מלאכי ג׳:י״ג-י״ח

שָׁוְא עֲבֹד אֱלֹהִים. עַל חִנָּם נַעַבְדֶנּוּ, כִּי לֹא נְקַבֵּל שָׂכָר.

“It is futile to serve God” We worship Him for nothing, for we will receive no reward.

קְדֹרַנִּית. בִּשְׁפַל רוּחַ.

in anxious worry with low spirits.

וְעַתָּה אֲנַחְנוּ מְאַשְּׁרִים וְגוֹ׳. אֲנַחְנוּ עֲבַדְנוּהוּ וְשָׁמַרְנוּ מִשְׁמַרְתּוֹ, וְעַתָּה רוֹאִים אֵלּוּ הָרְשָׁעִים מַצְלִיחִים, עַד כִּי מְאַשְּׁרִים אָנוּ אוֹתָם עַל מַעֲשֵׂה רִשְׁעָם.

And now we praise the bold transgressors, etc. We worshipped Him and kept His charge, but now we see that the wicked are prospering - to the extent that we praise them for the wicked deeds.

גַּם בָּחֲנוּ אֱלֹהִים. לוֹמַר: ״נִרְאֶה מַה יּוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹת לָנוּ״. וַיִּמָּלֵטוּ מִן הָרָעָה, וְלֹא נִכְשְׁלוּ.

Yea, they tempt God, saying, “Let us see what He will be able to do to us.” and they have, nevertheless, escaped harm, and they have not stumbled.

אָז נִדְבְּרוּ וְגוֹ׳. אֲנִי מֵשִׁיב עַל דִּבְרֵיכֶם: אָז, בַּעֲשׂוֹת הָרְשָׁעִים רִשְׁעָם, וְהַטּוֹבִים הָלְכוּ קְדוֹרַנִּית מִפָּנַי, שֶׁנִּדְבְּרוּ יִרְאֵי ה׳ שֶׁלֹּא לִדָּבֵק בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם הָרָעִים. וַאֲנִי - לֹא נִשְׁכְּחוּ דִבְרֵיכֶם מִלְּפָנַי, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינִי מְמַהֵר לְהָשִׁיב גְּמוּל, כִּי הִקְשַׁבְתִּי וְשָׁמַעְתִּי, וְצִוִּיתִי לִכְתֹּב לָהֶם סֵפֶר זִכָּרוֹן, וְהָיוּ לִי דִבְרֵיהֶם מְקֻיָּמִים.

Then the God-fearing men spoke, etc. I retort upon your words then, when the wicked commit evil and the good go about in anxious worry because of Me. The God-fearing men spoke to one another not to adopt their evil deeds; and, as for Me, their words are not forgotten to Me. And although I do not hasten to visit retribution, I have hearkened and heard, and I have commanded that a book of remembrance be written for them. Their words shall be preserved for Me.

לַיוֹם אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי עֹשֶׂה סְגֻלָּה. אֲשֶׁר אָצַרְתִּי וְהִנַּחְתִּי לְשַׁלֵּם בּוֹ גְּמוּלִי, שָׁם אַרְאֶה אֶתְכֶם מַה בֵּין צַדִּיק לְרָשָׁע.

for that day when I make a treasure that I have stored and put away, with which to pay My reward. There I will show you what the difference is between a righteous man and a wicked man.

סְגֻלָּה. אוֹצָר, איישטו״י בְּלַעַ״ז.

a treasure a treasure; estouj, estui in Old French.