Romans 13
1 Let every soul be subject to the powers that are over them: for there is no such power but from God: the powers that are over men, are appointed by God.
Kila mtu anapaswa kuwatii wenye mamlaka katika serikali; maana mamlaka yote hutoka kwa Mungu; nao wenye mamlaka wamewekwa na Mungu.
2 So that he who resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive condemnation.
Anayepinga mamlaka ya viongozi anapinga agizo la Mungu; nao wafanyao hivyo wanajiletea hukumu wenyewe,
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wouldest thou then not be afraid of the civil power? do what is good, and thou shalt have praise from it:
Maana, watawala hawasababishi hofu kwa watu wema, ila kwa watu wabaya. Basi, wataka usimwogope mtu mwenye mamlaka? Fanya mema naye atakusifu;
4 for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou dost evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is also the minister of God, as an avenger to execute his wrath upon the malefactor.
maana yeye ni mtumishi wa Mungu anayefanya kazi kwa faida yako. Lakini ukifanya mabaya, basi, huna budi kumwogopa, maana anao kweli uwezo wa kutoa adhabu. Yeye ni mtumishi wa Mungu na huitekeleza ghadhabu ya Mungu kwao watendao maovu.
5 Wherefore it is necessary to submit, not only on account of punishment, but also of conscience.
Kwa hiyo ni lazima kuwatii wenye mamlaka, si tu kwa sababu ya kuogopa ghadhabu ya Mungu, bali pia kwa sababu dhamiri inadai hivyo.
6 For you pay them tribute also for this reason; because they are God's ministers, continually attending hereunto.
Kwa sababu hiyohiyo ninyi hulipa kodi; maana viongozi hao humtumikia Mungu ikiwa wanatimiza wajibu wao.
7 Render therefore to all what is their due: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, reverence to whom reverence, honor to whom honor.
Mpeni kila mtu haki yake; mtu wa ushuru, ushuru; wa kodi, kodi; na astahiliye heshima, heshima.
8 Owe no one any thing, but to love one another; for he that loveth others hath fulfilled the law:
Msiwe na deni kwa mtu yeyote, isipokuwa tu deni la kupendana. Ampendaye jirani yake ameitekeleza Sheria.
9 for this command, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet, and every other social precept, is summed up in this, namely, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
Maana, amri hizi: “Usizini; Usiue; Usitamani;” na nyingine zote, zimo katika amri hii moja: “Mpende jirani yako kama unavyojipenda mwenyewe.”
10 Love worketh no evil to our neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Ampendaye jirani yake hamtendei vibaya. Basi, kwa mapendo Sheria yote hutimizwa.
11 And this let us observe, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed.
Zaidi ya hayo, ninyi mnajua tumo katika wakati gani: sasa ndio wakati wa kuamka usingizini; naam, wokovu wetu u karibu zaidi sasa kuliko wakati ule tulipoanza kuamini.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Usiku unakwisha na mchana unakaribia. Basi, tutupilie mbali mambo yote ya giza, tukajitwalie silaha za mwanga.
13 Let us behave decently as being in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lasciviousness, not in strife and envying.
Mwenendo wetu uwe wa adabu kama inavyostahili wakati wa mchana; tusiwe na ulafi na ulevi, uchafu na uasherati, ugomvi na wivu.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus, and make not provision for the flesh to gratify its irregular desires.
Bwana Yesu Kristo awe vazi lenu; msishughulikie tena tamaa zenu za maumbile na kuziridhisha.
