< Galatians 4 >
1 What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he is the owner of everything.
Lile nisemalo ni kwamba wakati wote mrithi bado ni mtoto, hana tofauti na mtumwa, ingawa ndiye mmiliki wa mali yote.
2 He is subject to guardians and trustees until the date set by his father.
Yeye huwa yuko chini ya uangalizi wa walezi na wadhamini mpaka ufike wakati uliowekwa na baba yake.
3 So also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world.
Vivyo hivyo na sisi, tulipokuwa bado watoto wadogo, tulikuwa utumwani chini ya taratibu za kawaida za ulimwengu.
4 But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
Lakini ulipowadia utimilifu wa wakati, Mungu alimtuma Mwanawe, ambaye alizaliwa na mwanamke, akazaliwa chini ya sheria,
5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.
kusudi awakomboe wale waliokuwa chini ya sheria, ili tupate kupokea zile haki kamili za kufanywa watoto wa Mungu.
6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
Kwa sababu ninyi ni watoto wa Mungu, Mungu amemtuma Roho wa Mwanawe mioyoni mwetu, anayelia, “Abba, Baba.”
7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir through God.
Kwa hiyo, wewe si mtumwa tena, bali ni mtoto, kwa kuwa wewe ni mtoto, Mungu amekufanya wewe pia kuwa mrithi kwa kupitia Kristo.
8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
Zamani, mlipokuwa hammjui Mungu, mlikuwa watumwa wa viumbe ambavyo kwa asili si Mungu.
9 But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
Lakini sasa kwa kuwa mmemjua Mungu, au zaidi mmejulikana na Mungu, inakuwaje mnarejea tena katika zile kanuni za kwanza zenye udhaifu na upungufu? Mnataka ziwafanye tena watumwa?
10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!
Mnaadhimisha siku maalum, miezi, nyakati na miaka!
11 I fear for you, that my efforts for you may have been in vain.
Nina hofu juu yenu, kwamba kazi niliyofanya kwa ajili yenu inaweza kuwa nimejitaabisha bure.
12 I beg you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong.
Ndugu zangu, nawasihi mwe kama mimi, kwa sababu mimi nimekuwa kama ninyi. Hamkunitendea jambo lolote baya.
13 You know that it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.
Ninyi mwajua kwamba ni kwa ajili ya udhaifu wangu niliwahubiria Injili.
14 And although my illness was a trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus Himself.
Ingawa hali yangu iliwatia majaribuni, hamkunidharau wala kunidhihaki, bali mlinikaribisha kama malaika wa Mungu, kama vile Kristo Yesu.
15 What then has become of your blessing? For I can testify that, if it were possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.
Ile hali ya furaha mliyokuwa nayo imekwenda wapi? Naweza kushuhudia kwamba, kama ingewezekana mngengʼoa macho yenu na kunipa mimi.
16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Je, sasa nimekuwa adui yenu kwa kuwaambia kweli?
17 Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.
Hao wana shauku ya kuwapata lakini si kwa kusudi zuri. Wanachotaka ni kuwatenga mbali nasi, ili ninyi mpate kuwaonea wao shauku.
18 Nevertheless, it is good to be zealous if it serves a noble purpose—at any time, and not only when I am with you.
Ni vizuri wakati wote kuwa na shauku kwa ajili ya kusudi zuri, si wakati nikiwa pamoja nanyi tu.
19 My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,
Watoto wangu wapendwa, ambao kwa mara nyingine ninawaonea utungu, ninatamani kwamba Kristo aumbike ndani yenu.
20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.
Natamani kama ningekuwa pamoja nanyi sasa, pengine ningebadilisha sauti yangu. Kwa maana nina wasiwasi kwa ajili yenu.
21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says?
Niambieni, ninyi mnaotaka kuwa chini ya sheria, je, hamjui sheria inavyosema?
22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.
Kwa maana imeandikwa kwamba Abrahamu alikuwa na wana wawili, mmoja wa mwanamke mtumwa na wa pili wa mwanamke huru.
23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.
Lakini, mtoto wa mwanamke mtumwa alizaliwa kwa mapenzi ya mwili, na yule mwingine wa mwanamke huru alizaliwa kutokana na ahadi ya Mungu.
24 These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery: This is Hagar.
Mambo haya yanaweza kuchukuliwa kama mfano. Kwa maana hao wanawake wawili ni mfano wa maagano mawili: Agano la kwanza, ni lile lililofanyika katika Mlima Sinai, lizaalo watoto wa utumwa. Hili ndilo huyo Hagari.
25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.
Basi Hagari anawakilisha Mlima Sinai ulioko Arabuni, na unafanana na Yerusalemu ya sasa ambayo iko utumwani pamoja na watoto wake.
26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
Lakini Yerusalemu wa juu ni huru, nayo ndiye mama yetu.
27 For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.”
Kwa maana imeandikwa: “Furahi, ewe mwanamke tasa, wewe usiyezaa; paza sauti, na kuimba kwa furaha, wewe usiyepatwa na utungu wa kuzaa; kwa maana watoto wa mwanamke aliyeachwa ukiwa ni wengi kuliko wa mwanamke mwenye mume.”
28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
Basi, sisi ndugu zangu, ni kama Isaki, tu watoto wa ahadi.
29 At that time, however, the son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now.
Lakini, kama vile ilivyokuwa siku zile yule aliyezaliwa kwa mwili alivyomchokoza yule aliyezaliwa kwa Roho, ndivyo ilivyo hata sasa.
30 But what does the Scripture say? “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”
Lakini Maandiko yasemaje? “Mwondoe mwanamke mtumwa pamoja na mwanawe, kwa sababu mwana wa mwanamke mtumwa kamwe hatarithi pamoja na mwana wa aliye huru.”
31 Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
Kwa hiyo ndugu zangu, sisi si watoto wa mwanamke mtumwa, bali wa yule aliye huru.