hire”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7939payment of contract; concretely, salary, fare, maintenance; by implication, compensation, benefithire, price, reward(-ed), wages, worth.שָׂ֠כִירsakhirhiredשָׂכִירadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “hired”, the ordinary formH7916a man at wages by the day or yearhired (man, servant), hireling.אַלְמָנָ֨הalmanahdesolate houseאַלְמָנָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “desolate house”, the ordinary formH490a widow; also a desolate placedesolate house (palace), widow.וְיָת֤וֹםveyatomand fatherlessיָתוֹםconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and fatherless”, the ordinary formH3490a bereaved personfatherless (child), orphan.וּמַטֵּיumateand spreadנָטָהconjunction, verb, hiphil, participle, construct — “and spread”, a verb used as a describing wordH5186to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application[phrase] afternoon, apply, bow (down, -ing), carry aside, decline, deliver, extend, go down, be gone, incline, intend, lay, let down, offer, outstretched, overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, shew, spread (out), stretch (forth, o…גֵר֙geralienגֵּרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “alien”, the ordinary formH1616properly, a guest; by implication, a foreigneralien, sojourner, stranger.וְלֹ֣אveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יְרֵא֔וּנִיyereunifearיָרֵאverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “fear”, a completed actionH3372to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to frightenaffright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), [idiom] see, terrible (act, -ness, thing).אָמַ֖רamarsayאָמַרverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “say”, a completed actionH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…יְהוָ֥הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).צְבָאֽוֹתtsevaotarmyצָבָאnoun, common, both genders, plural, absolute — “army”, the ordinary formH6635a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship)appointed time, ([phrase]) army, ([phrase]) battle, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, war(-fare).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers; and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not Me, saith the LORD of hosts.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the sojourner from his right , and fear not me, saith Jehovah of hosts.

Young’s Literal Translation

And I have drawn near to you for judgment, And I have been a witness, Making haste against sorcerers, And against adulterers, And against swearers to a falsehood, And against oppressors of the hire of an hireling, Of a widow, and of a fatherless one, And those turning aside a sojourner, And who fear Me not, said Jehovah of Hosts.

World English Bible

I will come near to you to judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against the perjurers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who deprive the foreigner of justice, and don’t fear me,” says Yahweh of Armies.

Darby Translation

And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the false swearers, and against those that oppress the hired servant in [his] wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger [from his right], and fear not me, saith Jehovah of hosts.

Douay-Rheims

And I will come to you in judgment, and will be a speedy witness against sorcerers, and adulterers, and false swearers, and them that oppress the hireling in his wages; the widows, and the fatherless: and oppress the stranger, and have not feared me, saith the Lord of hosts.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And I will draw near to you in judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the witches, and against the adulteresses, and against them that swear falsely by my name, and against them that keep back the hireling's wages, and them that oppress the widow, and afflict orphans, and that wrest the judgment of the stranger, and fear not me, saith the Lord Almighty.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ προσάξω πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν κρίσει, καὶ ἔσομαι μάρτυς ταχὺς ἐπὶ τὰς φαρμακοὺς, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς μοιχαλίδας, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀμνύοντας τῷ ὀνόματί μου ἐπὶ ψεύδει, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀποστεροῦντας μισθὸν μισθωτοῦ, καὶ τοὺς καταδυναστεύοντας χήραν, καὶ τοὺς κονδυλίζοντας ὀρφανοὺς, καὶ τοὺς ἐκκλίνοντας κρίσιν προσηλύτου, καὶ τοὺς μὴ φοβουμένους με, λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ.