Romans 9
1 I say the trueth in Christ, I lye not, my conscience bearing mee witnes in the holy Ghost,
Nasema ukweli mtupu; nimeungana na Kristo nami sisemi uongo. Dhamiri yangu ikiongozwa na Roho Mtakatifu inanithibitishia jambo hili pia.
2 That I haue great heauinesse, and continuall sorow in mine heart.
Nataka kusema hivi: nina huzuni kubwa na maumivu yasiyopimika moyoni mwangu
3 For I woulde wish my selfe to be separate from Christ, for my brethren that are my kinsemen 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 Which are the Israelites, to whome perteineth the adoption, and the glory, and the Couenants, and the giuing of the Lawe, and the seruice of God, 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 Of whome are the fathers, and of whome concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is God ouer all, blessed for euer, 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 Notwithstanding it can not bee that the worde of God should take none effect: for all they are not Israel, which are of Israel:
Sisemi kwamba ahadi ya Mungu imebatilika; maana si watu wote wa Israeli ni wateule wa Mungu.
7 Neither are they all children, because they are the seede of Abraham: but, In Isaac shall thy seede 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, they which are the children of the flesh, are not the children of God: but the children of the promise, are counted for the seede.
Nido kusema, wale waliozaliwa kimaumbile ndio watoto wa Mungu, bali wale waliozaliwa kutokana na ahadi ya Mungu ndio watakaoitwa watoto wake.
9 For this is a worde of promise, In this same time wil I come, and Sara shall haue a sonne.
Maana ahadi yenyewe ni hii: “Nitakujia wakati maalum, naye Sara atapata mtoto.”
10 Neither he onely felt this, but also Rebecca when shee had conceiued by one, euen by our father Isaac.
Tena si hayo tu ila pia Rebeka naye alipata mapacha kwa baba mmoja, yaani Isaka, babu yetu.
11 For yer the children were borne, and when they had neither done good, nor euill (that the purpose of God might remaine according to election, not by workes, but by him that calleth)
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 vnto her, The elder shall serue the yonger.
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, I haue loued Iacob, and haue hated Esau.
Kama Maandiko Matakatifu yasemavyo: “Yakobo nilimpenda, lakini Esau nilimchukia.”
14 What shall wee say then? Is there vnrighteousnes with God? God forbid.
Basi, tuseme nini? Je, Mungu amekosa haki? Hata kidogo!
15 For he saith to Moses, I wil haue mercy on him, to whom I wil shew mercie: and wil haue compassion on him, on who I wil haue copassion.
Maana alimwambia Mose: “Nitamhurumia mtu yeyote ninayetaka kumhurumia; nitamwonea huruma mtu yeyote ninayetaka.”
16 So then it is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that sheweth mercy.
Kwa hiyo, yote hutegemea huruma ya Mungu, na si bidii au mapenzi ya mtu.
17 For the Scripture saith vnto Pharao, For this same purpose haue I stirred thee vp, that I might shewe my power in thee, and that my Name might be declared throughout al 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 hath mercie on whome he will, and whom he will, he hardeneth.
Ni wazi, basi, kwamba Mungu humhurumia yeyote anayetaka kumhurumia, na akipenda kumfanya mtu awe mkaidi, hufanya hivyo.
19 Thou wilt say then vnto me, Why doeth he yet complaine? for who hath resisted his will?
Labda utaniuliza: “Ikiwa mambo yako hivyo, Mungu anawezaje kumlaumu mtu? Nani awezaye kuyapinga mapenzi yake?”
20 But, O man, who art thou which pleadest against God? shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Lakini, ewe binadamu, u nani hata uthubutu kumhoji Mungu? Je, chungu chaweza kumwuliza mfinyanzi wake: “Kwa nini umenitengeneza namna hii?”
21 Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour, and another vnto dishonour?
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 and if God would, to shewe his wrath, and to make his power knowen, suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath, prepared to 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 hee might declare the riches of his glory vpon the vessels of mercy, which hee hath prepared vnto glory?
Alitaka pia kudhihirisha wingi wa utukufu wake ambao alitumiminia sisi tulio lengo la huruma yake; sisi ambao alikwisha kututayarisha kuupokea utukufu wake.
24 Euen vs whome hee hath called, not of of the Iewes onely, but also of the Gentiles,
Maana sisi ndio hao aliowaita, si tu kutoka miongoni mwa Wayahudi bali pia kutoka kwa watu wa mataifa mengine.
25 As he sayth also in Osee, I will call them, My people, which were not my people: and her, Beloued, which was not beloued.
Maana ndivyo asemavyo katika kitabu cha Hosea: “Wale waliokuwa Si watu wangu nitawaita: Watu wangu! Naye Sikupendi ataitwa: Mpenzi wangu!
26 And it shalbe in the place where it was said vnto them, Ye are not my people, that there they shalbe called, The children of the liuing God.
Na pale walipoambiwa: Ninyi si wangu hapo wataitwa: Watoto wa Mungu hai.”
27 Also Esaias cryeth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel were as the sand of the sea, yet shall but a remnant be saued.
Naye nabii Isaya, kuhusu Israeli anapaaza sauti: “Hata kama watoto wa Israeli ni wengi kama mchanga wa pwani, ni wachache tu watakaookolewa;
28 For he wil make his account, and gather it into a short summe with righteousnes: for the Lord will make a short count in the earth.
maana, Bwana ataitekeleza upesi hukumu yake kamili juu ya ulimwengu wote.”
29 And as Esaias sayde before, Except the Lord of hostes had left vs a seede, we had bene made as Sodom, and had bene like to Gomorrha.
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 shall we say then? That the Gentiles which folowed not righteousnes, haue attained vnto righteousnes, euen the righteousnes which is of faith.
Basi, tuseme nini? Ni hivi: watu wa mataifa ambao hawakutafuta kukubaliwa kuwa waadilifu, wamekubaliwa kuwa waadilifu kwa njia ya imani,
31 But Israel which followed the Lawe of righteousnes, could not arteine vnto the Law of righteousnes.
hali watu wa Israeli waliokuwa wakitafuta Sheria iletayo kukubaliwa kuwa waadilifu, hawakuipata.
32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the workes of the Lawe: for they haue stumbled at the stumbling stone,
Kwa nini? Kwa sababu walitegemea matendo yao badala ya kutegemea imani. Walijikwaa juu ya jiwe la kujikwaa
33 As it is written, Beholde, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone, and a rocke to make men fall: and euery one that beleeueth in 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!”
