You ask, “Why does he not?”: These opening words of the verse form the very short Objection element of the third dispute. The Hebrew word translated You ask is the same as that translated “You say” in other Objection elements (1.2, 6, 7; 2.17; 3.7, 8, 13). It is not clear why Revised Standard Version has translated it in a different way only here. In every case the verb of speaking is followed by a question, so “you ask” would be appropriate in all of them. In other languages it is better to use the same expression every time to translate the term that introduces the Objection element, because this will help readers to grasp the structure. In all the above occurrences, You is plural. In view of the parallels between this Objection element and the Objection elements in the other disputes, it is better to keep a direct quotation rather than use indirect speech as Good News Translation does.

The Hebrew translated Why does he not? is just two words, and does not include a verb. However, in many languages it will be necessary to include a verb in order to make the link with the previous verse clear. Even Revised Standard Version is very brief, and readers are expected to understand “Why does he not accept it?” (referring to the offering). Many translators will need to repeat some form of the verb used to translate “accept” in verse 13, though others will be able to say just “Why?” or “Why not?” whichever is appropriate in their language. Several English versions have “Why?” (Moffatt, Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, Beck). But in other languages it may be necessary to expand the question to “Why doesn’t he [the LORD] accept our offerings [or, sacrifices]?”

The rest of this verse and the two following verses constitute the Response element of the dispute. The prophet makes it clear that the unjustified divorce of Jewish first wives is the reason why the LORD is not accepting the people’s offerings. This should not be taken to mean that every Jewish male had divorced his wife, but rather that the practice was sufficiently common that the whole community was defiled by it.

Revised Standard Version begins the Response with a sentence introduced by Because. In some languages this is not possible and it will be necessary to repeat an earlier verb to make the sentence complete. In such cases translators may say, for example, “He does not accept the offering because…” or something similar.

The LORD was witness to the covenant between you and the wife of your youth: The LORD was regarded as the witness to any covenant, as is shown for instance by the words of Laban to Jacob in Gen 31.50. Although marriage was apparently treated as a social rather than a religious contract (Tobit 7.13), it is spoken of as if it were a covenant in Pro 2.16-17 and Ezek 16.8. The expression wife of your youth occurs in a number of places (Pro 5.18; Isa 54.6; compare Joel 1.8) and reflects the fact that in ancient times people often married young, certainly in their teens. In many languages this phrase will need to be restructured to “the wife you married when you were young,” as in Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version. Translators should note that in the rest of this verse, the you and your forms are all singular. The prophet is addressing individual offenders, but in some languages it may be necessary to continue to use second person plural forms, or else it may suggest that only one individual had sinned. In some cultures an expression like the wife of your youth may well make readers think that the man had also married other women later in life and became a polygamist. The Hebrew does not have this sense, but only that the man had divorced his first wife in order to marry another woman. Translators should avoid renderings that allow readers to think that polygamy was involved.

To whom you have been faithless: The word rendered faithless is the Hebrew root b-g-d that occurs several times throughout this section. In some languages it will be better style to begin a new sentence at this point to avoid having sentences that are too long and complicated. You is emphatic here.

Though she is your companion and your wife by covenant: The word translated companion is used only here of a wife, and is taken by many scholars as clear evidence of Malachi’s high view of the position of a wife in the marriage relationship (compare Gen 2.18-25). Your wife by covenant may be understood as indicating that the marriage relationship was as binding as a religious covenant (despite the possibility of divorce as recognized in Deut 24.1-4). If so, it is a rather awkward repetition of the mention of the covenant earlier in the verse. However, these words may also be understood as referring to the wife’s membership of the covenant people. They would thus be emphasizing that the wife who had been divorced in favor of a foreign woman was a Jewish wife. This understanding fits the context well.

The last sentence may need to be restructured as in Good News Translation and broken into several sentences. Possible model translations for the whole verse are as follows:

• You [plural] ask, “Why does he not accept our offerings?” It is because the LORD witnessed the agreement you made with the wife you married when you were young. Now you have broken your promise to her, although she has been your close friend and a member of God’s covenant people.

• You ask, “Why?” The LORD does not accept your offerings because he witnessed the agreement you made when you married. You took a wife when you were young, and she has been your close companion, but now it is you who have broken your promise to her, despite the agreement you made with her.

Another possibility based on Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente is:

• You want to know why this is so. This is why: You promised before the LORD to be faithful to the wife you chose in your youth. She is your companion, and you are bound to her by a contract, yet you have betrayed her.

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Malachi. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2002. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .