Luka 16
1 Yesu aliwaambia wanafunzi wake: “Tajiri mmoja alikuwa na karani wake. Huyu karani alichongewa kwamba alitumia ovyo mali ya tajiri wake.
Jesus said to his disciples: “There was a rich man who had a steward; and this steward was maliciously accused to him of wasting his estate.
2 Yule tajiri akamwita akamwambia: Ni mambo gani haya ninayosikia juu yako? Toa hesabu ya mapato na matumizi ya mali yangu, kwa maana huwezi kuwa karani tena.
So the master called him and said ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give in your accounts, for you cannot act as steward any longer.’
3 Yule karani akafikiri: Bwana wangu amenifukuza kazi ya ukarani; nitafanya nini? Kwenda kulima siwezi; kwenda kuombaomba kama maskini ni aibu.
‘What am I to do,’ the steward asked himself, ‘now that my master is taking the steward’s place away from me? I have not strength to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.
4 Naam, najua la kufanya, ili nitakapofukuzwa kazi, watu waweze kunikaribisha nyumbani kwao.
I know what I will do, so that, as soon as I am turned out of my stewardship, people may welcome me into their homes.’
5 Basi, akawaita wadeni wa bwana wake, mmoja mmoja, akamwambia yule wa kwanza: Unadaiwa kiasi gani na bwana wangu?
One by one he called up his master’s debtors. ‘How much do you owe my master?’ he asked of the first.
6 Yeye akamjibu: Mapipa mia ya mafuta ya zeituni. Yule karani akamwambia: Chukua hati yako ya deni, keti haraka, andika hamsini.
‘Four hundred and forty gallons of oil,’ answered the man. ‘Here is your agreement,’ he said; ‘sit down at once and make it two hundred and twenty.’
7 Kisha akamwuliza mdeni mwingine: Wewe unadaiwa kiasi gani? Yeye akamjibu: Magunia mia ya ngano. Yule karani akamwambia: Chukua hati yako ya deni, andika themanini.
And you, the steward said to the next, ‘how much do you owe?’ ‘Seventy quarters of wheat,’ he replied. ‘Here is your agreement,’ the steward said; ‘make it fifty-six.’
8 “Basi, yule bwana akamsifu huyo karani asiye mwaminifu, kwa kuwa alitumia busara. Kwa maana watu wa dunia hii wana busara zaidi na mambo yao kuliko watu wa mwanga.” (aiōn g165)
His master complimented this dishonest steward on the shrewdness of his action. And indeed men of the world are shrewder in dealing with their fellow-men than those who have the Light. (aiōn g165)
9 Naye Yesu akaendelea kusema, “Nami nawaambieni, jifanyieni marafiki kutokana na mali ya dunia, ili zitakapowaishieni, mweze kupokewa nao katika makao ya milele. (aiōnios g166)
And I say to you ‘Win friends for yourselves with your dishonest money,’ so that, when it comes to an end, there may be a welcome for you into the Eternal Home. (aiōnios g166)
10 Yeyote aliye mwaminifu katika mambo madogo, atakuwa mwaminifu katika mambo makubwa; na yeyote asiye mwaminifu katika mambo madogo, hatakuwa mwaminifu katika mambo makubwa.
He who is trustworthy in the smallest matter is trustworthy in a great one also; and he who is dishonest in the smallest matter is dishonest in a great one also.
11 Kama basi, ninyi si hamjawa waaminifu mali mbaya za dunia, ni nani atakayewakabidhi zile mali za kweli?
So, if you have proved untrustworthy with the ‘dishonest money,’ who will trust you with the true?
12 Na kama hamjakuwa waaminifu katika mali ya mtu mwingine, ni nani atakayewakabidhi mali yenu wenyewe?
And, if you have proved untrustworthy with what does not belong to us, who will give you what is really our own?
13 “Hakuna mtumishi awezaye kuwatumikia mabwana wawili; kwa maana atamchukia mmoja na kumpenda mwingine, au ataambatana na mmoja na kumdharau mwingine. Hamwezi kumtumikia Mungu na mali.”
No servant can serve two masters, for, either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will attach himself to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
14 Lakini Mafarisayo waliposikia hayo, kwa vile wao walikuwa wanapenda sana fedha, wakamdharau Yesu.
All this was said within hearing of the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, and they began to sneer at Jesus.
15 Hapo akawaambia, “Ninyi mnajifanya wema mbele ya watu, lakini Mungu anaijua mioyo yenu. Kwa maana kile kinachoonekana kuwa kitukufu mbele ya watu, Mungu anakiona kuwa takataka.
“You,” said Jesus, “are the men who justify themselves before the world, but God can read your hearts; and what is highly esteemed among men may be an abomination in the sight of God.
16 “Sheria na maandishi ya manabii vilikuweko mpaka wakati wa Yohane mbatizaji. Tangu hapo, Ufalme wa Mungu unahubiriwa, na kila mmoja anauingia kwa nguvu.
The Law and the Prophets sufficed until the time of John. Since then the Good News of the Kingdom of God has been told, and everybody has been forcing his way into it.
17 Lakini ni rahisi zaidi mbingu na dunia kupita, kuliko hata herufi moja ya Sheria kufutwa.
It would be easier for the heavens and the earth to disappear than for one stroke of a letter in the Law to be lost.
18 “Yeyote anayemwacha mke wake na kuoa mwingine, anazini; na yeyote anayemwoa mwanamke aliyepewa talaka, anazini.
Every one who divorces his wife and marries another woman is an adulterer, and the man who marries a divorced woman is an adulterer.
19 “Palikuwa na mtu mmoja tajiri, ambaye alikuwa anavaa mavazi ya bei kubwa sana ya rangi ya zambarau, na ya kitani safi, na kufanya sherehe kila siku.
There was once a rich man, who dressed in purple robes and fine linen, and feasted every day in great splendour.
20 Kulikuwa pia na maskini mmoja jina lake Lazaro, aliyekuwa amejaa vidonda na alikuwa analazwa mlangoni pa nyumba ya huyo tajiri.
Near his gateway there had been laid a beggar named Lazarus, who was covered with sores,
21 Lazaro alitamani kula makombo yaliyoanguka kutoka meza ya tajiri; na zaidi ya hayo, mbwa walikuwa wanakuja na kulamba vidonda vyake!
and who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the very dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “Ikatokea kwamba huyo maskini akafa, malaika wakamchukua, wakamweka karibu na Abrahamu. Na yule tajiri pia akafa, akazikwa.
After a time the beggar died, and was taken by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.
23 Huyo tajiri, alikuwa na mateso makali huko kuzimu, akainua macho yake, akamwona Abrahamu kwa mbali na Lazaro karibu naye. (Hadēs g86)
In the Place of Death he looked up in his torment, and saw Abraham at a distance and Lazarus at his side. (Hadēs g86)
24 Basi, akaita kwa sauti: Baba Abrahamu, nionee huruma; umtume Lazaro angalau achovye ncha ya kidole chake katika maji, auburudishe ulimi wangu, maana ninateseka mno katika moto huu.
So he called out ‘Pity me, Father Abraham, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering agony in this flame.’
25 Lakini Abrahamu akamjibu: Kumbuka mwanangu, kwamba ulipokea mema yako katika maisha, naye Lazaro akapokea mabaya. Sasa lakini, yeye anatulizwa, nawe unateswa.
‘Child,’ answered Abraham, ‘remember that you in your lifetime received what you thought desirable, just as Lazarus received what was not desirable; but now he has his consolation here, while you are suffering agony.
26 Licha ya hayo, kati yetu na ninyi kumewekwa shimo kubwa, ili wanaotaka kuja kwenu kutoka huku wasiweze, wala wanaotaka kutoka kwenu kuja kwetu wasiweze.
And not only that, but between you and us there lies a great chasm, so that those who wish to pass from here to you cannot, nor can they cross from there to us.’
27 Huyo aliyekuwa tajiri akasema: Basi baba, nakuomba umtume aende nyumbani kwa baba yangu,
‘Then, Father,’ he said, ‘I beg you to send Lazarus to my father’s house —
28 maana ninao ndugu watano, ili awaonye wasije wakaja huku kwenye mateso.
For I have five brothers to warn them, so that they may not come to this place of torture also.’
29 Lakini Abrahamu akamwambia: Ndugu zako wanao Mose na manabii; waache wawasikilize hao.
‘They have the writings of Moses and the Prophets,’ replied Abraham; ‘let them listen to them.’
30 Lakini yeye akasema: Sivyo baba Abrahamu, ila kama mtu atafufuka kutoka wafu na kuwaendea, watatubu.
‘But, Father Abraham,’ he urged, ‘if some one from the dead were to go to them, they would repent.’
31 Naye Abrahamu akasema: Kama hawawasikilizi Mose na manabii, hawatajali hata kama mtu angefufuka kutoka wafu.”
‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets,’ answered Abraham, ‘they will not be persuaded, even if some one were to rise from the dead.’”
