Mathayo 23
1 Ningĩ Jesũ akĩĩra ikundi cia andũ o hamwe na arutwo ake atĩrĩ:
Then Jesus speaking to the crowds and to his disciples, said:
2 “Arutani a watho na Afarisai maikaragĩra gĩtĩ kĩa Musa.
“The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees now occupy the chair of Moses.
3 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, maathĩkagĩrei na mwĩkage ũrĩa wothe marĩmwĩraga. No mũtigekage ũrĩa mekaga, nĩgũkorwo matiĩkaga ũrĩa mahunjagia.
Therefore practice and lay to heart everything that they tell preach but do not practice.
4 Mohaga mĩrigo mĩritũ mũno makamĩigĩrĩra ciande cia andũ, no-o ene matiendaga o na kũmĩhutia na kaara.
While they make up heavy loads and pile them on other men’s shoulder’s they decline, themselves, to lift a finger to move them.
5 “Ũrĩa wothe mekaga, mekaga nĩguo monwo nĩ andũ: Maaraaramagia tũthandũkũ tũrĩa meyohaga thiithi tũrĩ na maandĩko thĩinĩ, na makaraihia ciohe cia ndigi cia nguo ciao,
All their actions are done to attract attention. They widen their phylacteries, and increase the size of their tassels,
6 na nĩmendete gũikara handũ ha gũtĩĩo maruga-inĩ, na gũikarĩra itĩ cia mbere thĩinĩ wa thunagogi;
and like to have the place of honour at dinner, and the best seats in the Synagogues,
7 na nĩmendete kũgeithio ndũnyũ-inĩ, na gwĩtwo nĩ andũ ‘Rabii’.
and to be greeted in the markets with respect, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ for everybody.
8 “No inyuĩ mũtikanetwo ‘Rabii’, nĩgũkorwo Mũnene wanyu no ũmwe, na inyuothe mũrĩ a ithe ũmwe.
But do not allow yourselves to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Teacher, and you yourselves are all Brothers.
9 Na mũtikaneete mũndũ o na ũrĩkũ gũkũ thĩ ‘baba’, nĩgũkorwo mũrĩ na Ithe o ũmwe, nake arĩ igũrũ.
And do not call any one on the earth your ‘Father,’ for your have only one Father, the heavenly Father.
10 O na mũtikanetwo ‘mũrutani’, nĩgũkorwo mũrĩ na ‘Mũrutani’ o ũmwe, nake nĩwe Kristũ.
Nor must you allow yourselves to be called ‘Leaders,’ for you have only one Leader, the Christ.
11 Ũrĩa mũnene thĩinĩ wanyu nĩatuĩkage ndungata yanyu.
The man who would be the greatest among you must be your servant.
12 Nĩgũkorwo ũrĩa wothe wĩtũgagĩria nĩakanyiihio, na ũrĩa wothe wĩnyiihagia nĩagatũũgĩrio.
Whoever shall exalt himself will be humbled, and whoever shall humble himself will be exalted.
13 “Kaĩ mũrĩ na haaro-ĩ, inyuĩ arutani a watho na Afarisai, hinga ici! Mũhingagĩrĩria andũ gũtoonya ũthamaki wa igũrũ, na inyuĩ-ene mũtitoonyaga, o na mũtirekaga arĩa marenda gũtoonya matoonye. (
But alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You turn the key of the Kingdom of Heaven in men’s faces. For you do not go in yourselves, nor yet allow those who try to go in to do so.
14 “Kaĩ mũrĩ na haaro-ĩ, inyuĩ arutani a watho na Afarisai, hinga ici! Mũtoonyagĩrĩra nyũmba cia atumia a ndigwa, mũkamatunya indo ciao, na mũkahooyaga mahooya maraihu ma kwĩonania. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio nĩmũkaherithio makĩria ma andũ arĩa angĩ.)
Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You destroy widow’s houses, even while pretending to make long prayers; therefore you shall receive greater condemnation.
15 “Kaĩ mũrĩ na haaro-ĩ, inyuĩ arutani a watho na Afarisai hinga ici! Mũtuĩkanagia bũrũri na mũkaringa iria mũgĩcaria mũndũ ũmwe mũmũgarũre amũrũmĩrĩre, na aamũrũmĩrĩra mũkamũtua mũrũ wa Jehanamu maita meerĩ manyu. (Geenna g1067)
Alas for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You scour land and sea to make a single convert, and, when he is gained, you make him twice as deserving of the Pit as you are yourselves. (Geenna g1067)
16 “Kaĩ mũrĩ na haaro-ĩ, inyuĩ atongoria atumumu! Muugaga atĩrĩ, ‘Mũndũ o na ũrĩkũ angĩĩhĩta na hekarũ, ũcio ti ũndũ; no mũndũ angĩĩhĩta na thahabu ya hekarũ-rĩ, ũcio nĩekuohwo nĩ mwĩhĩtwa wake.’
Alas for you, you blind guides! You say ‘if any answer by the Temple, his oath counts for nothing; but, if any one swears by the gold of the Temple, his oath is binding him’!
17 Inyuĩ atumumu aya akĩĩgu! Nĩ kĩĩ kĩnene? Nĩ thahabu ĩyo, kana nĩ hekarũ ĩrĩa ĩtũmaga thahabu ĩtuĩke nyamũre?
Fools that you are and blind! Which is the more important? The gold? Or the Temple which has given sacredness to the gold?
18 Ningĩ muugaga atĩrĩ, ‘Mũndũ o na ũrĩkũ angĩĩhĩta na kĩgongona-rĩ, ũcio ti ũndũ; no mũndũ angĩĩhĩta na kĩheo kĩrĩa kĩrĩ kĩgongona-igũrũ, ũcio nĩekuohwo nĩ mwĩhĩtwa wake.’
You say, too, ‘If any one swears by the altar, his oath counts for nothing, but, if any one swears by the offering placed on it, his oath is binding on him’!
19 Inyuĩ andũ aya atumumu! Nĩ kĩĩ kĩnene? Nĩ kĩheo kĩu, kana nĩ kĩgongona kĩrĩa gĩtũmaga kĩheo kĩu gĩtuĩke kĩamũre?
Blind indeed! Which is the more important? The offering? or the altar which gives sacredness to the offering?
20 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, ũrĩa wĩhĩtaga na kĩgongona, ehĩtaga nakĩo na akehĩta na kĩrĩa gĩothe kĩrĩ kĩgongona-igũrũ.
Therefore a man, swearing by the altar, swears by it and by all that is on it,
21 Nake ũrĩa wĩhĩtaga na hekarũ, ehĩtaga nayo na akehĩta na ũrĩa ũikaraga thĩinĩ wayo.
and a man, swearing by the Temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it,
22 Nake ũrĩa wĩhĩtaga na igũrũ, ehĩtaga na gĩtĩ kĩa ũnene kĩa Ngai, na akehĩta na ũrĩa ũgĩikaragĩra.
while a man, swearing by Heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits upon it.
23 “Kaĩ mũrĩ na haaro-ĩ, inyuĩ arutani a watho na Afarisai, hinga ici! Mũrutaga gĩcunjĩ gĩa ikũmi kĩa nyeni; na nĩcio terere, na bitharĩ, na thuu. No nĩmũtiganĩirie maũndũ marĩa ma bata makĩria marĩa makoniĩ watho na nĩmo kĩhooto, na kũiguanĩra tha, na wĩhokeku. Maya-rĩ, nĩmo mwagĩrĩirwo nĩ gwĩka mũtegũtiganĩria macio mangĩ.
Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You pay tithes on mint, fennel, and caraway seed, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law — justice, mercy, and good faith. These last you ought to have put into practice, without neglecting the first.
24 Inyuĩ atongoria aya atumumu! Inyuĩ mũcungaga rũmuru, no mũkameria ngamĩĩra.
You blind guides, to strain out a gnat and to swallow a camel!
25 “Kaĩ mũrĩ na haaro-ĩ, inyuĩ arutani a watho na Afarisai, hinga ici! Mũthambagia gĩkombe na mbakũri mwena wa nja, no thĩinĩ-rĩ, kũiyũrĩte ũkoroku na kwenda kwĩhũũnia.
Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are filled with the results of greed and self-indulgence.
26 Wee Mũfarisai ũyũ mũtumumu! Amba ũthambie gĩkombe na mbakũri mwena wa thĩinĩ, naguo mwena wa nja o naguo nĩũgũthera.
You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.
27 “Kaĩ mũrĩ na haaro-ĩ, inyuĩ arutani a watho na Afarisai, hinga ici! Mũhaana mbĩrĩra hake mũnyũ mwerũ, iria cionekaga irĩ thaka mwena wa nja, no thĩinĩ ciyũrĩte mahĩndĩ ma andũ akuũ, na gĩko kĩa mĩthemba yothe.
Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed look fair outside, while inside they are filled with dead men’s bones and all kinds of filth.
28 No taguo andũ mamuonaga mũrĩ athingu mwena wa nja, no mwena wa thĩinĩ mũiyũirwo nĩ ũhinga na waganu.
It is the same with you. Outwardly, and to others, you have the look of religious men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and sin.
29 “Kaĩ mũrĩ na haaro-ĩ, inyuĩ arutani a watho na Afarisai, hinga ici! Mwakagĩra anabii mbĩrĩra na mũkagemia mbĩrĩra cia arĩa athingu.
Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You build the tombs of the Prophets, and decorate the monuments of religious men,
30 Mũgacooka mũkoiga atĩrĩ, ‘Tũngĩarĩ muoyo hĩndĩ ya maithe maitũ-rĩ, tũtingĩagwatanĩire nao gũita thakame ya anabii.’
and say ‘Had we been living in the days of our ancestors, we should have taken part in their murder of the Prophets!
31 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũkaruta ũira wa atĩ inyuĩ mũrĩ njiaro cia arĩa mooragire anabii.
By doing this you are furnishing evidence against yourselves that you are true children of the men who murdered the Prophets.
32 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio-rĩ, kĩiyũrĩrĩriei kĩgeri kĩa mehia ma maithe manyu ma tene.
Fill up the measure of your ancestor’s guilt.
33 “Inyuĩ nyoka ici! Inyuĩ ciana cia nduĩra! Mũgaagĩtheema atĩa gũtuĩrwo ciira wa gũikio Jehanamu? (Geenna g1067)
You serpents and brood of vipers! How can you escape being sentenced to the Pit? (Geenna g1067)
34 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio-rĩ, ngũmũtũmĩra anabii, na andũ arĩa oogĩ, o na arutani. Amwe ao nĩmũkamooraga na mwambe amwe ao mũtĩ-igũrũ, na arĩa angĩ mũmahũũre na iboko thĩinĩ wa thunagogi cianyu na mũmaingate kuuma itũũra rĩmwe nginya rĩrĩa rĩngĩ.
That is why I send you Prophets, wise men, and Teachers of the Law, some of whom you will crucify and kill, and some of whom you will scourge in your Synagogues, and persecute from town to town;
35 Na nĩmũgagĩcookererwo nĩ thakame yothe ya andũ arĩa athingu, ĩrĩa ĩrĩkĩtie gũitwo gũkũ thĩ, kuuma thakame ya Habili ũrĩa warĩ mũthingu, nginya thakame ya Zekaria mũrũ wa Barakia, ũrĩa mworagĩire gatagatĩ ka Handũ-harĩa-Hatheru na kĩgongona.
in order that upon your heads may fall every drop of innocent ‘blood split on earth,’ from the blood of innocent Abel down to that of Zechariah, Barachiah’s son, whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar.
36 Ngũmwĩra atĩrĩ na ma, maũndũ maya mothe nĩmagakinyĩra rũciaro rũrũ.
All this, I tell you, will come home to the present generation.
37 “Wee Jerusalemu, Jerusalemu, wee ũragaga anabii, na ũkahũũra arĩa matũmĩtwo kũrĩ wee na mahiga nyuguto, nĩ maita maingĩ atĩa ndanenda gũcookanĩrĩria ciana ciaku hamwe, ta ũrĩa ngũkũ ĩcookanagĩrĩria tũcui twayo rungu rwa mathagu mayo, no ndũnjĩtĩkagĩria!
Jerusalem! Jerusalem! She who slays the Prophets and stones the messengers sent to her — Oh, how often have I wished to gather your children round me, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not come!
38 Atĩrĩrĩ, nyũmba yaku ĩtigĩtwo ĩkirĩte ihooru.
Verily, your house is left to you desolate!
39 Ngũmwĩra atĩrĩ, kuuma rĩu mũtikanyona rĩngĩ nginya rĩrĩa mũkoiga atĩrĩ, ‘Kũrathimwo nĩ mũndũ ũrĩa ũgũũka na rĩĩtwa rĩa Mwathani.’”
For nevermore, I tell you, shall you see me, until you say — ‘Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!’”
