Ba Loma 11
1 Ndamba kuti, ino Leza wakabakaka na bantu bakwe? Takukwe nichitabi boobo. Nkaambo ambe ndili munaIzilayeli, silunyungu lwaAbbulahamu, wamukowa waBenjamini.
I say then, did God reject his people? May it never be. For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 Leza tewakaka bantu bakwe, mbakaziba kale. Tamuzi na malembe kuti atyeni aElija, mbakakombelezya Leza kubana Izilayeli?
God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleaded with God against Israel?
3 “Mwami, bakajeya basinsimi bako, bakapwayila ansi zipayililo zyabo. Imebo andike ndime wakachaala, alubo balikuyandula bwangu bumi.”
“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have broken down your altars. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.”
4 Pesi Leza nsandulo yake ityeni kulinguwe? “Ndakalibambila musanu ababili zyulu zyabalumi batana kutyola zwi kuli Bbaala.”
But what does God's answer say to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bent the knee to Baal.”
5 Nikuba obo lino, kuli chechino chiindi chasunu kuli bacheede akambo kakusalwa kwaluzyalo.
Even so then, at this present time also there is a remnant because of the choice of grace.
6 Pesi na nzyakuluzyalo, tazichili zyakumilimu. Ateni luzyalo taluchike kuyoba luzyalo. Amwi malembe alabalwa pesi na zyitwa amilimu, mpawo tazichili zyaluzyalo; akutali kuti mulimu tuchili mulimu.
But if it is by grace, it is no longer by works. Otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
7 Niyi lino? Chintu bana Izilayeli nchibayandula, nchibakatajana, abayingi bakayumisigwa.
What then? The thing that Israel was seeking, it did not obtain, but the chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened.
8 Chili mbuli mbuchilembedwe: “Leza wakabapa Muuya wabufubafuba, meso kuchitila kuti bataboni, a matwi kuchitila kuti batamvwi, kusika muli obuno buzuba.”
It is just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of dullness, eyes so that they should not see, and ears so that they should not hear, to this very day.”
9 Mpawo Davida wamba kuti, “Muleke tafula lyabo libe kanyandi akakole, lyakubaleba akubabeda chumyo kulimbabo.
Then David says, “Let their table become a net and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
10 Muleke menso abo asizigwe kuchitila kuti bataboni, akutyola misana yabo lyonse.”
Let their eyes be darkened so that they may not see, and bend their backs continually.”
11 Ndamba, “Bakalebwa na kusikila kukuwa?” Chitakabi obo. Pele, achibi chabo, lufutuko lwasika kuli baMasi, kuchitila kuti basungilizigwe kubuzuba.
I say then, “Did they stumble so as to fall?” May it never be. Instead, by their failure, salvation has come to the Gentiles, in order to provoke them to jealousy.
12 Lino na chibi chabo mbuvubi bwakunyika, na kuswekelwa kwabo mbuvubi bwabaMasi, buyoba bupati kukuzuzikizya kwabo?
Now if their failure is the riches of the world, and if their loss is the riches of the Gentiles, how much greater will their completion be?
13 Pesi lino ndilikwambula kulindinywe nibaMasi, kufumbwa kuti kandili apositoli kuli baMasi, ndilalutangalo mumulimu wangu.
But now I am speaking to you Gentiles, and as long as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry.
14 Ateni ndilakusungilizya kubuzuba kulibabo bayangu nyama. Ateni twali kunofutuka bamwi babo.
Perhaps I will provoke to jealousy those who are of my own flesh. Perhaps we will save some of them.
15 Kuti kukaka kwabo kwamba kuyandana kwakunyika, kuyoba nzi kutambula kwabo pesi buumi kuzwa kubafwide?
For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
16 Kuti michelo mitanzi kayisalala, mbubede munsuma wachinkwa. Kuti muyanda kusalala, mbibede amitabi,
If the firstfruits are reserved, so is the lump of dough. If the root is reserved, so are the branches.
17 Pesi na imwi mitabi yakakuzuka, na webo uli mutabi wamuOlifa wamusokwe, wakabikwa akati kabo, alubo na wakaabana ambabo mumuvubi bwamuyanda wamunsamu muOlifa,
But if some of the branches were broken off, if you, a wild olive branch, were grafted in among them, and if you shared with them in the rich root of the olive tree,
18 mutakalikankayizyi atala amitabi. Pesi na mwalikaknkayizya, teensi ndinywe munyampula mayanda, pesi muyanda ngumunyampula.
do not boast over the branches. But if you do boast, it is not you who supports the root, but the root that supports you.
19 Muyowamba kuti, “Mitabi yakatyoka kuchitila kuti ndibike mukati.”
You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.”
20 Eyo ninchonzyo nkaambo kakutasyoma kwabo bakakuzuka, pesi muliima nji nkaambo kalusyomo lwanu. Mutayeyi loko atala andinywe, pesi akuyowa.
That is true. Because of their unbelief they were broken off, but you stand firm because of your faith. Do not think too highly of yourself, but fear.
21 Kuti na Leza takabika kulubazu mitabi yabube, takukwe mbayomu mbayobika kulubazu anywebo.
For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
22 Mulange, mpawo, zyiito zyabuya abuyumu bwaLeza: buyumu bwakasikila baJuda bakawa, pesi bubotu bwaLeza buza alindinywe na mwayendelela mubuya bwakwe. Atela anywebo muyogwisigwa.
Look at, then, the kind actions and the severity of God: severity came on the Jews who fell, but God's kindness comes on you, if you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
23 Alubo nikuba mbabo nikuba mbabo na tebendelela mukutasyoma kwabo, nkambo Leza ulakonzya kubabika alubo.
And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in. For God is able to graft them in again.
24 Na mwakaligwisigilwe kuli zyabube bwamunsamu wamusokwe muOlifa, akukazyana abube bwakabikwa mumunsamu mubotu muOlifa, bayoba biyeni kuli eyi mitabi, bakabikwe lubo kumunyina muOlifa?
For if you were cut out of what is by nature a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into a good olive tree, how much more will these Jews, who are the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree?
25 Nkambo tandiyandi kuti mutabi batakwe luzibo, nibakwesu asinswa eyi, kuti mutakabi basongo mukuyeya kwanu. Kuyumya kumwi kwasikila Izilayeli kusikila mwelwe woonse wabamasi banjila.
For I do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, of this mystery, in order that you will not be wise in your own thinking. This mystery is that a partial hardening has occurred in Israel, until the completion of the Gentiles come in.
26 Nkaako Izilayeli woonse uyokufutulwa, mbuli mbukulembedwe: “Kuzwa muZiyoni nkwayozwa munununi. Uyogwisya kubula Leza kuzwa kuli Jakobe,
Thus all Israel will be saved, just as it is written: “Out of Zion will come the Deliverer. He will remove ungodliness from Jacob,
27 alimwi eechi chiyoba chizuminano ambabo, nintakagwisye zibi zyabo.”
and this will be my covenant with them, when I will take away their sins.”
28 Mbuli makani mabotu mbalangide, mbasinkondonyokwe kuchitila ndinywe. Pesi mbulilusalo mbolubede, baliyandidwe akaambo kaba similimu bakale.
As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake. But as far as election is concerned, they are beloved because of their forefathers.
29 Nkaambo zipego akwiitwa kwaLeza tazisanduliki.
For the gifts and the call of God are unchangeable.
30 Mbuli mbumwakali bataswilili kuli Leza, lino mwatambula luse akambo kakutaswilila kwabo.
For you were formerly disobedient to God, but now you have received mercy because of their disobedience.
31 Munzila njiyonya eyo, lino aba baJuda bakaba bataswilili. Mpindu yakali yakuti aluse lutondezedwe kulindinywe bakatambula luse alubo.
In the same way, now these Jews have been disobedient. The result was that by the mercy shown to you they may also now receive mercy.
32 Nkaambo Leza wakazijalila zyoonse mukutaswilila kuchitila kuti atondezye luse kuli bonse. (eleēsē g1653)
For God has shut up all into disobedience, in order that he might show mercy on all. (eleēsē g1653)
33 Aah, kunika kwakuvubi antomwe bwabusongo a luzibo lwaLeza! Taziyanduuliki biyeni mbeteko, anzila zyakwe zyiinda kubbutula!
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways beyond discovering!
34 “Nguni wakaziba miyeeyyo yaMwami na nguni wakaba sikumuchenjezya?
“For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has become his advisor?
35 Na nguni wakatalika kupa chintu kuliLeza, kuti Leza amubwedezye?”
Or who has first given anything to God, that God must repay him?”
