Wagalatia 4
1 Lile nisemalo ni kwamba wakati wote mrithi bado ni mtoto, hana tofauti na mtumwa, ingawa ndiye mmiliki wa mali yote.
But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all,
2 Yeye huwa yuko chini ya uangalizi wa walezi na wadhamini mpaka ufike wakati uliowekwa na baba yake.
but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by the father.
3 Vivyo hivyo na sisi, tulipokuwa bado watoto wadogo, tulikuwa utumwani chini ya taratibu za kawaida za ulimwengu.
So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world.
4 Lakini ulipowadia utimilifu wa wakati, Mungu alimtuma Mwanawe, ambaye alizaliwa na mwanamke, akazaliwa chini ya sheria,
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,
5 kusudi awakomboe wale waliokuwa chini ya sheria, ili tupate kupokea zile haki kamili za kufanywa watoto wa Mungu.
that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as children.
6 Kwa sababu ninyi ni watoto wa Mungu, Mungu amemtuma Roho wa Mwanawe mioyoni mwetu, anayelia, “Abba, Baba.”
And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”
7 Kwa hiyo, wewe si mtumwa tena, bali ni mtoto, kwa kuwa wewe ni mtoto, Mungu amekufanya wewe pia kuwa mrithi kwa kupitia Kristo.
So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
8 Zamani, mlipokuwa hammjui Mungu, mlikuwa watumwa wa viumbe ambavyo kwa asili si Mungu.
However at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods.
9 Lakini sasa kwa kuwa mmemjua Mungu, au zaidi mmejulikana na Mungu, inakuwaje mnarejea tena katika zile kanuni za kwanza zenye udhaifu na upungufu? Mnataka ziwafanye tena watumwa?
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again?
10 Mnaadhimisha siku maalum, miezi, nyakati na miaka!
You observe days, months, seasons, and years.
11 Nina hofu juu yenu, kwamba kazi niliyofanya kwa ajili yenu inaweza kuwa nimejitaabisha bure.
I am afraid for you, that I might have wasted my labor for you.
12 Ndugu zangu, nawasihi mwe kama mimi, kwa sababu mimi nimekuwa kama ninyi. Hamkunitendea jambo lolote baya.
I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong,
13 Ninyi mwajua kwamba ni kwa ajili ya udhaifu wangu niliwahubiria Injili.
but you know that because of weakness in the flesh I preached the Good News to you the first time.
14 Ingawa hali yangu iliwatia majaribuni, hamkunidharau wala kunidhihaki, bali mlinikaribisha kama malaika wa Mungu, kama vile Kristo Yesu.
That which was a temptation to you in my flesh, you did not despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
15 Ile hali ya furaha mliyokuwa nayo imekwenda wapi? Naweza kushuhudia kwamba, kama ingewezekana mngengʼoa macho yenu na kunipa mimi.
What was the blessing you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.
16 Je, sasa nimekuwa adui yenu kwa kuwaambia kweli?
So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17 Hao wana shauku ya kuwapata lakini si kwa kusudi zuri. Wanachotaka ni kuwatenga mbali nasi, ili ninyi mpate kuwaonea wao shauku.
They zealously seek you in no good way. No, they desire to alienate you, that you may seek them.
18 Ni vizuri wakati wote kuwa na shauku kwa ajili ya kusudi zuri, si wakati nikiwa pamoja nanyi tu.
But it is always good to be zealous in a good cause, and not only when I am present with you.
19 Watoto wangu wapendwa, ambao kwa mara nyingine ninawaonea utungu, ninatamani kwamba Kristo aumbike ndani yenu.
My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you—
20 Natamani kama ningekuwa pamoja nanyi sasa, pengine ningebadilisha sauti yangu. Kwa maana nina wasiwasi kwa ajili yenu.
but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.
21 Niambieni, ninyi mnaotaka kuwa chini ya sheria, je, hamjui sheria inavyosema?
Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, do not you listen to the law?
22 Kwa maana imeandikwa kwamba Abrahamu alikuwa na wana wawili, mmoja wa mwanamke mtumwa na wa pili wa mwanamke huru.
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant, and one by the free woman.
23 Lakini, mtoto wa mwanamke mtumwa alizaliwa kwa mapenzi ya mwili, na yule mwingine wa mwanamke huru alizaliwa kutokana na ahadi ya Mungu.
However, the son by the servant was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise.
24 Mambo haya yanaweza kuchukuliwa kama mfano. Kwa maana hao wanawake wawili ni mfano wa maagano mawili: Agano la kwanza, ni lile lililofanyika katika Mlima Sinai, lizaalo watoto wa utumwa. Hili ndilo huyo Hagari.
These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar.
25 Basi Hagari anawakilisha Mlima Sinai ulioko Arabuni, na unafanana na Yerusalemu ya sasa ambayo iko utumwani pamoja na watoto wake.
For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children.
26 Lakini Yerusalemu wa juu ni huru, nayo ndiye mama yetu.
But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27 Kwa maana imeandikwa: “Furahi, ewe mwanamke tasa, wewe usiyezaa; paza sauti, na kuimba kwa furaha, wewe usiyepatwa na utungu wa kuzaa; kwa maana watoto wa mwanamke aliyeachwa ukiwa ni wengi kuliko wa mwanamke mwenye mume.”
For it is written, “Rejoice, you barren who do not bear. Break out and shout, you who do not travail. For the desolate women have more children than her who has a husband.”
28 Basi, sisi ndugu zangu, ni kama Isaki, tu watoto wa ahadi.
Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise.
29 Lakini, kama vile ilivyokuwa siku zile yule aliyezaliwa kwa mwili alivyomchokoza yule aliyezaliwa kwa Roho, ndivyo ilivyo hata sasa.
But as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.
30 Lakini Maandiko yasemaje? “Mwondoe mwanamke mtumwa pamoja na mwanawe, kwa sababu mwana wa mwanamke mtumwa kamwe hatarithi pamoja na mwana wa aliye huru.”
However, what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the servant and her son, for the son of the servant will not inherit with the son of the free woman.”
31 Kwa hiyo ndugu zangu, sisi si watoto wa mwanamke mtumwa, bali wa yule aliye huru.
So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant, but of the free woman.
