Galatiana 4
1 Hoe ty hatovoko: Tsy mifañòva ami’ty ondevo ty mpandova mbe ajaja, ndra t’ie ty tompo’ ze he’e;
My point is this — As long as the heir is under age, there is no difference between him and a slave, though he is master of the whole estate.
2 amy t’ie fehè’ o mpañabeio naho o mpañokeo ampara’ ty andro tinendren-drae’e.
He is subject to the control of guardians and stewards, during the period for which his father has power to appoint them.
3 Itikañe ka, naho mbe ni-ajaja ro nondevoze’ o fañè’ ty voatse toio.
And so is it with us; when we were under age, as it were, we were slaves to the puerile teaching of this world;
4 Fa naho nitsatoke ty fañenefañe i saay, le nahitrin’ Añahare t’i Ana’e, sinama’ ty Rakemba, toly ambane’ Hake,
but, when the full time came, God sent his Son — born a woman’s child, born subject to Law —
5 hijebañe o ambane’ Hake aoo, hameloñe an-tika ho anake.
To ransom those who were subject to Law, so that we might take our position as sons.
6 Aa kanao anake, le fa nahitrin’ Añahare añ’arofo’ areo ao t’i Arofo’ i Ana’ey, mikoike: Aba, Rae.
And it is because you are sons that God sent into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, with the cry — ‘Abba, our Father.’
7 Aa le tsy ondevo ka irehe, fa anake; aa kanao anake, le mpandova aman’ Añahare, añamy Norizañey.
You, therefore, are no longer a slave, but a son; and, if a son, then an heir also, by God’s appointment.
8 Ie taolo, mbe tsy nahafohiñe an’Andrianañahare, naho niondevo’ o toe tsy ndrañahareo;
Yet formerly, in your ignorance of God, you became slaves to ‘gods’ which were no gods.
9 f’ie mahafohiñe an’ Andrianañahare henaneo—toe i Andrianañahare ty maharofoanañe anahareo—aa mañino te tolihe’ areo indraike o fañè maleme naho votroo? Te hiheren-ko ondevo’ irezay indraike v’inahareo?
But now that you have found God — or, rather, have been found by him — how is it that you are turning back to that poor and feeble puerile teaching, to which yet once again you are wanting to become slaves?
10 hañorik’ andro naho volañe naho sa vaho taoñe?
You are scrupulous in keeping Days and Months and Seasons and Years!
11 Imarimarihako he kafoake ty nifanehafako ama’ areo.
You make me fear that the labour which I have spent on you may have been wasted.
12 O ry longo, mihalaly ama’ areo, misoloa ahy, manahake ty nisoloako anahareo—ie tsy nanao raty ahy.
I entreat you, Brothers, to become like me, as I became like you. You have never done me any wrong.
13 Fohi’ areo te an-kasilofan-tsandriñe ty nitaroñako i talili-soay tam-baloha’e.
You remember that it was owing to bodily infirmity that on the first occasion I told you the Good News.
14 Le tsy nisirikaeñe naho tsy nampangorì’ areo, i nañembetse ahy amy hasilofan-tsandrikoy, fe nampihovae’ areo hoe t’ie ni-anjelin’ Añahare, toe nanahake Iesoà Norizañey.
And as for what must have tried you in my condition, it did not inspire you with scorn or disgust, but you welcomed me as if I had been an angel of God — or Christ Jesus himself!
15 Aia i fañanintsiñe tama’ areoy? Mahavolan-draho naho nimete, te ho napoliti’ areo o fihaino’ areoo vaho natolots’ ahiko.
What has become then, of your blessings? For I can bear witness that, had it been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me!
16 Aa vaho rafelahi’ areo hao iraho kanao ivolañako ty hatò?
Am I to think, then, that I have become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17 Malisa mipay anahareo iereo, tsy te hañasoa, fa ty hampiria an-tikañe, hipiteha’ areo ama’e.
Certain people are seeking your favour, but with no honourable object. No, indeed, they want to isolate you, so that you will have to seek their favour.
18 Soa avao te paiañe t’ie hahimbañe nainai’e ho ami’ty hasoa, fa tsy t’ie miatreke avao.
It is always honourable to have your favour sought in an honourable cause, and not only when I am with you, my dear children —
19 Ry anake, hoe mitsongo te hiterake indraike iraho ampara’ te miforoñe ama’ areo ao i Norizañey.
You for whom I am again enduring a mother’s pains, till a likeness to Christ shall have been formed in you.
20 Sinda te ho ama’ areo iraho henaneo hiovà’ ty feoko fa mahasekatse ahy.
But I could wish to be with you now and speak in a different tone, for I am perplexed about you.
21 Mitalilia, ie te ho fehè’ i Hake, ke tsy janji’ areo t’i Hake?
Tell me, you who want to be still subject to Law — Why do not you listen to the Law?
22 Toe pinatetse te nanañ’ anake roe t’i Abraàme, teo ty a i ondevo ampelay, teo ty a i rakemba hahay.
Scripture says that Abraham had two sons, one the child of the slave-woman and the other the child of the free woman.
23 Naterake amo haondatio i anak’ ondevoy, fe amy nampitamañey i anan-drakemba hahay;
But the child of the slave-woman was born in the course of nature, while the child of the free woman was born in fulfilment of a promise.
24 fandrazañañe ami’ty fañina roe iereo: ty raike hirike am-bohi-Sinaiy miterake fañondevozañe, i Hagara zay.
This story may be taken as an allegory. The women stand for two Covenants. One Covenant, given from Mount Sinai, produces a race of slaves and is represented by Hagar
25 Vohi-Sinay e Arabia añey t’i Hagara, ie manoiñe ho Ierosaleme henaneo, amy t’ie mitoroñe hoe ondevo miharo amo ana’eo.
(The word Hagar meaning in Arabia Mount Sinai) and it ranks with the Jerusalem of to-day, for she and her children are in slavery.
26 Fe haha t’Ierosaleme ambone ao, ie ty renen-tikañe.
But the Jerusalem above is free, and she it is who is our mother.
27 Hoe ty pinatetse: Mirebeha ry betsiterake tsy mahatoly! Mipoñafa an-koiake, ry tsy mitsongoo! Fa maro ty ana’ i bangiy, te amy amam-baliy.
For Scripture says — ‘Rejoice, thou barren one, who dost never bear, Break into shouts, thou who art never in labour, For many are the children of her who is desolate — aye, more than of her who has a husband.’
28 Le manahak’ Isaka, ana’ i fampitamañey, tika ry longo.
As for ourselves, brothers, we, like Isaac, are children born in fulfilment of a promise.
29 F’ie henane zay, nampisoañe’ i naterake amy nofotseiy i amy Arofoy, le ie ka henaneo.
Yet at that time the child born in the course of nature persecuted the child born by the power of the Spirit; and it is the same now.
30 Aa vaho ino ty pinatetse amy Sokitse Masiñey ao? Aitò i ondevo ampelay naho i ana’ey, fa tsy hitrao-dova amy ana’ i rakembaiy ty ana’ i ondevoy.
But what does the passage of Scripture say? ‘Send away the slave-woman and her son; for the slave’s son shall not be co-heir with the son of the free woman.’
31 Ie amy zao ry longo, tsy ana’ i ondevo ampelay tika, fa amy hahay.
And so, Brothers, we are not children of a slave, but of her who is free.
