Wagalatia 4
1 Lile nisemalo ni kwamba wakati wote mrithi bado ni mtoto, hana tofauti na mtumwa, ingawa ndiye mmiliki wa mali yote.
And I say, now as much time as the heir is a child, he differs nothing from a servant, [though] being lord of all,
2 Yeye huwa yuko chini ya uangalizi wa walezi na wadhamini mpaka ufike wakati uliowekwa na baba yake.
but is under tutors and stewards until the time appointed of 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 in servitude under the elements of the world,
4 Lakini ulipowadia utimilifu wa wakati, Mungu alimtuma Mwanawe, ambaye alizaliwa na mwanamke, akazaliwa chini ya sheria,
and when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, come of a woman, come under law,
5 kusudi awakomboe wale waliokuwa chini ya sheria, ili tupate kupokea zile haki kamili za kufanywa watoto wa Mungu.
that He may redeem those under law, that we may receive the adoption as sons;
6 Kwa sababu ninyi ni watoto wa Mungu, Mungu amemtuma Roho wa Mwanawe mioyoni mwetu, anayelia, “Abba, Baba.”
and because you are sons, God sent forth 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 that you are no longer a servant, but a son, and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ.
8 Zamani, mlipokuwa hammjui Mungu, mlikuwa watumwa wa viumbe ambavyo kwa asili si Mungu.
But then, indeed, having not known God, you were in servitude to those [that are] not by nature 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?
and now, having known God—and rather being known by God—how [do] you turn again to the weak and poor elements to which you desire anew to be in servitude?
10 Mnaadhimisha siku maalum, miezi, nyakati na miaka!
You observe days, and months, and times, and years!
11 Nina hofu juu yenu, kwamba kazi niliyofanya kwa ajili yenu inaweza kuwa nimejitaabisha bure.
I am afraid for you, lest I labored in vain for you.
12 Ndugu zangu, nawasihi mwe kama mimi, kwa sababu mimi nimekuwa kama ninyi. Hamkunitendea jambo lolote baya.
I implore you, brothers, become as I [am]—because I also [am] as you; you did not hurt me;
13 Ninyi mwajua kwamba ni kwa ajili ya udhaifu wangu niliwahubiria Injili.
and you have known that through weakness of the flesh I proclaimed good news to you at the first,
14 Ingawa hali yangu iliwatia majaribuni, hamkunidharau wala kunidhihaki, bali mlinikaribisha kama malaika wa Mungu, kama vile Kristo Yesu.
and you did not despise nor reject my trial that [is] in my flesh, but you received me as a messenger of God—as Christ Jesus;
15 Ile hali ya furaha mliyokuwa nayo imekwenda wapi? Naweza kushuhudia kwamba, kama ingewezekana mngengʼoa macho yenu na kunipa mimi.
what then was your blessedness? For I testify to you, that if possible, having plucked out your eyes, you would have given [them] to me;
16 Je, sasa nimekuwa adui yenu kwa kuwaambia kweli?
so have I become your enemy, being true to you?
17 Hao wana shauku ya kuwapata lakini si kwa kusudi zuri. Wanachotaka ni kuwatenga mbali nasi, ili ninyi mpate kuwaonea wao shauku.
They are zealous for you—[yet] not well, but they wish to shut us out, that you may be zealous for them;
18 Ni vizuri wakati wote kuwa na shauku kwa ajili ya kusudi zuri, si wakati nikiwa pamoja nanyi tu.
and [it is] good to be zealously regarded, in what is good, at all times, and not only in my being 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 travail in birth again until Christ may be formed in you,
20 Natamani kama ningekuwa pamoja nanyi sasa, pengine ningebadilisha sauti yangu. Kwa maana nina wasiwasi kwa ajili yenu.
indeed I was wishing to be present with you now, and to change my voice, because I am in doubt about you.
21 Niambieni, ninyi mnaotaka kuwa chini ya sheria, je, hamjui sheria inavyosema?
Tell me, you who are willing to be under law, do you not hear the Law?
22 Kwa maana imeandikwa kwamba Abrahamu alikuwa na wana wawili, mmoja wa mwanamke mtumwa na wa pili wa mwanamke huru.
For it has been written that Abraham had two sons, one by the maidservant 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.
but he who [is] of the maidservant has been according to flesh, but he who [is] of the free [woman], through the 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.
which things are allegorized, for these are the two covenants: one, indeed, from Mount Sinai, bringing forth to servitude, 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 corresponds to the Jerusalem that now [is], and is in servitude with her children,
26 Lakini Yerusalemu wa juu ni huru, nayo ndiye mama yetu.
and the Jerusalem above is the free [woman], which is 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 has been written: “Rejoice, O barren, who is not bearing; break forth and cry, you who are not travailing, because many [are] the children of the desolate—more than of her having the husband.”
28 Basi, sisi ndugu zangu, ni kama Isaki, tu watoto wa ahadi.
And we, brothers, as Isaac, 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 he then who was born according to the flesh persecuted him [born] according to the Spirit, so also 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.”
but what does the Writing say? “Cast forth the maidservant and her son, for the son of the maidservant may not be heir with the son of the free [woman]”;
31 Kwa hiyo ndugu zangu, sisi si watoto wa mwanamke mtumwa, bali wa yule aliye huru.
then, brothers, we are not a maidservant’s children, but the free [woman’s].
