Valumi 9
1 Nijova chakaka, nene ndi mundu wa Kilisitu, nijova lepi udese. Mutima wangu wilongoswa na Mpungu Msopi ulangisa chakaka njwe nene nijova lepi udese.
I am telling you the truth as a Christian man--it is no falsehood, for my conscience enlightened, as it is, by the Holy Spirit adds its testimony to mine--
2 Nigana kujova naha, nivii ngolongondi na mvinisu wangamalika mumtima wangu
when I declare that I have deep grief and unceasing anguish of heart.
3 ndava ya valongo vangu vaisilaeli vandu va likabila langu. Ngati kuvya kwa njombi yavi, nganiyidakili likoto na kulekanganiswa na Kilisitu.
For I could pray to be accursed from Christ on behalf of my brethren, my human kinsfolk--for such the Israelites are.
4 Vena ndi vandu va ku Isilaeli ndi vevahaguwili na Chapanga vavyai vana vaki, avalangisi ukulu waki. Akalagana nawu, akavapela Malagizu gaki, namuna ya kumuyupa mwene na malaganu gaki.
To them belongs recognition as God's sons, and they have His glorious Presence and the Covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the Temple service, and the ancient Promises.
5 Vene ndi vajukulu va vagogo va Vaebulania, namwene Kilisitu, mu umundu waki, ahumili mu lukolo lwavi. Chapanga mweitalalila goha alumbaliwayi magono goha gangali mwishu! Ena. (aiōn g165)
To them the Patriarchs belong, and from them in respect of His human lineage came the Christ, who is exalted above all, God blessed throughout the Ages. Amen. (aiōn g165)
6 Nijova lepi lilaganu la Chapanga ling'anamwiki, muni lepi vandu voha va Isilaeli ndi vandu va Chapanga.
Not however that God's word has failed; for all who have sprung from Israel do not count as Israel,
7 Ndi lepi vajukulu voha va Ibulahimu ndi vana va Chapanga. Nambu Chapanga mjovili Ibulahimu, “Chiveleku chaku yati vihumalila kwa Izaki.”
nor because they are Abraham's true children. But the promise was "Through Isaac shall your posterity be reckoned."
8 Ndava muni vala vevavelekiwi chihiga, vene lepi vana va Chapanga, nambu vala vevavelekiwi kwa lealagini nawu Chapanga ndi yati vikemelewa vana va Ibulahimu.
In other words, it is not the children by natural descent who count as God's children, but the children made such by the promise are regarded as Abraham's posterity.
9 Muni Chapanga avikili lilaganu ili, “Lukumbi lweluganikiwa yati niwuya, na mwene Sala yati iveleka mwana mgosi.”
For the words are the language of promise and run thus, "About this time next year I will come, and Sarah shall have a son."
10 Lepi ago ndu, mewa nambu Lebeka ababili vana mapaha kwa dadi mmonga, mwenuyo ndi gogo witu Izaki.
Nor is that all: later on there was Rebecca too. She was soon to bear two children to her husband, our forefather Isaac--
11 Nambu, hati kwakona mapaha vangavelekewa amala vangahotola kumanya lijambu loloha labwina amala lihakau, muni mpangu wa Chapanga wa kuhagula lilolekanayi,
and even then, though they were not then born and had not done anything either good or evil, yet in order that God's electing purpose might not be frustrated, based, as it was, not on their actions but on the will of Him who called them, she was told,
12 Chapanga amjovili Lebeka, “Mwana mvaha yati akumhengela mbena waki.” Ndi uhagula wa Chapanga wihuvalila namuna cheikemela mwene, lepi uhagula wa mundu.
"The elder of them will be bondservant to the younger."
13 Ngati chegijova Mayandiku Gamsopi, “Namganili Yakobo, nambu namhakalili Esau.”
This agrees with the other Scripture which says, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated."
14 Hinu, tijova wuli? Wu, Chapanga ihamula lepi cheyiganikiwa? Hati padebe!
What then are we to infer? That there is injustice in God?
15 Muni amujovili Musa, “Yati nikumuhengela lipyana mundu yoyoha mwenigana kumuhengela lipyana, yati nivya mbwina kwa mundu mwenigana kumkitila ubwina.”
No, indeed; the solution is found in His words to Moses, "Wherever I show mercy it shall be nothing but mercy, and wherever I show compassion it shall be simply compassion."
16 Hinu, goha genago gihuvalila lipyana la Chapanga, ndi lepi ukangamala wa mundu amala cheigana mundu.
And from this we learn that everything is dependent not on man's will or endeavour, but upon God who has mercy. For the Scripture said to Pharaoh,
17 Muni Mayandiku Gamsopi gijova naha Falao, “Nakukitili wa nkosi wa ku Misili muni nilangisayi makakala gangu kupitila veve, na liina langu limanyikanayi pamulima woha.”
"It is for this very purpose that I have lifted you so high--that I may make manifest in you My power, and that My name may be proclaimed far and wide in all the earth."
18 Ndava yeniyo, Chapanga akumuhengela lipyana mundu yoyoha mweigana kumuhengela lipyana, na akagana kumkita mundu avyai na mtima unonopa akumkita avyai mewa.
This is a proof that wherever He chooses He shows mercy, and wherever he chooses He hardens the heart.
19 Pangi ukunikota, “Ngati naha, ndava kyani Chapanga ijova vandu vabudili? Yani mweihotola kuubesa uganu wa Chapanga?”
"Why then does God still find fault?" you will ask; "for who is resisting His will?"
20 Nambu veve ndi wayani mweukumkota Chapanga? Wu, chiviga chihotola kumkota muwumba chiviga, “Ndava kyani uniwumbili chenichi?”
Nay, but who are you, a mere man, that you should cavil against GOD? Shall the thing moulded say to him who moulded it, "Why have you made me thus?"
21 Muwumba viviga ihotola kuhengela ludaka cheigana na kuwumba viviga vivili kwa ludaka lulalula, chimonga kwa lihengu utopesa na chingi kwa lihengu langali utopesa.
Or has not the potter rightful power over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel for more honourable and another for less honourable uses?
22 Chenichi ndi cheyavili kwa Chapanga. Chapanga aganili kulangisa ligoga laki na makakala gaki. Nambu avasindimalili neju, vandu vala vevaganikiwi kuhamuliwa na ligoga laki, venavo ndi vevaganikiwi kuyongomeswa.
And what if God, while choosing to make manifest the terrors of His anger and to show what is possible with Him, has yet borne with long-forbearing patience with the subjects of His anger who stand ready for destruction,
23 Namwene aganili kulangisa ukulu waki, weatiyitili kwitu vetaganikiwi kupokela lipyana laki, tete vetitendelekewi kuhuma kadeni tipokela ukulu waki.
in order to make known His infinite goodness towards the subjects of His mercy whom He has prepared beforehand for glory,
24 Muni tete ndi vala vetikemiliwi, lepi kuhuma pagati ya Vayawudi ndu nambu kuhuma kwa vandu vangali Vayawudi.
even towards us whom He has called not only from among the Jews but also from among the Gentiles?
25 Ngati Chapanga cheajovili muchitabu cha Hosea mweavi mlota wa Chapanga, “Vala vevavi, ‘lepi vandu vangu.’ Yati nikuvakemela, ‘Vandu vangu.’ Na vala venanga vagana, ‘yati nikuvagana.’ Vandu vangu yati mwene lepi ‘mganu wangu’
So also in Hosea He says, "I will call that nation My People which was not My People, and I will call her beloved who was not beloved.
26 Kangi pandu pala pemwajoviwi, ‘Nyenye lepi vangu,’ Penapo mwikemelewa, ‘Vana va Chapanga mweavili mumi.’”
And in the place where it was said to them, 'No people of Mine are you,' there shall they be called sons of the everliving God."
27 Mewawa Isaya mweavi mlota wa Chapanga, avaywangili vandu va Isilaeli pala peajovili, “Hati ngati vandu vamahele ngati msavati wa kunyanja, nambu vevisanguliwa ndi vadebe ndu,
And Isaiah cries aloud concerning Israel, "Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sands of the sea, only a remnant of them shall be saved;
28 ndava muni, BAMBU yati iyumbatika kukita uhamula waki kwa vandu va mulima woha.”
for the Lord will hold a reckoning upon the earth, making it efficacious and brief."
29 Ngati Isaya chealongolili kujova, ngaakotoka, “BAMBU mweavi na makakala ngaatileki lepi, vangi va chiveleku cha Isilaeli, voha ngatifwili ngati vandu va Sodoma, ngatiwanangini ngati vandu va Gomola.”
Even as Isaiah says in an earlier place, "Were it not that the Lord, the God of Hosts, had left us some few descendants, we should have become like Sodom, and have come to resemble Gomorrah."
30 Hinu tijova kyani? Vandu vangali Vayawudi vahengili lepi chindu muni valolekanayi vabwina palongolo ya Chapanga, nambu mu sadika Chapanga avakitili vabwina palongolo yaki,
To what conclusion does this bring us? Why, that the Gentiles, who were not in pursuit of righteousness, have overtaken it--a righteousness, however, which arises from faith;
31 Nambu vandu va Isilaeli vevalondili Malagizu muni vakitiwayi vabwina palongolo ya Chapanga, nambu vayipatili lepi.
while the descendants of Israel, who were in pursuit of a Law that could give righteousness, have not arrived at one.
32 Ndava kyani? Ndava vahuvalili matendu gavi pahala pa kuhuvalila sadika. Ndi vakajikuvala “paliganga la kukuvala.”
And why? Because they were pursuing a righteousness which should arise not from faith, but from what they regarded as merit. They stuck their foot against the stone which lay in their way;
33 Ngati chegijova Mayandiku Gamsopi, “Lola, nivika liganga ku Siyoni, lenilo yati likuvakita vandu vajikuvala, yati nivika litalau lelikuvakita vandu vagwayi, nambu mundu yoyoha mweakumsadika ikola lepi soni.”
in agreement with the statement of Scripture, "See, I am placing on Mount Zion a stone for people to stumble at, and a rock for them to trip over, and yet he whose faith rests upon it shall never have reason to feel ashamed."
