Romans 11
1 I ask then, did God reject his people? May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
Basi nasema, je, Mungu aliwakataa watu wake? Hata kidogo. Kwa kuwa mimi pia ni Mwiisraeli, wa ukoo wa Abrahamu, wa kabila la Benyamini.
2 God didn’t reject his people, whom he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:
Mungu hakuwakataa watu wake, aliowajua tangu mwanzo. Je hamjui andiko linasema nini kuhusu Eliya, jinsi alivyomsihi Mungu juu ya Israeli?
3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets. They have broken down your altars. I am left alone, and they seek my life.”
“Bwana, wamewaua manabii wako, nao wamebomoa madhabahu zako. Mimi peke yangu nimesalia, nao wanatafuta uhai wangu.”
4 But how does God answer him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
Lakini jibu la Mungu lasema nini kwako? “Nimetunza kwa ajili yangu watu elfu saba ambao hawampigii magoti Baali.”
5 Even so too at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Hata hivyo, wakati huu wa sasa pia kuna walio salia kwa sababu ya uchaguzi wa neema.
6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
Lakini ikiwa ni kwa neema, si tena kwa matendo. Vinginevyo neema haitakuwa tena neema.
7 What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn’t obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened.
Ni nini basi? Jambo ambalo Israeli alikuwa akitafuta, hakukipata, bali wateule walikipata, na wengine walitiwa uzito.
8 According as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day.”
Ni kama ilivyoandikwa: “Mungu amewapa roho ya ubutu, macho ili wasione, na masikio ili wasisikie, mpaka leo hii.”
9 David says, “Let their table be made a snare, a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution to them.
Naye Daudi anasema, “Acha meza zao na ziwe wavu, mtego, sehemu ya kujikwaa, na kulipiza kisasi dhidi yao.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Always keep their backs bent.”
Acha macho yao yatiwe giza ili wasiweze kuona. Ukawainamishe migongo yao daima.”
11 I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? May it never be! But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.
Basi nasema, “Je, wamejikwaa hata kuanguka?” Isiwe hivyo kamwe. Badala yake, kwa kushindwa kwao, wokovu umefika kwa Mataifa, ili wao wenyewe watiwe wivu.
12 Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
Sasa ikiwa kushindwa kwao ni utajiri wa ulimwengu, na kama hasara yao ni utajiri wa mataifa, ni kiasi gani zaidi itakuwa kukamilika kwao?
13 For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry,
Na sasa naongea nanyi watu wa Mataifa. Kwa kuwa nimekuwa mtume kwa watu wa Mataifa mengine, najivunia huduma yangu.
14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them.
Labda nitawatia wivu walio mwili mmoja na mimi. Labda tutawaokoa baadhi yao.
15 For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead?
Maana ikiwa kukataliwa kwao ni maridhiano ya dunia, kupokelewa kwao kutakuwaje ila uhai toka kwa wafu?
16 If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches.
Kama matunda ya kwanza ni akiba, ndivyo ilivyo kwa donge la unga. Kama mzizi ni akiba, matawi nayo kadhalika.
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree,
Lakini kama baadhi ya matawi yamekatwa, kama wewe, tawi pori la mzeituni, ulipandikizwa kati yao, na kama ulishiriki pamoja nao katika mizizi ya utajiri wa mzeituni,
18 don’t boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you.
usijisifu juu ya matawi. Lakini kama unajisifu, si wewe ambaye unaisaidia mizizi, bali mizizi inakusaidia wewe.
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.”
Basi utasema, “Matawi yalikatwa ili nipate kupandikizwa katika shina.”
20 True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don’t be conceited, but fear;
Hiyo ni kweli. Kwa sababu ya kutoamini kwao walikatwa, lakini wewe ulisimama imara kwa sababu ya imani yako. Usijifikirie mwenyewe kwa hali ya juu sana, bali ogopa.
21 for if God didn’t spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
Kwa maana ikiwa Mungu hakuyaachia matawi ya asili, hatakuhurumia wewe pia.
22 See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
Angalia, basi, matendo mema na ukali wa Mungu. Kwa upande mmoja, ukali ulikuja juu ya Wayahudi ambao walianguka. Lakini kwa upande mwingine, wema wa Mungu huja juu yako, kama utadumu katika wema wake. Vinginevyo wewe pia utakatiliwa mbali.
23 They also, if they don’t continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
Na pia, kama hawataendelea katika kutoamini kwao, watapandikizwa tena. Maana Mungu anao uwezo wa kuwapandikiza tena.
24 For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
Kwa maana ikiwa ninyi mlikatwa nje kwa ulio kwa asili mzeituni mwitu, na kinyume cha asili mlipandikizwa katika mzeituni ulio mwema, si zaidi sana hawa Wayahudi, ambao ni kama matawi ya asili kuweza kupandikizwa tena ndani ya mzeituni wao wenyewe?
25 For I don’t desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won’t be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,
Kwa maana ndugu sitaki msijue, kuhusiana na siri hii, ili kwamba msiwe na hekima katika kufikiri kwenu wenyewe. Siri hii ni kwamba ugumu umetokea katika Israeli, hadi kukamilika kwa mataifa kutakapokuja.
26 and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, “There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
Hivyo Israeli wote wataokoka, kama ilivyoandikwa: “Kutoka Sayuni atakuja Mkombozi. Atauondoa uovu kutoka kwa Yakobo.
27 This is my covenant with them, when I will take away their sins.”
Na hili litakuwa agano langu pamoja nao, wakati nitakapoziondoa dhambi zao.”
28 Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake.
Kwa upande mmoja kuhusu injili, wanachukiwa kwa sababu yenu. Kwa upande mwingine kutokana na uchaguzi wa Mungu, wamependwa kwa sababu ya mababu.
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Kwa kuwa zawadi na wito wa Mungu haubadiliki.
30 For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience,
Kwa kuwa awali ninyi mlikuwa mmemwasi Mungu, lakini sasa mmeipokea rehema kwa sababu ya kuasi kwao.
31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy.
Kwa njia iyo hiyo, sasa hawa Wayahudi wameasi. Matokeo yake ni kwamba kutokana na huruma mliyojaliwa ninyi wanaweza pia kupokea rehema.
Maana Mungu amewafunga watu wote katika uasi, ili aweze kuwahurumia wote. (eleēsē g1653)
33 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
Jinsi zilivyo kuu utajiri na hekima na maarifa ya Mungu! Hazichunguziki hukumu zake, na njia zake hazigunduliki!
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
“Maana ni nani aliyeijua nia ya Bwana? Au ni nani amekuwa mshauri wake?
35 “Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?”
Au ni nani kwanza aliyempa kitu Mungu, ili alipwe tena?”
