Ahibirania 11
1 Rĩu-rĩ, gwĩtĩkia nĩkũgĩa na ma ya maũndũ marĩa twĩrĩgĩrĩire, na kũmenya na ma atĩ maũndũ marĩa tũtonaga marĩ ho.
Faith is the realisation of things hoped for — the proof of things not seen.
2 Ũndũ ũcio nĩguo watũmire andũ arĩa maarĩ kuo tene magaathĩrĩrio.
And it was for faith that the men of old were renowned.
3 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, nĩtũmenyaga atĩ thĩ yothe yombirwo na kiugo kĩa Ngai, na nĩ ũndũ ũcio indo iria cionagwo itiathondekirwo kuuma kũrĩ indo iria cionekanaga. (aiōn g165)
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)
4 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Habili nĩarutĩire Ngai igongona rĩega gũkĩra rĩa Kaini. Na nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia nĩagathĩrĩirio ta mũndũ mũthingu rĩrĩa Ngai aaheanire ũira mwega nĩ gwĩtĩkĩra maruta make. Na nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia o na rĩu no aaragia o na gũtuĩka nĩakuire.
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.
5 Na ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Enoku nĩeheririo mũtũũrĩre-inĩ ũyũ, nĩguo ndagacame gĩkuũ; na ndacookire kuonwo tondũ Ngai nĩamweheririe. Nĩgũkorwo ataneherio, nĩagathĩrĩirio atĩ aarĩ mũndũ wakenagia Ngai.
Faith led to Enoch’s removal from earth, 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;
6 Na rĩrĩ, gũtarĩ na wĩtĩkio gũtingĩhoteka gũkenia Ngai, tondũ mũndũ ũrĩa wothe ũũkaga harĩ we no nginya etĩkie atĩ nĩ kũrĩ Ngai, na atĩ nĩwe ũheaga arĩa othe mamũcaragia na kĩyo iheo ciao.
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.
7 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Nuhu aamenyithirio ũhoro wa maũndũ marĩa matoonekete-rĩ, nĩaakire thabina arĩ na wĩtigiri wa ngoro nĩguo ahonokie andũ a nyũmba yake. Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia gwake nĩatuĩrĩire thĩ ciira, na agĩtuĩka mũgai wa ũthingu ũrĩa uumanaga na gwĩtĩkia.
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 upon faith.
8 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Iburahĩmu rĩrĩa eetirwo athiĩ bũrũri ũrĩa aaheagwo ũtuĩke igai rĩake, nĩathĩkire na agĩthiĩ, o na akorwo ndaamenyaga kũrĩa aathiiaga.
It was faith that enabled Abraham to obey the Call that he received, and to set out for the place which he was afterwards to obtain as his own; and he set out not knowing where he was going.
9 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, agĩtuĩka mũtũũri bũrũri-inĩ wa kĩĩranĩro ahaana ta mũgeni bũrũri-inĩ wene; aatũũraga hema-inĩ, o ũndũ ũmwe na Isaaka na Jakubu, arĩa maarĩ agai a kĩĩranĩro kĩu hamwe nake.
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.
10 Nĩgũkorwo nĩataanyaga kuona itũũra rĩrĩ na mĩthingi mĩrũmu, rĩrĩa mũthondeki na mwaki warĩo nĩ Ngai.
For he was looking for the City with the sure foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Iburahĩmu, o na gũtuĩka nĩatindĩkĩte matukũ, nake Sara aarĩ thaata, nĩahotithirio gũtuĩka ithe wa mwana tondũ nĩatuĩte atĩ Ũrĩa weranĩire kĩĩranĩro kĩu aarĩ mwĩhokeku.
Again, it was faith that enabled Sarah to conceive (though she was past the age for child-bearing), because she felt sure that he who had given her the promise would not fail her.
12 Na nĩ ũndũ ũcio kuuma harĩ mũndũ ũyũ ũmwe, o na aarĩ ta mũndũ mũkuũ-rĩ, gũgĩciarwo njiaro nyingĩ o ta njata cia igũrũ, o na ta mũthanga ũrĩa ũtangĩtarĩka ũrĩ hũgũrũrũ-inĩ cia iria.
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 upon the shore.’
13 Andũ aya othe maatũũrire marũmĩtie wĩtĩkio nginya rĩrĩa maakuire. Matiigana kũhingĩrio maũndũ marĩa meerĩirwo; no nĩmamonaga marĩ o kũraya na makamakenera. Nao nĩmoimbũraga atĩ o nĩ ageni na agendi gũkũ thĩ.
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 aliens and strangers on the earth.
14 Andũ arĩa moigaga maũndũ ta macio monanagia atĩ nĩ gwetha methaga bũrũri ũrĩa ũrĩ wao kĩũmbe.
Those who speak thus show plainly that they are seeking their fatherland.
15 Korwo nĩmeeciiragia ũhoro wa bũrũri ũrĩa moimĩte-rĩ, nĩ mangĩagĩte na mweke wa gũcooka kuo.
If they had been thinking of the land that they had left, they could have found opportunities to return.
16 Handũ ha ũguo, o meeriragĩria bũrũri mwega kũrĩ ũcio, naguo nĩ bũrũri wa igũrũ. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Ngai ndaconokaga gwĩtwo Ngai wao, nĩgũkorwo nĩahaarĩirie itũũra inene nĩ ũndũ wao.
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.
17 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Iburahĩmu, rĩrĩa aageririo nĩ Ngai, nĩarutire Isaaka atuĩke igongona. Ũcio werĩirwo ciĩranĩro nĩehaarĩirie kũruta mũrũ wake wa mũmwe igongona,
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,
18 o na gũtuĩka Ngai nĩamwĩrĩte atĩrĩ, “Rũciaro rũrĩa rũgeetanio nawe rũkoima harĩ Isaaka.”
of whom it had been said — ‘It is through Isaac that there shall be descendants to bear thy name.’
19 Iburahĩmu nĩatuĩte na ngoro atĩ Ngai no ariũkie mũndũ mũkuũ, na nĩ ũndũ ũcio no kwĩrwo na ngerekano atĩ nĩacookeirio Isaaka ta oimĩte kũrĩ arĩa akuũ.
For he argued that God was able even to raise a man from the dead — and indeed, figuratively speaking, Abraham did receive Isaac back from the dead.
20 Na ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Isaaka nĩarathimire Jakubu na Esaũ akĩratha ũhoro wa matukũ mao ma thuutha.
It was faith that enabled Isaac to bless Jacob and Esau, even with regard to the future.
21 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Jakubu, rĩrĩa aarĩ hakuhĩ gũkua, nĩarathimire ariũ a Jusufu, o mũndũ riita rĩake, na akĩhooya Ngai enyiitĩrĩire mũthĩgi wake.
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 upon the top of his staff.’
22 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Jusufu, nake, ihinda rĩake rĩa mũthia rĩakuhĩrĩria, nĩaririe ũhoro wa gũthaama kwa andũ a Isiraeli kuuma bũrũri wa Misiri, na agĩathana ũhoro ũkoniĩ mahĩndĩ make.
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.
23 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, aciari a Musa nĩmamũhithire ihinda rĩa mĩeri ĩtatũ kuuma aaciarwo tondũ nĩmoonire aarĩ mwana mwega, na matietigĩrire watho wa mũthamaki.
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.
24 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Musa rĩrĩa aatuĩkire mũndũ mũgima nĩaregire gwĩtwo mũrũ wa mwarĩ wa Firaũni.
It was faith that caused Moses, when he was grown up, to refuse the title of ‘Son of a Daughter of Pharaoh.’
25 Nĩathuurire kũnyariiranĩrio hamwe na andũ a Ngai, handũ ha gwĩkenia na mĩago ya wĩhia ya ihinda inini.
He preferred sharing the hardships of God’s People to enjoying the short-lived pleasures of sin.
26 We nĩatuire atĩ kũmenwo nĩ ũndũ wa Kristũ nĩ uumithio mũnene gũkĩra ũtonga wa Misiri, nĩ tondũ nĩacũthagĩrĩria gũkaaheo kĩheo.
For he counted ‘the reproaches that are heaped upon the Christ’ of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, looking forward, as he did, to the reward awaiting him.
27 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, nĩoimire Misiri ategwĩtigĩra marakara ma mũthamaki; nĩakirĩrĩirie tondũ nĩoonire Ũrĩa ũtonekaga.
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.
28 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, nĩarũmirie gĩathĩ kĩa Bathaka na ũhoro wa kũminjaminjanĩrio gwa thakame, nĩguo mwanangi wa marigithathi ndakae kũhutia marigithathi ma andũ a Isiraeli.
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.
29 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, andũ nĩmatuĩkanĩirie Iria Itune taarĩ thĩ nyũmũ maagereire; no rĩrĩa andũ a Misiri maageririe gwĩka ũguo, makĩrindanio nĩ maaĩ.
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.
30 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, thingo cia Jeriko nĩciagũire andũ maarĩkia gũcithiũrũrũka matukũ mũgwanja.
Faith caused the walls of Jericho to fall after being encircled for seven days.
31 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, mũmaraya ũrĩa wetagwo Rahabu, tondũ wa kũnyiita athigaani ũgeni, ndoraganĩirio na andũ arĩa maarĩ aremi.
Faith saved Rahab, the prostitute, from perishing with the unbelievers, after she had entertained the spies with friendliness.
32 Ingiuga atĩa ũngĩ? Ndirĩ na ihinda rĩa kũheana ũhoro wa Gideoni, na wa Baraka, na wa Samusoni, na wa Jefitha, na wa Daudi, na wa Samũeli, o na wa anabii,
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.
33 acio othe nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, nĩmatooririe mothamaki, na magĩĩka maũndũ ma kĩhooto, na makĩĩgwatĩra kĩrĩa kĩeranĩirwo; nao makĩhinga mĩrũũthi tũnua,
By their faith they subdued kingdoms, ruled righteously, gained the fulfilment of God’s promises, ‘shut the mouths of lions,’
34 na makĩhoria mwaki warĩrĩmbũkaga, na makĩhonokio matikaniinwo na rũhiũ rwa njora; ũhinyaru wao wagarũrirwo ũgĩtuĩka hinya; ningĩ maarũire na ũcamba mbaara-inĩ na magĩtooria mbũtũ cia ita cia ndũrĩrĩ ingĩ.
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.
35 Nao andũ-a-nja makĩriũkĩrio andũ ao arĩa maakuĩte, magĩcooka muoyo. Andũ angĩ nao nĩmaregire kũrekererio, makĩnyariirwo nĩgeetha makaariũkio magĩe na muoyo mwega makĩria.
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.
36 Andũ angĩ nĩmanyũrũririo na makĩhũũrwo na iboko, o na angĩ makĩohwo na mĩnyororo na magĩikio njeera.
Others had to face taunts and blows, and even chains and imprisonment.
37 Nĩmahũũrirwo na mahiga; o na magĩatũranio na thoo maita meerĩ; ningĩ makĩũragwo na hiũ cia njora. Maathiiaga mehumbĩte njũa cia ngʼondu na cia mbũri, na marĩ ngĩa, na makanyariirwo, o na magekagwo ũũru;
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 —
38 thĩ ndĩamaagĩrĩire. Moorũũraga werũ-inĩ na irĩma-inĩ, o na ngurunga-inĩ na miungu-inĩ ya thĩ.
men of whom the world was not worthy — roaming in lonely places, and on the mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39 Andũ aya othe nĩmagathĩrĩirio nĩ ũndũ wa wĩtĩkio wao, no gũtirĩ o na ũmwe wao wahingĩirio kĩĩranĩro kĩrĩa kĩeranĩirwo.
Yet, though they all won renown by their faith, they did not obtain the final fulfilment of God’s promise;
40 Ngai nĩatũhaarĩirie ũndũ mwega makĩria nĩgeetha andũ acio matigatuuo aagĩrĩru ithuĩ tũtarĩ hamwe nao.
since God had in view some better thing for us, that they, apart from us, should not attain perfection.
