Hebrews 11
1 Faith is the realization of things hoped for – the proof of things not seen.
Sasa imani ni hakika aliyo nayo mtu wakati atarajiapo kitu fulani kwa ujasiri. Ni hakika ya kitu ambacho bado hakijaonekana.
2 And it was for faith that the people of old were renowned.
Kwa sababu hii mababu zetu walithibitika kwa imani yao.
3 Faith enables us to perceive that the universe was created at the bidding of God – so that we know that what we see was not made out of visible things. (aiōn g165)
Kwa imani tunafahamu kwamba ulimwengu uliumbwa kwa amri ya Mungu, ili kwamba kile kinachoonekana hakikutengenezwa kutokana na vitu ambavyo vilikuwa vinaonekana. (aiōn g165)
4 Faith made the sacrifice which Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain’s, and won him renown as a righteous man, God himself establishing his renown by accepting his gifts; and it is by the example of his faith that Abel, though dead, still speaks.
Ilikuwa kwa sababu ya imani kwamba Habili alimtolea Mungu sadaka ya kufaa kuliko alivyofanya Kaini. Ilikuwa ni kwa sababu hii kwamba alisifiwa kuwa mwenye haki. Mungu alimsifu kwa sababu ya zawadi alizoleta. Kwa sababu hiyo, Habili bado ananena, ingawa amekufa.
5 Faith led to Enoch’s removal from earth, so that he might not experience death. ‘He could not be found because God had removed him.’ For, before his removal, he was renowned as having pleased God;
Ilikuwa kwa imani kwamba Enoko alichukuliwa juu na hakuona mauti. “Hakuonekana, kwa sababu Mungu alimchukua” kwa vile ilinenwa juu yake kuwa alimpendeza Mungu kabla ya kuchukuliwa juu.
6 but without faith it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe that God exists, and that he rewards those who seek for him.
Pasipo imani haiwezekani kumpendeza Mungu, kwa kuwa ajaye kwa Mungu lazima aamini kwamba Mungu anaishi na kwamba huwapatia zawadi wale wamtafutao.
7 It was faith that enabled Noah, after he had received the divine warning about what could not then be foreseen, to build, in reverent obedience, an ark in which to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world, and became possessed of that righteousness which follows on faith.
Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Nuhu, akiwa ameonywa na Mungu kuhusiana na mambo ambayo hayakuwa yameonekana, kwa heshima ya ki Mungu alitengeneza safina kwa ajili ya kuiokoa familia yake. Kwa kufanya hivi, aliuhukumu ulimwengu na akawa mrithi wa haki ambayo huja kupitia imani.
8 It was faith that enabled Abraham to obey the call that he received, and to set out for the place which he was afterward to obtain as his own; and he set out not knowing where he was going.
Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Ibrahimu, alipoitwa alitii na kwenda mahali ambapo alipaswa kupokea kama urithi. Alitoka bila kujua mahali gani alikuwa anakwenda.
9 It was faith that made him go to live as an emigrant in the promised land – as in a strange country – living there in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who shared the promise with him.
Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba aliishi katika nchi ya ahadi kama mgeni. Aliishi katika mahema pamoja na Isaka na Yakobo, warithi wenzake wa ahadi ile ile.
10 For he was looking for the city with the sure foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
Hii ni kwa sababu alitarajia kuupata mji ambao mwenye kuubuni na mjenzi wake angelikuwa ni Mungu.
11 Again, it was faith that enabled Sarah to conceive (though she was past the age for childbearing), because she felt sure that he who had given her the promise would not fail her.
Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Ibrahimu, na Sara mwenyewe, walipokea nguvu ya kutunga mimba ingawa walikuwa wazee sana, kwa kuwa walimuona Mungu kuwa mwaminifu, ambaye aliwaahidia mtoto wa kiume.
12 And so from one man – and that when his powers were dead – there sprang a people as numerous ‘as the stars in the heavens or the countless grains of sand on the shore.’
Kwa hiyo pia kutoka kwa mtu huyu mmoja ambaye alikuwa amekaribia kufa wakazaliwa watoto wasiohesabika. Walikuwa wengi kama nyota za angani na wengi kama mbegu za mchanga katika ufukwe wa bahari.
13 All these died sustained by faith. They did not obtain the promised blessings, but they saw them from a distance and welcomed the sight, and they acknowledged themselves to be only foreigners and strangers on the earth.
Hawa wote walikufa katika imani pasipo kupokea ahadi. Isipokuwa, wakiwa wameziona na kuzikaribisha kwa mbali, walikiri kwamba walikuwa wageni na wapitaji juu ya nchi.
14 Those who speak like this show plainly that they are seeking their homeland.
Kwa wale wasemao mambo kama haya wanaweka bayana kuwa wanatafuta nchi yao wenyewe.
15 If they had been thinking of the land that they had left, they could have found opportunities to return.
Kwa kweli, kama wangekuwa wakiifikiria nchi ambayo kwayo walitoka, wangelikuwa na nafasi ya kurejea.
16 But no, they were longing for a better, a heavenly, land! And therefore God was not ashamed to be called their God; indeed he had already prepared them a city.
Lakini kama ilivyo, wanatamani nchi iliyo bora, ambayo, ni ya kimbingu. Kwa hiyo Mungu haoni aibu kuitwa Mungu wao, kwa kuwa ametayarisha mji kwa ajili yao.
17 It was faith that enabled Abraham, when put to the test, to offer Isaac as a sacrifice – he who had received the promises offering up his only son,
Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Ibrahimu baada ya kujaribiwa, alimtoa Isaka. Ndiyo, yeye ambaye alipokea kwa furaha ahadi, alimtoa mwanawe wa pekee,
18 of whom it had been said – ‘It is through Isaac that there will be descendants to bear your name.’
ambaye juu yake ilinenwa, “Kutoka kwa Isaka uzao wako utaitwa.”
19 For he argued that God was even able to raise a man from the dead – and indeed, figuratively speaking, Abraham did receive Isaac back from the dead.
IbrahImU alijua kwamba Mungu alikuwa na uwezo wa kumfufua Isaka kutoka katika wafu, na kwa kuzungumza kwa lugha ya maumbo, alimpokea.
20 It was faith that enabled Isaac to bless Jacob and Esau, even with regard to the future.
Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Isaka alimbariki Yakobo na Esau kuhusu mambo yajayo.
21 Faith enabled Jacob, when dying, to give his blessing to each of the sons of Joseph, and ‘to bow himself in worship as he leant on the top of his staff.’
Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Yakobo alipokuwa katika hali ya kufa, alimbariki kila mmoja wa watoto wa Yusufu. Yakobo akaabudu, akiegemea juu ya fimbo yake.
22 Faith caused Joseph, when his end was near, to speak of the future migration of the Israelites, and to give instructions with regard to his bones.
Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Yusufu wakati wake wa mwisho ulipokaribia, alinena juu ya kutoka kwa wana wa Israel Misri na akawaagiza kuchukua pamoja nao mifupa yake.
23 Faith caused the parents of Moses to hide the child for three months after his birth, for they saw that he was a beautiful child; and they would not respect the king’s order.
Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Musa, alipozaliwa, alifichwa kwa miezi mitatu na wazazi wake kwa sababu walimuona kuwa ni mtoto mchanga aliyekuwa mzuri, na hawakutishwa na amri ya mfalme.
24 It was faith that caused Moses, when he was grown up, to refuse the title of ‘son of a daughter of Pharaoh.’
Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Musa, alipokuwa mtu mzima, alikataa kuitwa mtoto wa binti Farao.
25 He preferred sharing the hardships of God’s people to enjoying the short-lived pleasures of sin.
Badala yake, alichagua kushiriki mateso pamoja na watu wa Mungu badala ya kufurahia anasa za dhambi kwa kitambo.
26 For he counted ‘the reproaches that are heaped on the Christ’ of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, looking forward, as he did, to the reward awaiting him.
Alifikiri aibu ya kumfuata Kristo kuwa ni utajiri mkuu kuliko hazina za Misri kwa kuwa alikaza macho yake katika zawadi ya wakati wake ujao.
27 Faith caused him to leave Egypt, though undaunted by the king’s anger, for he was strengthened in his endurance by the vision of the invisible God.
Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Musa alitoka Misri. Hakuhofia hasira ya Mfalme, kwa kuwa alivumilia kwa kutazama kwa asiyeonekana.
28 Faith led him to institute the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the Destroyer might not touch the eldest children of the Israelites.
Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba aliishika pasaka na kunyunyiza damu, ili kwamba mharibu wa mzaliwa wa kwanza asiweze kuwagusa wazaliwa wa kwanza wa kiume wa waisrael.
29 Faith enabled the people to cross the Red Sea, as if it had been dry land, while the Egyptians, when they attempted to do so, were drowned.
Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba walipita katika bahari ya shamu kama katika nchi kavu. Wakati wamisri walipojaribu kupita, walimezwa.
30 Faith caused the walls of Jericho to fall after being encircled for seven days.
Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba ukuta wa Yeriko ulianguka chini, baada ya kuuzunguka kwa siku saba.
31 Faith saved Rahab, the prostitute, from perishing with the unbelievers, after she had entertained the spies with friendliness.
Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Rahabu yule kahaba hakuangamia pamoja na wale ambao hawakuwa watiifu, kwa sababu alikuwa amewapokea wapelelezi na kuwahifadhi salama.
32 Need I add anything more? Time would fail me if I attempted to relate the stories of Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, and those of David, Samuel, and the prophets.
Na niseme nini zaidi? Maana muda hautoshi kusimulia ya Gideoni, Barak, Samsoni, Yeftha, Daudi, Samwel na za manabii,
33 By their faith they subdued kingdoms, ruled righteously, gained the fulfillment of God’s promises, shut the mouths of lions,
ambao kupitia imani walizishinda falme, walitenda haki, na wakapokea ahadi. Walizuia vinywa vya simba,
34 quelled the fury of the flames, escaped the edge of the sword, found strength in the hour of weakness, displayed their prowess in war, and routed hostile armies.
walizima nguvu za moto, walikwepa ncha ya upanga, waliponywa kutoka katika magonjwa, walikuwa mashujaa vitani, na walisababisha majeshi wageni kukimbia.
35 Women received back their dead raised to life. Some were tortured on the wheel, and refused release in order that they might rise to a better life.
Wanawake walipokea wafu wao kwa njia ya ufufuo. Wengine waliteswa, bila kukubali kuachwa huru ili kwamba waweze kupata uzoefu wa ufufuo ulio bora zaidi.
36 Others had to face taunts and blows, and even chains and imprisonment.
Wengine waliteswa kwa dhihaka na kwa vichapo, naam, hata kwa vifungo na kwa kutiwa gerezani.
37 They were stoned to death, they were tortured, they were swan asunder, they were put to the sword; they wandered about clothed in the skins of sheep or goats, destitute, persecuted, ill-used –
Walipondwa mawe. Walikatwa vipande kwa misumeno. Waliuawa kwa upanga. Walikwenda kwa ngozi za kondoo na ngozi za mbuzi walikuwa wahitaji, wakiendelea katika maumivu na wakitendewa mabaya
38 people of whom the world was not worthy – roaming in lonely places, and on the mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
(ambayo ulimwengu haukustahili kuwa nao), wakitangatanga nyikani, milimani, katika mapango na katika mashimo ya ardhini.
39 Yet, though they all won renown by their faith, they did not obtain the final fulfillment of God’s promise;
Ingawa watu wote hawa walikubaliwa na Mungu kwa sababu ya imani yao, hawakupokea alichoahidi.
40 since God had in view some better thing for us, so that they would only reach perfection together with us.
Mungu alitangulia kutupatia kitu kilichobora, ili kwamba bila sisi wasingeweza kukamilishwa.
