Abhagalatia 4
1 Iyanga aje abhanadamu upyani yu mwana, sagaali nuutofauti numtumwa, Gata nkesho tabhale wishoma shonti.
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 Ibadala yakwe, ali pansi yisimamizi na bhabhaghatiliye hadi umda gugubheshewelwe nobaba wakwe.
He is subject to the control of guardians and stewards, during the period for which his father has power to appoint them.
3 Shesho natee, lwatali bhana, talemwilwe nu utumwa wikanuni zya humwanzoni zya monsi.
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 Baada yimuda gugulisahihi afishe, Ungolobhe atwalile umwanawakwe, wapapwilwe noshe, upapwa pansi yindajizyo.
but, when the full time came, God sent his Son – born a woman’s child, born subject to Law –
5 Awombile eshi ili ahubhagombole bhala bhabhali pansi yindajizyo ilitipewe ihali yabhe hansi bhanabhakwe.
to ransom those who were subject to Law, so that we might take our position as sons.
6 Eshi aje amwe mulibhana, Ongolobhe atwalile upepo wamwanawakwe mhati yimoyo getu, upepo, alila, “Abba, Baba.”
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 Hunamuneyo awe siguli mtumwa natena eshi ulimwana. Nkeshi uli mwana, eshi awe ulipyani abhilile hwa Ngolobhe.
You, therefore, are no longer a slave, but a son; and, if a son, then an heir also, by God’s appointment.
8 Hata shamumbele, humanye Ungolobhe, mwali bhatumwa hwa bhala bhi asili saga bhalongobhe nzela.
Yet formerly, in your ignorance of God, you became slaves to ‘gods’ which were no gods.
9 Eshi isalezi huje mmenye Ungolobhe, au huje mmanyishe no Ngolobhe yenu muwelela tena mkanuni ziubhinu zya humwanzoni zyasagazili ni shoma? Eshi muhwanza tena abhe bhatumwa?
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 Mulema huwenyelezi insiku lilisalu lilwe, utukulo lwimwezi, amajira, na maha. Ihogopa kwa jili yenyu.
You are scrupulous in keeping days and months and seasons and years!
11 Ihogopa hunamuna emo injiyanzizye shaha.
You make me fear that the labor which I have spent on you may have been wasted.
12 Imbabhalabha, bhaholo mubhe hansi shindeho, indi hansi shamuleho. Sagamwankoseye.
I entreat you, friends, to become like me, as I became like you. You have never done me any wrong.
13 Eshi mmenye aje yaali kwajili yimpongo yembele yaje natangazwaga iizu humwenyu humala ya hwande.
You remember that it was owing to bodily infirmity that on the first occasion I told you the good news.
14 Ingabha ihali yane yembele yabhabheshele hwalenjewe, saganza yanye au huhane. Ni badala yakwe mwamposheleye hansi uhala uzelu wa Ngolobhe, hansi aje nali Kristi Yesu yoyo.
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 Eshi luhwi alosongo lwenyu? afwatanaje imbasimisizye humwenyu aje, nkiwezehana andi mwasenya amaso genyu nahumpele ane.
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 Nebho saba, Eshi indi aduwi wenyu afwatanaje ihubhawola ilyoli?
Am I to think, then, that I have become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17 Bhahanza shushomela ila saga huminza. Bhahwanza hubhatenganisye amwe nane ili mubhafwate.
Certain people are seeking your favor, but with no honorable object. No, indeed, they want to isolate you, so that you will have to seek their favor.
18 Shinza sana wila abhe ni shomela husababu zilishinza nasagagumuda tougwanalinamwa.
It is always honorable to have your favor sought in an honorable cause, and not only when I am with you, my dear children –
19 Bhanabhane mubhadodo, imbinile inkuni kwa ajili yenyu hadi uKilisti aumbishe mhati yenyu.
you for whom I am again enduring a mother’s pains, until a likeness to Christ will have been formed in you.
20 Andinasongwa abhe pamoja namwe isalezi na badilisye isauti yane, kwa sababu indinamashaka juuu yenyu.
But I could wish to be with you now and speak in a different tone, for I am perplexed about you.
21 Mbozi, amwe mmunyonywa awe pansi yindajizo, sagamwevwazye indajizyo yiyanga?
Tell me, you who want to be still subject to Law – Why don’t you listen to the Law?
22 Iyandihwilwe aje u Abrahamu alina bhana bhishilume bhabhele, weka hola onshe umutumwa na uwamwao hashe umwaushe.
Scripture says that Abraham had two sons, one the child of the slave-woman and the other the child of the free woman.
23 Hata shesho, ola umutumwa apapwilwe hubele tou, ila ola oshe umwaushe apapwilwe huusobhizi.
But the child of the slave-woman was born in the course of nature, while the child of the free woman was born in fulfillment of a promise.
24 Amambo ega gawezehana ahelezwe hwatumile atenganisye, afwataje abhashe ebha bhalengana na mapatano gabhele. Limo afume hwigamba Sinai. Lipapa abhana bhabhali bhatumwa, ono yu Hajiri.
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 Eshi u Hajiri ligamba Sinai leleleho hu u Arabuni. Lilenganisiwa ni Yerusalemu yisalezi afwatanaje mutumwa palishimo na bhana bhakwe.
Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia, and represents the Jerusalem of today, for she and her children are in slavery.
26 Ila i Yerusalemu oleho pamwanya yiwaule, nene ndiyo yumaye wetu.
But the Jerusalem above is free, and she it is who is our mother.
27 Afwatanaje isimbiwilwe, “Songwaji, “awe nshe uligomba awe wasaga upapa. Gholaga iholo na ghomaga ihalanga hwasongwe, awe wasagaulinuuzowefu wa pape. Eshi abhinji bhanabhakwe wali gomba, hani ya bhala wola wali nunume.”
For scripture says – ‘Rejoice, you barren one, who have never given birth, break into shouts, you who are never in labor, for many are the children of her who is desolate – yes, more than of her who has a husband.’
28 Eshi bhaholo, amwe mulibhana hansi u Isaka, amwe mulibhana wilosobhizi.
As for ourselves, friends, we, like Isaac, are children born in fulfillment of a promise.
29 Whinsiku zila ambawe mumuntu apapwilwe humjibu wembele anyanzizye ola wapapwilwe humjibu wimpepo hata husalezi huli shesho.
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 Iizi liyigawele? “Mwefwe oshe umtumwa pamoja nu mwana wakwe wishilume. Afwatanaje umwana washe umutumwa sagaipyana pamoja nu mwana washe umwaule.”
But what does the passage of scripture say? ‘Send away the slave-woman and her son; for the slave’s son will not be coheir with the son of the free woman.’
31 Eshi, bhalolo, ate sagatibhana bhanshe mutumwa, ila tilibhana bhanshe umwauzi.
And so, friends, we are not children of a slave, but of her who is free.
