Galatians 4
1 But I say: —for as long a time as, the heir, is an infant, he differeth, nothing, from a servant, though, lord of all,
Basi, nasema hivi: mrithi, akiwa bado mtoto, hawi tofauti na mtumwa ingawaje mali yote ni yake.
2 But is, under guardians, and stewards, until the [day] fore-appointed of the father:
Wakati huo wote yuko chini ya walezi na wadhamini mpaka wakati ule uliowekwa na baba yake.
3 So also, we, when we were infants, under the elementary principles of the world, were held in servitude;
Hali kadhalika na sisi tulipokuwa bado watoto, tulikuwa watumwa wa pepo watawala wa ulimwengu.
4 But, when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, who came to be of a woman, who came to be under law, —
Lakini wakati ule maalumu ulipotimia, Mungu alimtuma Mwanawe aliyezaliwa na mwanamke, akaishi chini ya Sheria
5 That, them who were under law, he might redeem, that, the sonship, we might duly receive; —
apate kuwakomboa wale waliokuwa chini ya Sheria ili sisi tufanywe wana wa Mungu.
6 And, because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, exclaiming, Abba! Oh Father!
Kwa vile sasa ninyi ni wana, Mungu amemtuma Roho wa Mwanae mioyoni mwenu, Roho ambaye hulia “Aba,” yaani “Baba.”
7 So that, no longer, art thou a servant, but a son; and, if a son, an heir also, through God.
Basi, wewe si mtumwa tena, bali mwana. Na ikiwa ni mwana, basi, wewe utapokea yote Mungu aliyowawekea watoto wake.
8 But, at that time—not knowing God, ye were in servitude unto them who, by nature, are not Gods;
Zamani hamkumjua Mungu na hivyo mkatumikia miungu isiyo miungu kweli.
9 Whereas, now, having acknowledged God, —or rather, having been acknowledged by God, how turn ye back again unto the weak and beggarly elementary principles, unto which, over again, ye are wishing, to come into servitude?
Lakini sasa, kwa vile mnamjua Mungu, au tuseme mnajulikana na Mungu, mnawezaje tena kurudi kwa wale pepo maskini na dhaifu hata kutaka kuwatumikia tena?
10 Days, ye do narrowly observer, and months, and seasons, and years: —
Bado mnaadhimisha siku, miezi na miaka!
11 I am afraid of you—lest by any means, in vain, I should have toiled for you!
Nahofu kwamba labda kazi niliyoifanya kwa ajili yenu imepotea bure!
12 Become ye as, I, because, I also, [was] as, ye, —brethren, I entreat you. Not at all, have ye wronged me.
Ndugu, nawasihi muwe kama mimi, kwa vile hata mimi nimekuwa kama ninyi. Hamkunitendea ubaya wowote.
13 Howbeit ye know that, by reason of a weakness of the flesh, I myself announced the glad-message unto you, formerly;
Mnajua kwamba ugonjwa wangu ndio ulionipatia fursa ya kuwahubirieni Habari Njema kwa mara ya kwanza.
14 And, your trial, in my flesh, ye despised not, neither spat ye [in disgust], but, as a messenger of God, ye welcomed me—as Christ Jesus.
Hata hivyo, wakati ule hamkunidharau wala kunikataa kwa sababu ya udhaifu wangu ingawa mlishawishiwa kufanya hivyo; lakini mlinipokea kama malaika wa Mungu, kama vile ningekuwa Kristo Yesu mwenyewe.
15 Where, then, is the happiness ye accounted yours? For I bear you witness—that, if possible, your eyes, ye would have dug out, and given unto me.
Mlikuwa wenye furaha; sasa kumetokea nini? Naapa kwamba wakati ule mngaliweza hata kuyang'oa macho yenu na kunipa mimi.
16 So then, your enemy, have I become, by dealing truthfully with you?
Je, sasa nimekuwa adui yenu kwa sababu ya kuwaambieni ukweli?
17 They shew a zeal for you, not honourably, but wish, to shut you out, in order that ye may be zealous for, them.
Hao watu wengine wanawahangaikia ninyi, lakini nia zao si njema. Wanataka kuwatenganisha nami ili ninyi muwahangaikie wao.
18 Howbeit it is, honourable, to show zeal in what is honourable at all times, and not only when I am present with you; —
Kwa kweli ni jambo jema daima kuwahangaikia wengine katika mambo mema, na si tu wakati mimi nipo pamoja nanyi.
19 My dear children! for whom I, again, am in birth-pains, until Christ be formed within you; —
Watoto wangu, kama vile mama mja mzito anavyotaabika wakati wa kujifungua, mimi nataabika tena kwa ajili yenu mpaka hapo hali yake Kristo itakapoundwa ndani yenu.
20 I could wish, however, to be present with you, even now, and to change my voice, —because I am perplexed regarding you.
Laiti ningekuwa pamoja nanyi sasa, maana ningalipata msimamo ufaao juu yenu! Nina wasiwasi sana nanyi!
21 Tell me! ye who, under law, are wishing to be: The law, do ye not hear?
Niambieni, enyi mnaopenda kutawaliwa na sheria: Je, mnasikia isemavyo Sheria?
22 For it is written, that, Abraham, had two sons—one by the bondmaid, and one by the free woman;
Imeandikwa katika Maandiko Matakatifu kwamba Abrahamu alikuwa na watoto wawili: mmoja kwa mwanamke mtumwa, na wa pili kwa mwanamke huru.
23 But, he that was of the bondmaid, after the flesh, had been born, whereas, he that was of the free woman, through means of a promise.
Yule wa mwanamke mtumwa alizaliwa kama kawaida, lakini yule wa mwanamke huru alizaliwa kutokana na ahadi ya Mungu.
24 Which things, indeed, may bear another meaning; for, the same, are two covenants, —one, indeed, from Mount Sinai, into bondage, bringing forth, the which is Hagar, —
Mambo hayo yamekuwa mfano; mama hao wawili ni mfano wa maagano mawili; la kwanza ni lile lililofanyika mlimani Sinai, mwakilishi wake ni Hagari, na watoto wake wanazaliwa utumwani.
25 And, the Hagar, is Mount Sinai, in Arabia, —she answereth, however, unto the present Jerusalem, for she is in bondage with her children;
Hagari anawakilisha mlima Sinai ulioko Arabia, na ni mfano wa Yerusalemu ya sasa, ulio mtumwa pamoja na watoto wake.
26 But, the Jerusalem above, is free, —the which is our mother;
Lakini Yerusalemu ya juu mbinguni ni mji ulio huru, nao ni mama yetu.
27 For it is written—Be gladdened, O barren one! that wast not giving birth, break forth and shout, thou that wast not in birth-pains, —because, more, are the children of the deserted one, than of her that had the husband.
Maana imeandikwa: “Furahi, ewe uliye tasa usiyezaa; paaza sauti wewe usiyepata kujifungua mtoto; maana watoto wa yule aliyeachwa ni wengi zaidi kuliko wa yule aliye na mume.”
28 And, we, brethren, after the manner of Isaac, are children of a promise.
Sasa, basi, ndugu zangu, ninyi ni watoto wa Mungu kutokana na ahadi yake kama alivyokuwa Isaka.
29 But, just as, then, he that after the manner of the flesh had been born, did persecute him who [had been born] after the manner of the Spirit, thus, also now.
Lakini kama vile siku zile yule mtoto aliyezaliwa kwa njia ya kawaida alimdhulumu yule aliyezaliwa kwa uwezo wa Roho wa Mungu, vivyo hivyo na siku hizi.
30 But, what saith the scripture? Cast out the serving woman and her son; for in nowise shall the son of the serving woman inherit with the son of the free.
Lakini Maandiko Matakatifu yasemaje? Yasema: “Mfukuze mama mtumwa pamoja na mwanawe; maana mtoto wa mtumwa hatarithi pamoja na mtoto wa mama huru.”
31 Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a serving woman, but of the free: —
Kwa hiyo, basi, ndugu, sisi si watoto wa mtumwa bali wa mama huru.
