Romans 7
1 Or do you not know, brothers (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has authority over a person for as long as he lives?
Au hamjui, ndugu zangu (kwa kuwa naongea na watu wanaoijua sheria), kwamba sheria humtawala mtu anapokuwa hai?
2 For the married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband.
Kwa maana mwanamke aliyeolewa amefungwa na sheria kwa yule mme wake anapokuwa hai, lakini ikiwa mme wake atakufa, atakuwa amewekwa huru kutoka sheria ya ndoa.
3 So then if, while the husband lives, she is joined to another man, she is called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress, though she is joined to another man.
Hivyo basi, wakati mme wake angali akiishi, ikiwa anaishi na mwanamme mwingine, ataitwa mzinzi. Lakini ikiwa mme wake akifa, yuko huru dhidi ya sheria, hivyo hatakuwa mzinzi ikiwa anaishi na mwanamme mwingine.
4 Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we may bear fruit to God.
Kwa hiyo, ndugu zangu, ninyi pia mlifanywa wafu kwa sheria kwa njia ya mwili wa Kristo. Imekuwa hivi ili mpate kuunganishwa na mwingine, kwake yeye ambaye alifufuliwa kutoka wafu ili tuweze kumzalia Mungu matunda.
5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring forth fruit for death.
Kwa maana tulipokuwa katika hali ya mwili, tamaa za dhambi ziliamshwa katika viungo vyetu kwa njia ya sheria na kuizalia mauti matunda.
6 But now we have been released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.
Lakini sasa tumefunguliwa kutoka katika sheria. Tumeifia ile hali iliyotupinga. Ili sisi tupate kutumika katika hali mpya ya Roho, na si katika hali ya zamani ya andiko.
7 What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not. However, I would not have known sin, except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness, unless the law had said, "Do not covet."
Tusemeje basi? Sheria ni dhambi? La hasha. Hata hivyo, nisingelitambua dhambi, isingelikuwa kwa njia ya sheria. Kwa kuwa nisingelijua kutamani kama sheria isingelisema, “Usitamani.”
8 But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin is dead.
Lakini dhambi ilipata nafasi kwa ile amri na ikaleta ndani yangu kila aina ya kutamani. Kwa maana dhambi pasipo sheria imekufa.
9 I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin became alive, and I died.
Nami nilikuwa hai hapo kwanza bila sheria, lakini ilipokuja ile amri, dhambi ilipata uhai, nami nikafa.
10 The commandment, which was for life, this I found to be for death;
Ile amri na ambayo ingelileta uzima iligeuka kuwa mauti kwangu.
11 for sin, taking the opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.
Kwa maana dhambi ilipata nafasi kwa ile amri na ikanidanganya. Kupitia ile amri, iliniua.
12 Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
Hivyo sheria ni takatifu, na ile amri ni takatifu, ya yaki, na njema.
13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? Absolutely not. But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful.
Hivyo basi ile iliyo njema ilikuwa mauti kwangu mimi? Isiwe hivyo kamwe. Lakini dhambi, ili ionekane kuwa ni dhambi hasa kupitia ile njema, ilileta mauti ndani yangu. Hii ilikuwa ili kwamba kupitia ile amri, dhambi izidi kuwa mbaya mno.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin.
Kwa maana twajua ya kuwa sheria asili yake ni ya rohoni, lakini mimi ni mtu wa mwilini. Nimeuzwa chini ya utumwa wa dhambi.
15 For I do not know what I am doing. For I do not practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do.
Maana nifanyalo, silielewi dhahiri. Kwa kuwa lile nilipendalo kutenda, silitendi, na lile nilichukialo, ndilo ninalolitenda.
16 But if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good.
Lakini kama nikilitenda lile nisilolipenda, nakubaliana na sheria ya kuwa sheria ni njema.
17 So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.
Lakini sasa si mimi nafsi yangu ninayetenda hilo, bali ni ile dhambi ikaayo ndani yangu.
18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For the desire is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
Kwa maana najua ya kuwa ndani yangu, yaani ndani ya mwili wangu, halikai jambo jema. Kwa kuwa tamaa ya lililo jema imo ndani yangu, lakini silitendi.
19 For the good which I desire, I do not do; but the evil which I do not desire, that I practice.
Kwa maana lile jema nilipendalo silitendi, bali lile ovu nisilolipenda ndilo nilitendalo.
20 But if what I do not desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.
Sasa kama natenda lile nisilolipenda, si mimi binafsi nilitendaye, bali ni ile dhambi ikaayo ndani yangu.
21 I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present.
Nimefahama, tena, imo kanuni ndani yangu ya kutaka kutenda lililo jema, lakini uovu hakika umo ndani yangu.
22 For I delight in God's law in my inner being,
Kwa maana naifurahia sheria ya Mungu kwa utu wa ndani.
23 but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.
Lakini naona kanuni iliyo tofauti katika viungo vya mwili wangu. Inapiga vita dhidi ya kanuni mpya katika akili zangu. Inanifanya mimi mateka kwa kanuni ya dhambi iliyo katika viungo vya mwili wangu.
24 What a wretched man I am. Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?
Mimi ni mtu wa huzuni! Ni nani atakayeniokoa na mwili huu wa mauti?
25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So then with the mind, I myself serve God's law, but with the flesh, the sin's law.
Lakini shukrani kwa Mungu kwa Yesu Kristo Bwana wetu! Hivyo basi. Mimi mwenyewe kwa akili zangu naitumikia sheria ya Mungu. Bali, kwa mwili naitumikia kanuni ya dhambi.
