Romans 11
1 I ask then, Has God cast off His People? No, indeed. Why, I myself am an Israelite, of the posterity of Abraham and of the tribe of Benjamin.
Basi, nauliza: je, Mungu amewakataa watu wake? Hata kidogo! Mini binafsi ni Mwisraeli mzawa wa Abrahamu, wa kabila la Benyamini.
2 God has not cast off His People whom He knew beforehand. Or are you ignorant of what Scripture says in speaking of Elijah--how he pleaded 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 have put Thy Prophets to death, and have overthrown Thy altars; and, now that I alone remain, they are thirsting for my blood"?
“Bwana, wamewaua manabii wako na kubomoa madhabahu yako. Ni mimi tu peke yangu niliyebaki, nao wanataka kuniua?”
4 But what did God say to him in reply? "I have reserved for Myself 7,000 men who have never bent the knee to Baal."
Je, Mungu alimjibu nini? Alimwambia: “Nimejiwekea elfu saba ambao hawakumwabudu Baali.”
5 In the same way also at the present time there has come to be a remnant whom God in His grace has selected.
Basi, ndivyo ilivyo pia wakati huu wa sasa: ipo idadi ya waliobaki ambao Mungu aliwateua kwa sababu ya neema yake.
6 But if it is in His grace that He has selected them, then His choice is no longer determined by human actions. Otherwise grace would be grace no longer.
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 How then does the matter stand? It stands thus. That which Israel are in earnest pursuit of, they have not obtained; but God's chosen servants have obtained it, and the rest have become hardened.
Sasa, je? Watu wa Israeli hawakukipata kile walichokuwa wanakitafuta; lakini wote walioteuliwa walikipata. Wengine walipumbazwa,
8 And so Scripture says, "God has given them a spirit of drowsiness--eyes to see nothing with and ears to hear nothing with--even until now."
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 David says, "Let their very food become a snare and a trap to them, a stumbling-block and a retribution.
Naye Daudi anasema: “Karamu zao na ziwe mtego wa kuwanasa, waanguke na kuadhibiwa.
10 Let darkness come over their eyes that they may be unable to see, and make Thou their backs continually to stoop."
Macho yao yatiwe giza wasiweze kuona. Migongo yao ipindike kwa taabu daima!”
11 I ask, however, "Have they stumbled so as to be finally ruined?" No, indeed; but by their lapse salvation has come to the Gentiles in order to arouse the jealousy of the descendants of Israel;
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 and if their lapse is the enriching of the world, and their overthrow the enriching of the Gentiles, will not still greater good follow their restoration?
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 But to you Gentiles I say that, since I am an Apostle specially sent to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry,
Basi, sasa nawaambieni ninyi watu wa mataifa mengine: Maadamu mimi nimekuwa mtume kwa watu wa mataifa mengine, ninajivunia huduma yangu,
14 trying whether I can succeed in rousing my own countrymen to jealousy and thus save some of them.
nipate kuwafanya wananchi wenzangu wawaonee ninyi wivu, na hivyo nipate kuwaokoa baadhi yao.
15 For if their having been cast aside has carried with it the reconciliation of the world, what will their being accepted again be but Life out of death?
Maana ikiwa kukataliwa kwao kulisababisha ulimwengu upatanishwe na Mungu, itakuwaje wakati watakapokubaliwa na Mungu? Wafu watafufuka!
16 Now if the firstfruits of the dough are holy, so also is the whole mass; and if the root of a tree is holy, so also 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 if some of the branches have been pruned away, and you, although you were but a wild olive, have been grafted in among them and have become a sharer with others in the rich sap of the root of the olive 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 beware of glorying over the natural branches. Or if you are so glorying, do not forget that it is not you who uphold the root: the root upholds you.
Basi, msiwadharau wale waliokatwa kama matawi! Na, hata kama kuna la kujivunia, kumbukeni kwamba si ninyi mnaoitegemeza mizizi, bali mizizi ndiyo inayowategemeza ninyi.
19 "Branches have been lopped off," you will say, "for the sake of my being grafted in."
Lakini utasema: “Matawi yalikatwa kusudi mimi nipandikizwe mahali pake.”
20 This is true; yet it was their unbelief that cut them off, and you only stand through your faith.
Sawa! Yalikatwa kwa sababu ya kukosa imani, bali wewe unasimama kwa imani yako. Lakini usijivune; ila uwe na tahadhari.
21 Do not be puffed up with pride. Tremble rather--for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you.
Kwa maana, ikiwa Mungu hakuwahurumia Wayahudi ambao ni kama matawi ya asili, je, unadhani atakuhurumia wewe?
22 Notice therefore God's kindness and God's severity. On those who have fallen His severity has descended, but upon you His kindness has come, provided that you do not cease to respond to that kindness. Otherwise you will be cut off also.
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 Moreover, if they turn from their unbelief, they too will be grafted in. For God is powerful enough to graft them in again;
Nao Wayahudi, hali kadhalika; wakiacha utovu wao wa imani, watapandikizwa tena. Maana Mungu anao uwezo wa kuwapandikiza tena.
24 and if you were cut from that which by nature is a wild olive and contrary to nature were grafted into the good olive tree, how much more certainly will these natural branches be grafted on their own olive 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 there is a truth, brethren, not revealed hitherto, of which I do not wish to leave you in ignorance, for fear you should attribute superior wisdom to yourselves--the truth, I mean, that partial blindness has fallen upon Israel until the great mass of the Gentiles have 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 will be saved. As is declared in Scripture, "From Mount Zion a Deliverer will come: He will remove all ungodliness from Jacob;
Hapo ndipo taifa lote la Israeli litakapookolewa, kama yesemavyo Maandiko Matakatifu: “Mkombozi atakuja kutoka Sioni, atauondoa uovu wa Yakobo.
27 and this shall be My Covenant with them; when I have taken away their sins."
Hili ndilo agano nitakalofanya nao wakati nitakapoziondoa dhambi zao.”
28 In relation to the Good News, the Jews are God's enemies for your sakes; but in relation to God's choice they are dearly loved for the sake of their forefathers.
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 God does not repent of His free gifts nor of His call;
Maana Mungu akisha wapa watu zawadi zake na kuwateua, hajuti kwamba amefanya hivyo.
30 but just as you were formerly disobedient to Him, but now have received mercy at a time when they are disobedient,
Hapo awali ninyi mlikuwa mmemwasi Mungu, lakini sasa mmepata huruma yake kutokana na kuasi kwao.
31 so now they also have been disobedient at a time when you are receiving mercy; so that to them too there may now be mercy.
Hali kadhalika, kutokana na huruma mliyojaliwa ninyi, Wayahudi wanamwasi Mungu sasa ili nao pia wapokee sasa huruma ya Mungu.
32 For God has locked up all in the prison of unbelief, that upon all alike He may have mercy. (eleēsē g1653)
Maana Mungu amewafunga watu wote katika uasi wao ili wapate kuwahurumia wote. (eleēsē g1653)
33 Oh, how inexhaustible are God's resources and God's wisdom and God's knowledge! How impossible it is to search into His decrees or trace His footsteps!
Utajiri, hekima na elimu ya Mungu ni kuu mno! Huruma zake hazichunguziki, na njia zake hazieleweki! Kama yasemavyo Maandiko Matakatifu:
34 "Who has ever known the mind of the Lord, or shared His counsels?"
“Nani aliyepata kuyajua mawazo ya Bwana? Nani awezaye kuwa mshauri wake?
35 "Who has first given God anything, so as to receive payment in return?"
Au, nani aliyempa yeye kitu kwanza hata aweze kulipwa tena kitu hicho?”
