Romans 9
1 I speak the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing me testimony in the Holy Spirit,
Nasema ukweli mtupu; nimeungana na Kristo nami sisemi uongo. Dhamiri yangu ikiongozwa na Roho Mtakatifu inanithibitishia jambo hili pia.
2 That I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart;
Nataka kusema hivi: nina huzuni kubwa na maumivu yasiyopimika moyoni mwangu
3 for I could wish myself to be accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh;
kwa ajili ya watu wangu, walio damu moja nami! Kama ingekuwa kwa faida yao, ningekuwa radhi kulaaniwa na kutengwa na Kristo.
4 who are Israelites, to whom belong the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service, and the promises;
Hao ndio watu wa Israeli ambao Mungu aliwateua wawe watoto wake, akawashirikisha utukufu wake; aliagana nao, akawapa Sheria yake, imani ya kweli na ahadi zake.
5 to whom belong the fathers, and of whom is the Christ, as it respects the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen. (aiōn g165)
Wao ni wajukuu wa mababu, naye Kristo, kadiri ya ubinadamu wake, ametoka katika ukoo wao. Mungu atawalaye juu ya yote, na atukuzwe milele! Amina. (aiōn g165)
6 It is not possible that the word of God has failed; for they are not all Israel who are of Israel.
Sisemi kwamba ahadi ya Mungu imebatilika; maana si watu wote wa Israeli ni wateule wa Mungu.
7 Nor, because they are the posterity of Abraham, are they all children: but in Isaac shall your posterity be called.
Wala, si wazawa wote wa Abrahamu ni watoto wake wa kweli. Ila, kama yasemavyo Maandiko Matakatifu: “Wazao wake watatokana na Isaka.”
8 That is, the children of the flesh are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the posterity.
Nido kusema, wale waliozaliwa kimaumbile ndio watoto wa Mungu, bali wale waliozaliwa kutokana na ahadi ya Mungu ndio watakaoitwa watoto wake.
9 For the word of the promise is this: At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
Maana ahadi yenyewe ni hii: “Nitakujia wakati maalum, naye Sara atapata mtoto.”
10 Not only so, but when Rebecca had conceived by one, even our father Isaac,
Tena si hayo tu ila pia Rebeka naye alipata mapacha kwa baba mmoja, yaani Isaka, babu yetu.
11 (the children, indeed, having not yet been born, and having done neither good nor evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calls, )
Lakini, ili Mungu aonekane kwamba anao uhuru wa kuchagua, hata kabla wale ndugu hawajazaliwa na kabla hawajaweza kupambanua jema na baya,
12 it was said to her: The elder shall serve the younger;
Rebeka aliambiwa kwamba yule mtoto wa kwanza atamtumikia yule wa nyuma. Hivyo uchaguzi wa Mungu unategemea jinsi anavyoita mwenyewe, na si matendo ya binadamu.
13 as it is written: Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Kama Maandiko Matakatifu yasemavyo: “Yakobo nilimpenda, lakini Esau nilimchukia.”
14 What, then, shall we say? Is there unrighteousness with. God? It can not be.
Basi, tuseme nini? Je, Mungu amekosa haki? Hata kidogo!
15 For he says to Moses: I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy; and I will show compassion to whom I will show compassion.
Maana alimwambia Mose: “Nitamhurumia mtu yeyote ninayetaka kumhurumia; nitamwonea huruma mtu yeyote ninayetaka.”
16 Therefore, it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy.
Kwa hiyo, yote hutegemea huruma ya Mungu, na si bidii au mapenzi ya mtu.
17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh: For this very purpose have I raised you up, that I may show in you my power, and that my name may be published in all the earth.
Maana Maandiko Matakatifu yasema hivi kwa Farao: “Nilikufanya mfalme ili kwa njia yako, uwezo wangu ujulikane, na jina langu litangazwe popote duniani.”
18 Therefore, he has mercy on whom he wills to have mercy: and whom he wills to harden, he hardens.
Ni wazi, basi, kwamba Mungu humhurumia yeyote anayetaka kumhurumia, na akipenda kumfanya mtu awe mkaidi, hufanya hivyo.
19 You will then say to me, Why does he yet find fault? For who has resisted his will?
Labda utaniuliza: “Ikiwa mambo yako hivyo, Mungu anawezaje kumlaumu mtu? Nani awezaye kuyapinga mapenzi yake?”
20 No, but rather, O man, who are you that dispute with God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed, it, Why have you made me thus?
Lakini, ewe binadamu, u nani hata uthubutu kumhoji Mungu? Je, chungu chaweza kumwuliza mfinyanzi wake: “Kwa nini umenitengeneza namna hii?”
21 Has not the potter power over the clay, to make from the same mass one vessel for honor, and another for dishonor?
Mfinyanzi anaweza kuutumia udongo apendavyo na kufinyanga vyungu viwili kwa udongo uleule; kimoja kwa matumizi ya heshima, na kingine kwa matumizi ya kawaida.
22 What, then, if God, intending to show his wrath, and to make his power known, yet, in much long-suffering bore with the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction:
Hivyo ndivyo ilivyo kwa Mungu. Alitaka kuonyesha ghadhabu yake na kujulisha uwezo wake, Basi, alikuwa na saburi sana, akiwavumilia wale ambao walikuwa lengo la ghadhabu yake, ambao walistahili kuangamizwa.
23 and, that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he before prepared for glory, showed mercy to us,
Alitaka pia kudhihirisha wingi wa utukufu wake ambao alitumiminia sisi tulio lengo la huruma yake; sisi ambao alikwisha kututayarisha kuupokea utukufu wake.
24 whom he has called, not only from among the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?
Maana sisi ndio hao aliowaita, si tu kutoka miongoni mwa Wayahudi bali pia kutoka kwa watu wa mataifa mengine.
25 As he says also in Hosea: I will call that my people which is not my people, and her beloved, who was not beloved.
Maana ndivyo asemavyo katika kitabu cha Hosea: “Wale waliokuwa Si watu wangu nitawaita: Watu wangu! Naye Sikupendi ataitwa: Mpenzi wangu!
26 And it shall come to pass, that, in the place where it was said to them: You are not my people, there shall they be called the sons of the living God.
Na pale walipoambiwa: Ninyi si wangu hapo wataitwa: Watoto wa Mungu hai.”
27 But Isaiah cries concerning Israel: Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
Naye nabii Isaya, kuhusu Israeli anapaaza sauti: “Hata kama watoto wa Israeli ni wengi kama mchanga wa pwani, ni wachache tu watakaookolewa;
28 for his word he fulfills, and he decrees in righteousness; for his word that is decreed, will the Lord execute upon the land.
maana, Bwana ataitekeleza upesi hukumu yake kamili juu ya ulimwengu wote.”
29 And as Isaiah said before: Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a posterity, we should have been like Sodom, and been made like Gomorrah.
Ni kama Isaya alivyosema hapo awali: “Kama Bwana Mwenye Nguvu asingalituachia baadhi ya watoto wa Israeli, tungalikwisha kuwa kama Sodoma, tungalikwisha kuwa ma Gomora.”
30 What, then, shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not seek after justification, have obtained justification, even the justification which is by faith:
Basi, tuseme nini? Ni hivi: watu wa mataifa ambao hawakutafuta kukubaliwa kuwa waadilifu, wamekubaliwa kuwa waadilifu kwa njia ya imani,
31 but Israel, who sought after a law of justification, has not attained to a law of justification.
hali watu wa Israeli waliokuwa wakitafuta Sheria iletayo kukubaliwa kuwa waadilifu, hawakuipata.
32 And why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as if by works of law: for they stumbled against that stone of stumbling,
Kwa nini? Kwa sababu walitegemea matendo yao badala ya kutegemea imani. Walijikwaa juu ya jiwe la kujikwaa
33 as it is written: Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense: and whoever believes on him, shall not be ashamed.
kama yesemavyo Maandiko Matakatifu: “Tazama! Naweka huko Sioni jiwe likwazalo, mwamba utakaowafanya watu waanguke. Mtu atakayemwamini yeye aliye hilo jiwe, hataaibishwa!”
