< Matthew 23 >

1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples:
Kisha Yesu akauambia umati wa watu pamoja na wanafunzi wake:
2 “The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.
“Walimu wa sheria na Mafarisayo wameketi katika kiti cha Mose,
3 So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
hivyo inawapasa kuwatii na kufanya kila kitu wanachowaambia. Lakini msifuate yale wanayotenda, kwa sababu hawatendi yale wanayohubiri.
4 They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
Wao hufunga mizigo mikubwa na kuiweka mabegani mwa watu, lakini wao wenyewe hawako radhi hata kuinua kidole ili kuisogeza.
5 All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
“Wao hutenda mambo yao yote ili waonekane na watu. Hupanua vikasha vyao vyenye maandiko ya sheria na kurefusha matamvua ya mavazi yao.
6 They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues,
Wanapenda kukalia viti vya heshima katika karamu, na vile viti maalum sana katika masinagogi.
7 the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of ‘Rabbi’ by which they are addressed.
Hupenda kusalimiwa masokoni na kutaka watu wawaite ‘Rabi.’
8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
“Lakini ninyi msiitwe ‘Rabi,’ kwa sababu mnaye Bwana mmoja na ninyi nyote ni ndugu.
9 And do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
Nanyi msimwite mtu yeyote ‘Baba,’ hapa duniani, kwa maana mnaye Baba mmoja, naye yuko mbinguni.
10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Christ.
Wala msiitwe ‘Mwalimu,’ kwa maana mnaye mwalimu mmoja tu, ndiye Kristo.
11 The greatest among you shall be your servant.
Yeye aliye mkuu kuliko ninyi nyote miongoni mwenu atakuwa mtumishi wenu.
12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Kwa kuwa yeyote anayejikweza atashushwa, na yeyote anayejinyenyekeza atakwezwa.
13 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.
“Lakini ole wenu, walimu wa sheria na Mafarisayo, enyi wanafiki! Kwa maana mnawafungia watu milango ya Ufalme wa Mbinguni. Ninyi wenyewe hamuingii humo, nao wale wanaotaka kuingia mnawazuia. [
Ole wenu walimu wa sheria na Mafarisayo, enyi wanafiki! Mnakula katika nyumba za wajane, nanyi kwa kujifanya kuwa wema, mnasali sala ndefu. Kwa hiyo hukumu yenu itakuwa kuu zaidi.]
15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. (Geenna g1067)
“Ole wenu walimu wa sheria na Mafarisayo, enyi wanafiki! Ninyi mnasafiri baharini na nchi kavu ili kumfanya mtu mmoja mwongofu, lakini baada ya kumpata, mnamfanya mwana wa jehanamu mara mbili kuliko ninyi! (Geenna g1067)
16 Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’
“Ole wenu, viongozi vipofu! Ninyi mwasema, ‘Mtu akiapa kwa Hekalu, kiapo hicho si kitu; lakini mtu akiapa kwa dhahabu ya Hekalu, amefungwa kwa kiapo chake.’
17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred?
Ninyi vipofu wapumbavu! Ni kipi kilicho kikuu zaidi: ni ile dhahabu, au ni lile Hekalu linaloifanya hiyo dhahabu kuwa takatifu?
18 And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’
Pia mnasema, ‘Mtu akiapa kwa madhabahu, si kitu; lakini mtu akiapa kwa sadaka iliyo juu ya madhabahu, amefungwa kwa kiapo chake’
19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred?
Ninyi vipofu! Ni kipi kikuu zaidi: ni sadaka, au ni madhabahu yanayoifanya hiyo sadaka kuwa takatifu?
20 So then, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
Kwa hiyo, mtu aapaye kwa madhabahu, huapa kwa hayo madhabahu na vitu vyote vilivyo juu yake.
21 And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it.
Naye mtu aapaye kwa Hekalu, huapa kwa hilo Hekalu na kwa huyo akaaye ndani yake.
22 And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the One who sits on it.
Naye aapaye kwa mbingu, huapa kwa kiti cha enzi cha Mungu na kwa yeye aketiye juu ya kiti hicho.
23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
“Ole wenu walimu wa sheria na Mafarisayo, ninyi wanafiki! Kwa maana mnatoa zaka ya mnanaa, bizari na jira, lakini mmeacha mambo makuu zaidi ya sheria, yaani haki, huruma na uaminifu. Iliwapasa kufanya haya makuu ya sheria bila kupuuza hayo matoleo.
24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
Ninyi viongozi vipofu, mnachuja kiroboto lakini mnameza ngamia!
25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
“Ole wenu, walimu wa sheria na Mafarisayo, ninyi wanafiki! Kwa maana mnasafisha kikombe na sahani kwa nje, lakini ndani mmejaa unyangʼanyi na kutokuwa na kiasi.
26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.
Ewe Farisayo kipofu! Safisha ndani ya kikombe na sahani kwanza, ndipo nje itakuwa safi pia.
27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity.
“Ole wenu, walimu wa sheria na Mafarisayo, ninyi wanafiki! Mnafanana na makaburi yaliyopakwa chokaa, ambayo yanapendeza kwa nje, lakini ndani yamejaa mifupa ya wafu na kila aina ya uchafu.
28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
Vivyo hivyo, kwa nje ninyi mnaonekana kwa watu kuwa wenye haki, lakini kwa ndani mmejaa unafiki na uovu.
29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous.
“Ole wenu, walimu wa sheria na Mafarisayo, ninyi wanafiki! Mnajenga makaburi ya manabii na kuyapamba makaburi ya wenye haki.
30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
Nanyi mwasema, ‘Kama tungaliishi wakati wa baba zetu, tusingalikuwa tumeshiriki katika kumwaga damu ya manabii!’
31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.
Hivyo mnajishuhudia wenyewe kwamba ninyi ni wana wa wale waliowaua manabii.
32 Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your fathers.
Haya basi, kijazeni kipimo cha dhambi ya baba zenu!
33 You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell? (Geenna g1067)
“Ninyi nyoka, ninyi uzao wa nyoka wenye sumu! Mtaiepukaje hukumu ya jehanamu? (Geenna g1067)
34 Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute in town after town.
Kwa sababu hii, tazameni, natuma kwenu manabii na wenye hekima na walimu. Baadhi yao mtawaua na kuwasulubisha, na wengine wao mtawapiga mijeledi katika masinagogi yenu na kuwafuatia kutoka mji mmoja hadi mji mwingine.
35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
Hivyo ile damu ya wenye haki wote iliyomwagwa hapa duniani, tangu damu ya Abeli, ambaye alikuwa hana hatia, hadi damu ya Zekaria mwana wa Barakia, mliyemuua kati ya patakatifu na madhabahu, itawajia juu yenu.
36 Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.
Amin, nawaambia, haya yote yatakuja juu ya kizazi hiki.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!
“Ee Yerusalemu, Yerusalemu, uwauaye manabii na kuwapiga mawe wale waliotumwa kwako! Mara ngapi nimetamani kuwakusanya watoto wako pamoja, kama vile kuku akusanyavyo vifaranga wake chini ya mabawa yake, lakini hukutaka!
38 Look, your house is left to you desolate.
Tazama nyumba yenu imeachwa ukiwa.
39 For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
Kwa maana nawaambia, hamtaniona tena tangu sasa mpaka mtakaposema, ‘Amebarikiwa yeye ajaye kwa Jina la Bwana.’”

< Matthew 23 >