Saturday, February 1, 2014

Sunday Knox: Presentation of the Lord

Malachi 3:1-4

Knox:
See where I am sending an angel of mine, to make the way ready for my coming! All at once the Lord will visit his temple; that Lord, so longed for, welcome herald of a divine covenant. Ay, says the Lord of hosts, he is coming;  but who can bear the thought of that advent? Who will stand with head erect at his appearing? He will put men to a test fierce as the crucible, searching as the lye that fullers use.  From his judgement-seat, he will refine that silver of his and cleanse it from dross; like silver or gold, the sons of Levi must be refined in the crucible, ere they can offer the Lord sacrifice duly performed.  Then once more the Lord will accept the offerings of Juda and Jerusalem, as he did long since, in the forgotten years.

NAB:

Thus says the Lord God: Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; And suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek, And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, Refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD. Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD, as in the days of old, as in years gone by.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

To me it is always of interest when comparing translations. Often the difference stimulates meditation. Only the Doughy-Rheims and this Knox translation use the word angel in Malachi 3:1. All other English translations use the word messenger. Neither is wrong (angel means messenger); however, in this case have Christian interpreters used messenger as John the Baptist is a human and they don't want to confuse John the Baptist with an angel being? However, maybe John the Baptist is not human (Matthew 11:13-14) or is it in accordance with John 1:21. Perhaps no right or wrong in translation but something to meditate on.

Biblical Catholic said...

Errr.....John the Baptist not human? What is that again?