Then all nations will call you blessed: The phrase all nations is rightly rendered in Good News Translation as “the people of all nations.” Blessed is translated “happy” in Good News Translation and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh. In Contemporary English Version the idea will call you blessed is well expressed as “will talk about how I have blessed you,” or it may be possible to say “… how I have been very kind to you”; some translators may find these helpful models.

For you will be a land of delight is expressed in more natural language in New International Version as “for yours will be delightful land.” Good News Translation restructures to say “because your land will be a good place to live” (or, “to live in” in the British and Australian editions; there is no difference in meaning). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch goes even further with “because you live in such a fruitful land.”

Says the LORD of hosts concludes the section, and should not be omitted. Contemporary English Version has “I, the LORD All-Powerful, have spoken” (similarly Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

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 .