Romans 13
1 Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God.
Kila mtu na atii mamlaka inayotawala, kwa maana hakuna mamlaka isiyotoka kwa Mungu, nazo mamlaka zilizopo zimewekwa na Mungu.
2 Therefore he who resists the authority withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgement.
Kwa hiyo yeye anayeasi dhidi ya mamlaka inayotawala anaasi dhidi ya kile kilichowekwa na Mungu, nao wale wafanyao hivyo watajiletea hukumu juu yao wenyewe.
3 For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the authority,
Kwa kuwa watawala hawawatishi watu wale wanaotenda mema bali wale wanaotenda mabaya. Je, wataka usimwogope mwenye mamlaka? Basi tenda lile lililo jema naye atakusifu.
4 for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn’t bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil.
Kwa maana mwenye mamlaka ni mtumishi wa Mungu kwa ajili ya mema. Lakini kama ukitenda mabaya, basi ogopa, kwa kuwa hauinui upanga bila sababu. Yeye ni mtumishi wa Mungu, mjumbe wa Mungu wa kutekeleza adhabu juu ya watenda mabaya.
5 Therefore you need to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.
Kwa hiyo ni lazima kutii wenye mamlaka, si kwa sababu ya kuogopa adhabu iwezayo kutolewa, bali pia kwa ajili ya dhamiri.
6 For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God’s service, continually doing this very thing.
Kwa sababu hii mnalipa kodi, kwa maana watawala ni watumishi wa Mungu, ambao hutumia muda wao wote kutawala.
7 Therefore give everyone what you owe: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if customs, then customs; if respect, then respect; if honour, then honour.
Mlipeni kila mtu kile mnachodaiwa. Kama mnadaiwa kodi lipeni kodi, kama ni ushuru, lipeni ushuru, astahiliye hofu, mhofu, astahiliye heshima, mheshimu.
8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbour has fulfilled the law.
Msidaiwe kitu na mtu yeyote, isipokuwa kupendana, kwa maana yeye ampendaye mwenzake, ameitimiza sheria.
9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”
Kwa kuwa amri hizi zisemazo, “Usizini,” “Usiue,” “Usiibe,” “Usitamani,” na amri nyingine zote, zinajumlishwa katika amri hii moja: “Mpende jirani yako kama nafsi yako.”
10 Love doesn’t harm a neighbour. Love therefore is the fulfilment of the law.
Upendo haumfanyii jirani jambo baya. Kwa hiyo upendo ndio utimilifu wa sheria.
11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed.
Nanyi fanyeni hivi, mkiutambua wakati tulio nao. Saa ya kuamka kutoka usingizini imewadia, kwa maana sasa wokovu wetu umekaribia zaidi kuliko hapo kwanza tulipoamini.
12 The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the deeds of darkness, and let’s put on the armour of light.
Usiku umeendelea sana, mapambazuko yamekaribia. Kwa hiyo tuyaweke kando matendo ya giza na tuvae silaha za nuru.
13 Let’s walk properly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy.
Basi na tuenende kwa adabu kama inavyopasa wakati wa mchana, si kwa kufanya karamu za ulafi na ulevi, si kwa ufisadi na uasherati, si kwa ugomvi na wivu.
14 But put on the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.
Bali jivikeni Bwana Yesu Kristo, wala msifikiri jinsi mtakavyotimiza tamaa za miili yenu yenye asili ya dhambi.
