¹ 'And now, priests, this commandment is for you.

² If you will not listen, if you will not sincerely resolve to glorify my name, says Yahweh Sabaoth, I shall certainly lay a curse on you and I shall curse your blessing. Indeed I will lay a curse, for none of you makes this resolve.

³ Now, I am going to break your arm and throw offal in your faces -- the offal of your solemn feasts -- and sweep you away with it.

⁴ Then you will know that I sent this commandment to you, to affirm my intention to maintain my covenant with Levi, says Yahweh Sabaoth.

⁵ My covenant was with him -- a covenant of life and peace, and these were what I gave him -- a covenant of respect, and he respected me and held my name in awe.

⁶ The law of truth was in his mouth and guilt was not found on his lips; he walked in peace and justice with me and he converted many from sinning.

⁷ The priest's lips ought to safeguard knowledge; his mouth is where the law should be sought, since he is Yahweh Sabaoth's messenger.

⁸ But you yourselves have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to lapse by your teaching. Since you have destroyed the covenant of Levi, says Yahweh Sabaoth,

⁹ so I in my turn have made you contemptible and vile to the whole people, for not having kept my ways and for being partial in applying the law.

¹⁰ 'Is there not one Father of us all? Did not one God create us? Why, then, do we break faith with one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors?

¹¹ Judah has broken faith; a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned Yahweh's beloved sanctuary; he has married the daughter of an alien god.

¹² May Yahweh deprive such an offender of witness and advocate in the tents of Jacob among those who present offerings to Yahweh Sabaoth!

¹³ 'And here is something else you do: you cover the altar of Yahweh with tears, with weeping and wailing, because he now refuses to consider the offering or to accept it from you.

¹⁴ And you ask, "Why?" Because Yahweh stands as witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you have broken faith, even though she was your partner and your wife by covenant.

¹⁵ Did he not create a single being, having flesh and the breath of life? And what does this single being seek? God -- given offspring! Have respect for your own life then, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.

¹⁶ For I hate divorce, says Yahweh, God of Israel, and people concealing their cruelty under a cloak, says Yahweh Sabaoth. Have respect for your own life then, and do not break faith.

¹⁷ 'You have wearied Yahweh with your talk. You ask, "How have we wearied him?" When you say, "Any evil-doer is good as far as Yahweh is concerned; indeed he is delighted with them"; or when you say, "Where is the God of fair judgement now?"