< Romans 11 >
1 I Demaund then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid: for I also am an Israelite, of the seede of Abraham, of the tribe of Beniamin.
Basi, nauliza: je, Mungu amewakataa watu wake? Hata kidogo! Mini binafsi ni Mwisraeli mzawa wa Abrahamu, wa kabila la Benyamini.
2 God hath not cast away his people which he knew before. Know ye not what the Scripture sayth of Elias, howe hee communeth with God against Israel, saying,
Mungu hakuwakataa watu wake aliowateua tangu mwanzo. Mnakumbuka yasemavyo Maandiko Matakatifu juu ya Eliya wakati alipomnung'unikia Mungu kuhusu Israeli:
3 Lord, they haue killed thy Prophets, and digged downe thine altars: and I am left alone, and they seeke my life?
“Bwana, wamewaua manabii wako na kubomoa madhabahu yako. Ni mimi tu peke yangu niliyebaki, nao wanataka kuniua?”
4 But what saith the answere of God to him? I haue reserued vnto my selfe seuen thousand men, which haue not bowed the knee to Baal.
Je, Mungu alimjibu nini? Alimwambia: “Nimejiwekea elfu saba ambao hawakumwabudu Baali.”
5 Euen so then at this present time is there a remnant according to the election of grace.
Basi, ndivyo ilivyo pia wakati huu wa sasa: ipo idadi ya waliobaki ambao Mungu aliwateua kwa sababu ya neema yake.
6 And if it be of grace, it is no more of workes: or els were grace no more grace: but if it be of workes, it is no more grace: or els were worke no more worke.
Uteuzi wake unatokana na neema yake, na si kwa sababu ya matendo yao. Maana, kama uteuzi wake ungetegemea matendo ya watu, neema yake haingekuwa neema tena.
7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that he sought: but the election hath obteined it, and the rest haue bene hardened,
Sasa, je? Watu wa Israeli hawakukipata kile walichokuwa wanakitafuta; lakini wote walioteuliwa walikipata. Wengine walipumbazwa,
8 According as it is written, God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber: eyes that they should not see, and eares that they should not heare vnto this day.
kama yasemavyo Maandiko Matakatifu: “Mungu ameifanya mioyo yao kuwa mizito, na mpaka leo hii hawawezi kuona kwa macho yao wala kusikia kwa masikio yao.”
9 And Dauid sayth, Let their table be made a snare, and a net, and a stumbling blocke, euen for a recompence vnto them.
Naye Daudi anasema: “Karamu zao na ziwe mtego wa kuwanasa, waanguke na kuadhibiwa.
10 Let their eyes be darkened that they see not, and bowe downe their backe alwayes.
Macho yao yatiwe giza wasiweze kuona. Migongo yao ipindike kwa taabu daima!”
11 I demaund then, Haue they stumbled, that they should fall? God forbid: but through their fall, saluation commeth vnto the Gentiles, to prouoke them to follow them.
Basi, nauliza: je, Wayahudi wamejikwaa hata wakaangamia kabisa? Hata kidogo! Kutokana na kosa lao ukombozi umewajia watu wa mataifa mengine, ili Wayahudi wapate kuwaonea wivu.
12 Wherefore if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how much more shall their aboundance be?
Kosa la Wayahudi limesababisha baraka nyingi kwa ulimwengu, na utovu wao kwa kiroho umeleta baraka nyingi kwa watu wa mataifa mengine. Basi, ni dhahiri zaidi kwamba utimilifu wao utasababisha baraka nyingi zaidi.
13 For in that I speake to you Gentiles, in as much as I am the Apostle of ye Gentiles, I magnifie mine office,
Basi, sasa nawaambieni ninyi watu wa mataifa mengine: Maadamu mimi nimekuwa mtume kwa watu wa mataifa mengine, ninajivunia huduma yangu,
14 To trie if by any meanes I might prouoke them of my flesh to follow them, and might saue some of them.
nipate kuwafanya wananchi wenzangu wawaonee ninyi wivu, na hivyo nipate kuwaokoa baadhi yao.
15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiuing be, but life from the dead?
Maana ikiwa kukataliwa kwao kulisababisha ulimwengu upatanishwe na Mungu, itakuwaje wakati watakapokubaliwa na Mungu? Wafu watafufuka!
16 For if the first fruites be holy, so is the whole lumpe: and if the roote be holy, so are the branches.
Ikiwa kipande cha kwanza cha mkate kimewekwa wakfu, mkate wote umewekwa wakfu; mizizi ya mti ikiwa mizuri, na matawi yake huwa mazuri pia.
17 And though some of the branches be broken off, and thou being a wilde Oliue tree, wast graft in for them, and made partaker of the roote, and fatnesse of the Oliue tree.
Naam, baadhi ya matawi ya mzeituni bustanini yalikatwa, na mahali pake tawi la mzeituni mwitu likapandikizwa. Ninyi watu wa mataifa mengine ndio hilo tawi la mzeituni mwitu; na sasa mnashiriki nguvu na utomvu wa mzeituni bustanini.
18 Boast not thy selfe against the branches: and if thou boast thy selfe, thou bearest not the roote, but the roote thee.
Basi, msiwadharau wale waliokatwa kama matawi! Na, hata kama kuna la kujivunia, kumbukeni kwamba si ninyi mnaoitegemeza mizizi, bali mizizi ndiyo inayowategemeza ninyi.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches are broken off, that I might be graft in.
Lakini utasema: “Matawi yalikatwa kusudi mimi nipandikizwe mahali pake.”
20 Well: through vnbeliefe they are broken off, and thou standest by faith: bee not hie minded, but feare.
Sawa! Yalikatwa kwa sababu ya kukosa imani, bali wewe unasimama kwa imani yako. Lakini usijivune; ila uwe na tahadhari.
21 For if God spared not the naturall branches, take heede, least he also spare not thee.
Kwa maana, ikiwa Mungu hakuwahurumia Wayahudi ambao ni kama matawi ya asili, je, unadhani atakuhurumia wewe?
22 Beholde therefore the bountifulnesse, and seueritie of God: towarde them which haue fallen, seueritie: but toward thee, bountifulnesse, if thou continue in his bountifulnesse: or els thou shalt also be cut off.
Kumbuka, basi, jinsi Mungu alivyo mwema na mkali. Yeye ni mkali kwa wale walioanguka, na ni mwema kwako wewe ikiwa utaendelea katika wema wake; la sivyo, nawe pia utakatwa.
23 And they also, if they abide not still in vnbeliefe, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graffe them in againe.
Nao Wayahudi, hali kadhalika; wakiacha utovu wao wa imani, watapandikizwa tena. Maana Mungu anao uwezo wa kuwapandikiza tena.
24 For if thou wast cut out of the Oliue tree, which was wilde by nature, and wast graffed contrary to nature in a right Oliue tree, how much more shall they that are by nature, bee graffed in their owne Oliue tree?
Ninyi watu wa mataifa mengine, kwa asili ni kama tawi la mzeituni mwitu, lakini mmeondolewa huko, mkapandikizwa katika mzeituni bustanini mahali ambapo kwa asili si penu. Lakini, Wayahudi kwa asili ni kama mzeituni bustanini, na itakuwa jambo rahisi zaidi kwao kupandikizwa tena katika mti huohuo wao.
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this secret (least ye should bee arrogant in your selues) that partly obstinacie is come to Israel, vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in.
Ndugu zangu, napenda mjue ukweli huu uliofichika msije mkajiona wenye akili sana. Ukaidi wa Wayahudi ulikuwa ni wa muda tu, mpaka watu wa mataifa mengine watakapokuwa wamemfikia Mungu.
26 And so all Israel shalbe saued, as it is written, The deliuerer shall come out of Sion, and shall turne away the vngodlinesse from Iacob.
Hapo ndipo taifa lote la Israeli litakapookolewa, kama yesemavyo Maandiko Matakatifu: “Mkombozi atakuja kutoka Sioni, atauondoa uovu wa Yakobo.
27 And this is my couenant to them, When I shall take away their sinnes.
Hili ndilo agano nitakalofanya nao wakati nitakapoziondoa dhambi zao.”
28 As concerning the Gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloued for the fathers sakes.
Kwa sababu wanaikataa Habari Njema, Wayahudi wamekuwa adui wa Mungu, lakini kwa faida yenu nyinyi watu wa mataifa. Lakini, kwa kuwa waliteuliwa, bado ni rafiki wa Mungu kwa sababu ya baba zao.
29 For the giftes and calling of God are without repentance.
Maana Mungu akisha wapa watu zawadi zake na kuwateua, hajuti kwamba amefanya hivyo.
30 For euen as yee in times past haue not beleeued God, yet haue nowe obteined mercie through their vnbeliefe:
Hapo awali ninyi mlikuwa mmemwasi Mungu, lakini sasa mmepata huruma yake kutokana na kuasi kwao.
31 Euen so nowe haue they not beleeued by the mercie shewed vnto you, that they also may obtaine mercie.
Hali kadhalika, kutokana na huruma mliyojaliwa ninyi, Wayahudi wanamwasi Mungu sasa ili nao pia wapokee sasa huruma ya Mungu.
32 For God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe, that he might haue mercie on all. (eleēsē )
Maana Mungu amewafunga watu wote katika uasi wao ili wapate kuwahurumia wote. (eleēsē )
33 O the deepenesse of the riches, both of the wisdome, and knowledge of God! howe vnsearcheable are his iudgements, and his wayes past finding out!
Utajiri, hekima na elimu ya Mungu ni kuu mno! Huruma zake hazichunguziki, na njia zake hazieleweki! Kama yasemavyo Maandiko Matakatifu:
34 For who hath knowen the minde of the Lord? or who was his counsellour?
“Nani aliyepata kuyajua mawazo ya Bwana? Nani awezaye kuwa mshauri wake?
35 Or who hath giuen vnto him first, and he shalbe recompensed?
Au, nani aliyempa yeye kitu kwanza hata aweze kulipwa tena kitu hicho?”
36 For of him, and through him, and for him are all things: to him be glory for euer. Amen. (aiōn )
Kwa maana vitu vyote vyatoka kwake, vyote vipo kwa uwezo wake na kwa ajili yake. Utukufu na uwe kwake hata milele! Amina. (aiōn )