Romans 7
1 Whether are you ignorant, O brethren, for I speak to those knowing the law, for the law hath dominion over a man for so long time as he may live?
Ndugu zangu, bila shaka mtaelewa yafuatayo, maana ninawazungumzia watu wanaojua Sheria. Sheria humtawala mtu wakati akiwa hai.
2 For a woman who is under her husband has been given to her husband by the law so long as he lives; but if the husband may die, she is free from the law of the husband.
Mathalan: mwanamke aliyeolewa anafungwa na sheria muda wote mumewe anapokuw hai; lakini mumewe akifa, hiyo sheria haimtawali tena huyo mwanamke.
3 Then if she may be married to another man, her husband still living, she will be designated an adulteress: but if her husband may die, she is free from the law; and is no adulteress, though she is married to another man.
Hivyo mwanamke huyo akiishi na mwanamume mwingine wakati mumewe yungali hai, ataitwa mzinzi; lakini mumewe akifa, mwanamke huyo yu huru kisheria, na akiolewa na mwanamume mwingine, yeye si mzinzi.
4 So, my brethren, ye are dead to the law through the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, to him who is risen from the dead, in order that we may bring forth fruit unto God.
Hali kadhalika ninyi ndugu zangu: ninyi pia mmekufa kuhusu Sheria kwa kuwa ninyi ni sehemu ya mwili wa Kristo; sasa mmekuwa wake yeye aliyefufuliwa kutoka wafu ili tupate kuzaa matunda mema kwa ajili ya Mungu.
5 For when we were in carnality, the emotions of sins, which were through the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Maana, tulipokuwa tukiishi kimaumbile tu, tamaa mbaya zikichochewa na Sheria, zilifanya kazi katika miili yetu, na kuchuma pato la kifo.
6 But now we have been made free from the law, being dead in that in which we were held; so that we serve in the newness of the spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Lakini sasa tumekuwa huru kutoka vifungo vya Sheria, kwa sababu tumekufa kuhusu lile jambo lililotufanya sisi watumwa. Sasa tunatumikia kufuatana na maisha mapya ya Roho, na si kufuatana na hali ile ya kale ya Sheria iliyoandikwa.
7 Then what shall we say? is the law sin? It could not be so; but I did not know sin except through the law: for indeed I had not known lusts, unless the law said, Thou shalt not covet.
Je, tuseme basi, kwamba Sheria ni dhambi? Hata kidogo! Lakini bila Sheria, mimi nisingalijua dhambi ni kitu gani. Maana, nisingalijua ni nini hasa kutamani mabaya, kama Sheria isingalikuwa imesema: “Usitamani.”
8 But sin, taking occasion through the commandment, did work in me all concupiscence; for without law sin was dead.
Kwa kuitumia hiyo amri, dhambi ilipata fursa ya kuamsha kila aina ya tamaa mbaya ndani yangu. Maana, bila Sheria dhambi ni kitu kilichokufa.
9 But I was alive at one time without law: but the commandment having come, sin revived,
Wakati mmoja mimi nilikuwa hai mbali na Sheria; lakini amri ilipokuja, dhambi ilifufuka,
10 and I died; and the commandment, which was unto life, the same was unto death.
nami nikafa. Hiyo amri ambayo shabaha yake ilikuwa kuleta uhai, kwangu imeleta kifo.
11 For sin, taking occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it slew me.
Maana, dhambi ilichukua fursa iliyopatiwa na amri hiyo, ikanidanganya na kuniua.
12 So the law is indeed holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
Basi, Sheria yenyewe ni takatifu, na amri yenyewe ni takatifu, ni ya haki na nzuri.
13 Then did that which is good become death to me? it could not be so: but sin, that it may appear sin, through the good was working out death to me, in order that sin may be exceedingly sinful through the commandment.
Je, hii inamaanisha kwamba kile kilicho kizuri kimesababisha kifo changu? Hata kidogo! Iliyo ni kwamba, dhambi, ili ionekane dhahiri kuwa ni dhambi, imekitumia kile kilicho kizuri na kusababisha kifo changu. Hivyo dhambi, kwa njia ya ile amri, ilijionyesha kikamilifu jinsi ilivyo mbaya mno.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, having been sold under sin.
Tunajua kwamba Sheria ni ya kiroho, lakini mimi ni wa kidunia, mimi nimeuzwa kuwa mtumwa wa dhambi.
15 For that which I do, I know not: for I do that which I do not will; but I do that which I hate.
Sielewi nifanyacho, maana kile ninachotaka sikifanyi, bali kile ninachochukia ndicho nikifanyacho.
16 But if I do that which I do not will, I consent to the law that it is beautiful;
Ikiwa basi, ninatenda kinyume cha matakwa yangu, hii inamaanisha kwamba nakubali kuwa ile Sheria ni nzuri.
17 but now it is no more I that do it, but sin dwelling in me.
Basi, si mimi hasa ninayefanya kitu hicho, bali ile dhambi iliyo ndani yangu.
18 For I know that in me, that is, in my carnal mind, there dwells no good thing. For to will is present with me, but to do that which is beautiful is not:
Najua kwamba hamna jema lolote ndani yangu mimi, kadiri ya ubinadamu wangu. Kwa maana, ingawa nataka kufanya jambo jema, siwezi kulitekeleza.
19 for the good which I will I do not; but the evil which I do not will, that I do.
Yaani, badala ya kufanya lile jambo jema ninalotaka, nafanya lile baya nisilotaka.
20 If I do that which I do not will, it is no longer I that do it, but sin dwelling in me.
Basi, kama ninafanya kinyume cha matakwa yangu, hii inamaanisha kwamba si mimi ninayefanya hayo, bali ni ile dhambi iliyo ndani yangu.
21 Then I find a law, that, to me wishing to do that which is beautiful, that the evil is present with me:
Basi, nimegundua kanuni hii: ninataka kufanya jema, lakini najikuta kwamba lile lililo baya ndilo ninalochagua.
22 for I delight in the law of God according to the inward man;
Ndani kabisa katika moyo wangu naifurahia sheria ya Mungu.
23 but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Lakini naona kwamba kuna sheria nyingine inayofanya kazi mwilini mwangu, sheria ambayo inapingana na ile inayokubaliwa na akili yangu. Hiyo inanifanya niwe mtumwa wa sheria ya dhambi ifanyayo kazi mwilini mwangu.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Maskini miye! Nani atakayeniokoa kutoka katika mwili huu unaonipeleka kifoni?
25 Thanks be unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord: then therefore with the mind I serve the law of God; but with carnality the law of sin.
Shukrani kwa Mungu afanyaye hayo kwa njia ya Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo! Hii basi, ndiyo hali yangu: mimi binafsi, kwa akili yangu, ninaitumikia sheria ya dhambi.
