Ŵaloma 9
1 Nguŵecheta isyene kuti une ndili jwa Kilisito, ngangusala unami. Nningwa wangu ukuumalanjila umboni kwakulongoswa ni Mbumu jwa Akunnungu, isyene ngangulambusya.
I am telling you the truth as a Christian man--it is no falsehood, for my conscience enlightened, as it is, by the Holy Spirit adds its testimony to mine--
2 Ngusupuka kwannope ni ndili ni ipwetesi yangamala mu ntima mwangu,
when I declare that I have deep grief and unceasing anguish of heart.
3 pakuŵa ngakombwele kupopelela nweseche ni kulekanganywa ni Kilisito kwa ligongo lya achinjangu Ŵaisilaeli, ŵaali lukosyo lumo ni une kwa chiilu.
For I could pray to be accursed from Christ on behalf of my brethren, my human kinsfolk--for such the Israelites are.
4 Ŵelewo ali Ŵaisilaeli ŵaŵasagulikwe ni Akunnungu aŵe ŵanache ŵao ŵaŵalosisye ukulu wao. Ŵalangene nawo ni kwapa Malajisyo, ŵaalosisye yakuti pakwapopelela ni kwapa ilanga yakwe.
To them belongs recognition as God's sons, and they have His glorious Presence and the Covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the Temple service, and the ancient Promises.
5 Ŵanyawo ali isukulu ya achambuje ŵetu, ni kutyochela mu uŵelesi wao, Kilisito ŵapagwile kwa chiilu. Ŵelewo ali Akunnungu ŵakutawala yose, alapikwe moŵa gose pangali mbesi. Eloo. (aiōn g165)
To them the Patriarchs belong, and from them in respect of His human lineage came the Christ, who is exalted above all, God blessed throughout the Ages. Amen. (aiōn g165)
6 Nganguŵecheta kuti chilanga cha Akunnungu nganichimalila. Pakuŵa nganaŵa Ŵaisilaeli wose ŵaali ŵandu ŵa Akunnungu.
Not however that God's word has failed; for all who have sprung from Israel do not count as Israel,
7 Atamuno nganaŵa uŵelesi wose u che Iblahimu ŵaali ŵanache ŵa Akunnungu, nambo Akunnungu ŵapele chilanga che Iblahimu achitiji, “Uŵelesi wenu chiutyochele ni che Isaka.”
nor because they are Abraham's true children. But the promise was "Through Isaac shall your posterity be reckoned."
8 Malumbo gakwe gali, ngaŵa ŵanache ŵaŵapagwile kwa chiilu ni ŵaali ŵanache ŵa Akunnungu, nambo aŵala ŵanache ŵaŵapagwile kwa chilanga cha Akunnungu ni ŵachaŵilanjikwe uŵelesi u che Iblahimu.
In other words, it is not the children by natural descent who count as God's children, but the children made such by the promise are regarded as Abraham's posterity.
9 Pakuŵa chilanga chiŵachilanjile Akunnungu ni chelechi, “Katema kakasagulikwe chingaiche, ni che Sala chaligopole mwanache jwannume.”
For the words are the language of promise and run thus, "About this time next year I will come, and Sarah shall have a son."
10 Ni ngaŵa yeleyo pe, nambo che Lebeka ŵakwete ŵanache ŵaŵili ŵachilume ŵaŵaŵelekwe ni atati ŵamo, ŵaali che Isaka ambuje ŵetu.
Nor is that all: later on there was Rebecca too. She was soon to bear two children to her husband, our forefather Isaac--
11 Pakuŵa akanapagwe maŵila, namose akanatende indu yambone pane yangalumbana, pakuti nningwa wa Akunnungu wa kusagula uwoneche.
and even then, though they were not then born and had not done anything either good or evil, yet in order that God's electing purpose might not be frustrated, based, as it was, not on their actions but on the will of Him who called them, she was told,
12 Akunnungu ŵansalile che Lebeka, “Jwankulungwa chachintumichila mpwakwe.” Lusagu lwa Akunnungu lukutendekwa malinga ni uŵilanje wakwe ni ngaŵa kwa ipanganyo ya ŵandu.
"The elder of them will be bondservant to the younger."
13 Mpela Malembelo ga Akunnungu yagakuti pakusala, “Naanonyele a Yakobo nambo a Esau naachimile.”
This agrees with the other Scripture which says, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated."
14 Nipele, ana tujileje uli? Ana Akunnungu ngakulamula yaikuti pakusachilwa? Namuno kanandi!
What then are we to infer? That there is injustice in God?
15 Pakuŵa ŵaasalile che Musa, “Chinjintendela wema jungunsaka kuntendela wema, ni chinjimpililila ajula jungunsaka kumpililila.”
No, indeed; the solution is found in His words to Moses, "Wherever I show mercy it shall be nothing but mercy, and wherever I show compassion it shall be simply compassion."
16 Nipele, yele yose ikukulupilila chanasa cha Akunnungu ni ngaŵa kwa kuchalila kwa mundu atamuno kwa usache wa mundu.
And from this we learn that everything is dependent not on man's will or endeavour, but upon God who has mercy. For the Scripture said to Pharaoh,
17 Pakuŵa Malembelo ga Akunnungu gakuti yeleyi kwa mwenye jwa ku Misili, “Nanjimiche mme mwenye melepe, kwa litala lya mmwejo nosye machili gangu ni kuti liina lyangu limanyiche pachilambo pose.”
"It is for this very purpose that I have lifted you so high--that I may make manifest in you My power, and that My name may be proclaimed far and wide in all the earth."
18 Kwayele, Akunnungu akunkolela chanasa ajula jwakunsaka nsyene, nombe jwakusaka aŵe jwa kulimba ntima, akunlimbisya.
This is a proof that wherever He chooses He shows mercy, and wherever he chooses He hardens the heart.
19 Pane chimuusye, “Iŵaga ili yele, ana ligongo lyachi Akunnungu akuti ŵandu aleŵile? Pakuŵa ŵaani ŵakukombola kukanilana ni aila yakuisaka Akunnungu?”
"Why then does God still find fault?" you will ask; "for who is resisting His will?"
20 Nambo mmwe mundu, ana mmwe nduni junkwajanga Akunnungu? Ana chiŵiga chikukombola kummusya juŵachigumbile, “Kwachichi mung'umbile yeleyi?”
Nay, but who are you, a mere man, that you should cavil against GOD? Shall the thing moulded say to him who moulded it, "Why have you made me thus?"
21 Jwakugumba akukombola kugumba iŵiga iŵili kwa lilongo limo yakuti pakusaka, chiŵiga chimo kwa ligongo lya masengo gakuchimbichikwa ni chine kwa ligongo lya masengo gangachimbichikwa.
Or has not the potter rightful power over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel for more honourable and another for less honourable uses?
22 Yeleyo ni iyaliji kwa Akunnungu. Ŵasachile kulosya lutumbilo lwao ni kugamanyisya machili gao. Nambo ŵaapililile nnope aŵala ŵandu ŵaŵaŵajilwe kulamulikwa ni lutumbilo lwao, ŵelewo ni ŵaakuŵajilwa konangwa.
And what if God, while choosing to make manifest the terrors of His anger and to show what is possible with Him, has yet borne with long-forbearing patience with the subjects of His anger who stand ready for destruction,
23 Sooni ŵasachile aumanyisye winji wa ukulu wao uŵapele aŵala ŵaŵaŵajilwe kupochela chanasa chao, aŵala ŵaŵaŵichikwe chile kalakala apochele ukulu wakwe.
in order to make known His infinite goodness towards the subjects of His mercy whom He has prepared beforehand for glory,
24 Uweji ni ŵatuŵilanjikwe ni jwelejo, ngaŵa kutyochela kwa Ŵayahudi pe nambo kwa ŵandu ŵangaŵa Ŵayahudi nombe nawo.
even towards us whom He has called not only from among the Jews but also from among the Gentiles?
25 Mpela Malembelo ga Akunnungu yagakuti pakusala mu chitabu chi che Hosea jwakulondola jwa Akunnungu, “Aŵala ŵangaŵa ŵandu ŵangu, chinaŵilanje, ‘Ŵandu ŵangu.’ Ni aŵala ŵangangwanonyela, ‘Chinanonyele.’
So also in Hosea He says, "I will call that nation My People which was not My People, and I will call her beloved who was not beloved.
26 Ni pamalo paŵaŵilanjikwe, ‘Ŵanyamwe nganimma ŵandu ŵangu,’ chaŵilanjikwe ‘Ŵanache ŵa Akunnungu ŵajumi.’”
And in the place where it was said to them, 'No people of Mine are you,' there shall they be called sons of the everliving God."
27 Nombe che Isaya jwakulondola jwa Akunnungu akwakalipila Ŵaisilaeli kuti, “Namose winji wa uŵelesi wa Ŵaisilaeli uli mpela nsanga wa kumbwani, nambo nganatupa ŵachachikulupuswa.
And Isaiah cries aloud concerning Israel, "Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sands of the sea, only a remnant of them shall be saved;
28 Pakuŵa, Ambuje ngaakaŵa kwalamula ŵandu ŵa pachilambo pa.”
for the Lord will hold a reckoning upon the earth, making it efficacious and brief."
29 Mpela che Isaya iŵalongolele kusala, “Ambuje ŵa ukombole ngakatulechele uŵelesi wa Ŵaisilaeli, wose tukaawile mpela ŵandu ŵa ku Sodoma, tukalandene ni ŵandu ŵa ku Gomola.”
Even as Isaiah says in an earlier place, "Were it not that the Lord, the God of Hosts, had left us some few descendants, we should have become like Sodom, and have come to resemble Gomorrah."
30 Nipele, ana tujileje uli? Ŵandu ŵangaŵa Ŵayahudi ŵanganatenda chindu chachili chose kuti aloleche ŵambone paujo pa Akunnungu, ŵaloleche ali ŵambone paujo pa Akunnungu kwa litala lya chikulupi.
To what conclusion does this bring us? Why, that the Gentiles, who were not in pursuit of righteousness, have overtaken it--a righteousness, however, which arises from faith;
31 Nambo Ŵaisilaeli ŵasosile malajisyo gakatesile aloleche ŵambone paujo pa Akunnungu kwa litala lya malajisyo, nganalolecheka ŵambone paujo pa Akunnungu.
while the descendants of Israel, who were in pursuit of a Law that could give righteousness, have not arrived at one.
32 Ligongo lyachi nganalolecheka ŵambone paujo pa Akunnungu? Pakuŵa ŵasosile kutendekwa ŵambone kwa ipanganyo yao, ngaŵa kwa litala lya chikulupi. Ŵalikuŵele pa “Liganga lya kulikuŵalila.”
And why? Because they were pursuing a righteousness which should arise not from faith, but from what they regarded as merit. They stuck their foot against the stone which lay in their way;
33 Mpela Malembelo ga Akunnungu yagakuti pakusala, “Nnole chimiche liganga ku Sayuni, lichilyatende ŵandu agwanje, misile lwala luchilwagwisye ŵandu. Nambo juchankulupilile jwelejo, jwelejo ngajaluswa kose.”
in agreement with the statement of Scripture, "See, I am placing on Mount Zion a stone for people to stumble at, and a rock for them to trip over, and yet he whose faith rests upon it shall never have reason to feel ashamed."
