Wahebrania 11
1 Basi imani ni kuwa na hakika ya mambo yatarajiwayo, na udhahiri wa mambo yasiyoonekana.
Now faith is [the] substance of things hoped for, [the] proof of matters not being seen,
2 Maana baba zetu wa kale walipongezwa kwa haya.
for by this, the elders were well-attested.
3 Kwa imani tunafahamu kwamba ulimwengu uliumbwa kwa neno la Mungu, vitu vyote vinavyoonekana havikuumbwa kutoka kwa vitu vinavyoonekana. (aiōn g165)
By faith we understand the ages to have been prepared by a saying of God, in regard to the things seen having not come out of things appearing. (aiōn g165)
4 Kwa imani Abeli alimtolea Mungu dhabihu bora zaidi kuliko Kaini. Kwa imani alishuhudiwa kuwa mwenye haki, Mungu mwenyewe akazishuhudia sadaka zake. Kwa imani bado ananena ingawa amekufa.
By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice to God than Cain, through which he was testified to be righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and through it, he being dead, yet speaks.
5 Kwa imani Enoki alitwaliwa kutoka maisha haya, kiasi kwamba hakuonja mauti. Hakuonekana, kwa sababu Mungu alikuwa amemchukua. Kwa kuwa kabla hajatwaliwa alikuwa ameshuhudiwa kuwa ni mtu aliyempendeza Mungu.
By faith Enoch was translated—not to see death, and was not found, because God translated him; for before his translation he had been testified to—that he had pleased God well,
6 Lakini pasipo imani haiwezekani kumpendeza Mungu, kwa maana yeyote anayemjia Mungu lazima aamini kwamba yeye yuko na ya kuwa huwapa thawabu wale wamtafutao kwa bidii.
and apart from faith it is impossible to please [Him], for it is required of him who is coming to God to believe that He exists and [that] He becomes a rewarder to those seeking Him.
7 Kwa imani, Noa alipoonywa na Mungu kuhusu mambo ambayo hayajaonekana bado, kwa kumcha Mungu alitengeneza safina ili kuokoa jamaa yake. Kwa imani yake aliuhukumu ulimwengu na akawa mrithi wa haki ipatikanayo kwa imani.
By faith Noah, having been divinely warned concerning the things not yet seen, having feared, prepared an ark to the salvation of his house, through which he condemned the world, and he became heir of the righteousness according to faith.
8 Kwa imani Abrahamu, alipoitwa aende mahali ambapo Mungu angempa baadaye kuwa urithi, alitii na akaenda, ingawa hakujua anakokwenda.
By faith Abraham, being called, obeyed, to go forth into the place that he was about to receive for an inheritance, and he went forth, not knowing to where he goes.
9 Kwa imani alifanya maskani yake katika nchi ya ahadi kama mgeni katika nchi ya kigeni; aliishi katika mahema, kama Isaki na Yakobo walivyofanya, waliokuwa pia warithi pamoja naye wa ahadi ile ile.
By faith he sojourned in the land of the promise as a strange country, having dwelt in dwelling places with Isaac and Jacob, fellow-heirs of the same promise,
10 Kwa maana alikuwa akiutazamia mji wenye misingi ya kudumu ambao mwenye kuubuni na kuujenga ni Mungu.
for he was looking for the city having the foundations, whose craftsman and constructor [is] God.
11 Kwa imani Abrahamu, ingawa alikuwa mzee wa umri, naye Sara mwenyewe aliyekuwa tasa, alipokea uwezo wa kuwa baba kwa sababu alimhesabu Mungu aliyemwahidi kuwa mwaminifu na kwamba angetimiza ahadi yake.
And by faith Sarah, herself barren, received power to conceive seed even after the time of life, seeing she judged Him who promised faithful;
12 Hivyo kutokana na huyu huyu ambaye alikuwa sawa na mfu, wakazaliwa wazao wengi kama nyota za mbinguni na kama mchanga wa pwani usiohesabika.
for this reason, also, from one—and that of one who had become dead—were begotten as the stars of the sky in multitude, and innumerable as the sand that [is] by the seashore.
13 Watu hawa wote wakafa katika imani bila kuzipokea zile ahadi, lakini waliziona kwa mbali na kuzishangilia. Nao walikubali kwamba walikuwa wageni na wasiokuwa na maskani hapa duniani.
All these died in faith, having not received the promises, but having seen them from afar, and having been persuaded, and having greeted [them], and having confessed that they are strangers and sojourners on the earth,
14 Watu wasemao mambo kama haya, wanaonyesha wazi kwamba wanatafuta nchi yao wenyewe.
for those saying such things make apparent that they seek a country;
15 Kwa kweli kama wangekuwa wanafikiri kuhusu nchi waliyoiacha, wangalipata nafasi ya kurudi huko.
and if, indeed, they had been mindful of that from which they came forth, they might have had an opportunity to return,
16 Lakini badala yake walitamani nchi iliyo bora zaidi, yaani nchi ya mbinguni. Kwa hiyo Mungu haoni aibu kuitwa Mungu wao, kwa kuwa amekwisha kuandaa mji kwa ajili yao.
but now they long for better, that is, heavenly, for this reason God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for He prepared a city for them.
17 Kwa imani Abrahamu, alipojaribiwa na Mungu, alimtoa Isaki kuwa dhabihu. Yeye aliyekuwa amezipokea ahadi za Mungu alikuwa tayari kumtoa mwanawe, aliyekuwa mwanawe pekee awe dhabihu.
By faith Abraham has offered up Isaac, being tried, even the [one] having received the promises offered up his only begotten,
18 Ingawa Mungu alikuwa amemwambia Abrahamu, “Uzao wako utahesabiwa kupitia kwa Isaki,”
of whom it was said, “In Isaac will your Seed be called,”
19 Abrahamu alihesabu kuwa Mungu angaliweza kumfufua Isaki kutoka kwa wafu. Na kwa kusema kwa mfano, alimpata tena Isaki kutoka kwa wafu.
reckoning that God is even able to raise up out of the dead, from where also in a figurative sense he received [him].
20 Kwa imani Isaki alimbariki Yakobo na Esau kuhusu maisha yao ya baadaye.
By faith, concerning coming things, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.
21 Kwa imani Yakobo alipokuwa anakufa, alimbariki kila mmoja wa mtoto wa Yosefu, akamwabudu Mungu akiwa ameegemea juu ya kichwa cha fimbo yake.
By faith Jacob, dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped on the top of his staff.
22 Kwa imani, Yosefu alipokaribia mwisho wa maisha yake, alinena habari za kutoka kwa wana wa Israeli huko Misri na akatoa maagizo kuhusu mifupa yake.
By faith Joseph, dying, made mention concerning the outgoing of the sons of Israel, and gave command concerning his bones.
23 Kwa imani, wazazi wa Mose walimficha kwa miezi mitatu baada ya kuzaliwa, kwa sababu waliona kuwa si mtoto wa kawaida, wala hawakuiogopa amri ya mfalme.
By faith Moses, having been born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw the child beautiful, and were not afraid of the decree of the king.
24 Kwa imani, Mose alipokuwa mtu mzima, alikataa kuitwa mwana wa binti Farao.
By faith Moses, having become great, refused to be called a son of the daughter of Pharaoh,
25 Akachagua kupata mateso pamoja na watu wa Mungu kuliko kujifurahisha kwa anasa za dhambi kwa kitambo kidogo tu.
having chosen rather to be afflicted with the people of God, than to have sin’s pleasure for a season,
26 Aliona kushutumiwa kwa ajili ya Kristo ni utajiri mkubwa zaidi kuliko hazina za Misri, maana alikuwa anatazamia kupata thawabu baadaye.
having reckoned the reproach of the Christ greater wealth than the treasures in Egypt, for he looked to the repayment of reward.
27 Kwa imani Mose aliondoka Misri bila kuogopa ghadhabu ya mfalme. Alivumilia kwa sababu alimwona yeye asiyeonekana kwa macho.
By faith he left Egypt behind, having not been afraid of the wrath of the king, for as seeing the Invisible One—he endured.
28 Kwa imani akaadhimisha Pasaka na kunyunyiza damu, ili yule mwenye kuwaangamiza wazaliwa wa kwanza asiwaguse wazaliwa wa Israeli.
By faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, so that He who is destroying the firstborn might not touch them.
29 Kwa imani, watu walivuka Bahari ya Shamu kama vile juu ya nchi kavu; lakini Wamisri walipojaribu kufanya hivyo, walitoswa ndani ya maji.
By faith they passed through the Red Sea as through dry land, which having made an attempt [to cross], the Egyptians were swallowed up.
30 Kwa imani kuta za Yeriko zilianguka, baada ya watu kuzizunguka kwa siku saba.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell, having been surrounded for seven days.
31 Kwa imani, Rahabu, yule kahaba, hakuangamizwa pamoja na wale waliomwasi Mungu, kwa kuwa aliwakaribisha wale wapelelezi.
By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who disbelieved, having received the spies with peace.
32 Basi niseme nini zaidi? Sina wakati wa kusema habari za Gideoni, Baraka, Samsoni, Yeftha, Daudi, Samweli na manabii,
And what yet will I say? For the time will fail me recounting about Gideon, also Barak, and Samson, and Jephthah, also David, and Samuel, and the prophets,
33 ambao kwa imani walishinda milki za wafalme, walitekeleza haki, na wakapokea ahadi za Mungu; walifunga vinywa vya simba,
who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped mouths of lions,
34 wakazima makali ya miali ya moto, na wakaepuka kuuawa kwa upanga; udhaifu wao uligeuka kuwa nguvu; pia walikuwa hodari vitani na kuyafukuza majeshi ya wageni.
quenched the power of fire, escaped the mouth of the sword, were made powerful out of weakness, became strong in battle, caused armies of the foreigners to give way;
35 Wanawake walipokea watu wao waliokuwa wamekufa, wakafufuliwa. Lakini wengine waliteswa, nao wakakataa kufunguliwa, ili wapate ufufuo ulio bora zaidi.
women received their dead by a resurrection, and others were tortured, not accepting the redemption, that they might receive a better resurrection,
36 Wengine walidhihakiwa na kupigwa, hata walifungwa minyororo na kutiwa gerezani.
and others received trial of mockings and scourgings, and yet of bonds and imprisonment;
37 Walipigwa kwa mawe; walipasuliwa vipande viwili kwa msumeno; waliuawa kwa upanga. Walizungukazunguka wakiwa wamevaa ngozi za kondoo na mbuzi, wakiwa maskini, wakiteswa na kutendwa mabaya,
they were stoned, they were sawn apart, they were tried; they died in the killing of the sword; they went around in sheepskins, in goatskins—being destitute, afflicted, injuriously treated,
38 watu ambao ulimwengu haukustahili kuwa nao. Walizunguka majangwani na milimani, katika mapango na katika mahandaki ardhini.
of whom the world was not worthy; wandering in deserts, and mountains, and caves, and the holes of the earth;
39 Hawa wote walishuhudiwa vyema kwa sababu ya imani yao, lakini hakuna hata mmoja wao aliyepokea yale yaliyoahidiwa.
and all these, having been testified to through faith, did not receive the promise,
40 Kwa kuwa Mungu alikuwa ametangulia kutuwekea kitu kilicho bora zaidi ili wao wasikamilishwe pasipo sisi.
God, having provided something better for us, that apart from us they might not be made perfect.
