Warumi 11
1 Basi nauliza: Je, Mungu amewakataa watu wake? La, hasha! Mimi mwenyewe ni Mwisraeli, tena uzao wa Abrahamu kutoka kabila la Benyamini.
I ask then, did God reject his people? May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 Mungu hajawakataa watu wake, ambao yeye aliwajua tangu mwanzo. Je, hamjui yale Maandiko yasemayo kuhusu Eliya, jinsi alivyomlalamikia Mungu kuhusu Israeli?
God didn’t reject his people, whom he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:
3 Alisema, “Bwana, wamewaua manabii wako na kuzibomoa madhabahu zako, nimebaki mimi peke yangu, nao wanataka kuniua?”
“Lord, they have killed your prophets. They have broken down your altars. I am left alone, and they seek my life.”
4 Je, Mungu alimjibuje? “Nimejibakizia watu elfu saba ambao hawajapiga magoti kumwabudu Baali.”
But how does God answer him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
5 Vivyo hivyo pia, sasa wapo mabaki waliochaguliwa kwa neema ya Mungu.
Even so too at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
6 Lakini ikiwa wamechaguliwa kwa neema, si tena kwa msingi wa matendo. Kama ingekuwa kwa matendo, neema isingekuwa neema tena.
And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
7 Tuseme nini basi? Kile kitu ambacho Israeli alikitafuta kwa bidii hakukipata. Lakini waliochaguliwa walikipata. Waliobaki walifanywa wagumu,
What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn’t obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened.
8 kama ilivyoandikwa: “Mungu aliwapa bumbuazi la mioyo, macho ili wasiweze kuona, na masikio ili wasiweze kusikia, hadi leo.”
According as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day.”
9 Naye Daudi anasema: “Karamu zao na ziwe tanzi na mtego wa kuwanasa, kitu cha kuwakwaza waanguke, na adhabu kwao.
David says, “Let their table be made a snare, a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution to them.
10 Macho yao yatiwe giza ili wasiweze kuona, nayo migongo yao iinamishwe daima.”
Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Always keep their backs bent.”
11 Hivyo nauliza tena: Je, Waisraeli walijikwaa ili waanguke na kuangamia kabisa? La, hasha! Lakini kwa sababu ya makosa yao, wokovu umewafikia watu wa Mataifa, ili kuwafanya Waisraeli waone wivu.
I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? May it never be! But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.
12 Basi ikiwa kukosa kwao kumekuwa utajiri mkubwa kwa ulimwengu, tena kama kuangamia kwao kumeleta utajiri kwa watu wa Mataifa, kurudishwa kwao kutaleta utajiri mkuu zaidi.
Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
13 Sasa ninasema nanyi watu wa Mataifa. Maadamu mimi ni mtume kwa watu wa Mataifa, naitukuza huduma yangu
For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an emissary to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry,
14 ili kuwafanya watu wangu waone wivu na hivyo kuwaokoa baadhi yao.
if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them.
15 Kwa kuwa ikiwa kukataliwa kwao ni kupatanishwa kwa ulimwengu, kukubaliwa kwao si kutakuwa ni uhai baada ya kufa?
For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead?
16 Kama sehemu ya donge la unga uliotolewa kuwa limbuko ni mtakatifu, basi unga wote ni mtakatifu, nalo shina kama ni takatifu, vivyo hivyo na matawi nayo.
If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 Lakini kama baadhi ya matawi yalikatwa, nawe chipukizi la mzeituni mwitu ukapandikizwa mahali pao ili kushiriki unono pamoja na matawi mengine kutoka shina la mzeituni,
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in amongst them and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree,
18 basi usijivune juu ya hayo matawi. Kama ukijivuna, kumbuka jambo hili: si wewe unayelishikilia shina, bali ni shina linalokushikilia wewe.
don’t boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you.
19 Basi utasema, “Matawi yale yalikatwa ili nipate kupandikizwa katika hilo shina.”
You will say then, “Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.”
20 Hii ni kweli. Matawi hayo yalikatwa kwa sababu ya kutokuamini kwake, lakini wewe umesimama tu kwa sababu ya imani. Kwa hiyo usijivune, bali simama kwa kuogopa.
True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don’t be conceited, but fear;
21 Kwa maana kama Mungu hakuyahurumia matawi ya asili, wala hatakuhurumia wewe.
for if God didn’t spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
22 Angalia basi wema na ukali wa Mungu: Kwa wale walioanguka, ukali, bali kwako wewe wema wa Mungu, kama utadumu katika wema wake. La sivyo, nawe utakatiliwa mbali.
See then the goodness and severity of God. Towards those who fell, severity; but towards you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
23 Wao nao wasipodumu katika kutokuamini kwao, watapandikizwa tena kwenye shina, kwa maana Mungu anao uwezo wa kuwapandikiza tena kwenye hilo shina.
They also, if they don’t continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
24 Ikiwa wewe ulikatwa kutoka kile ambacho kwa asili ni mzeituni mwitu na kupandikizwa kinyume cha asili kwenye mzeituni uliopandwa, si rahisi zaidi matawi haya ya asili kupandikizwa tena kwenye shina lake la mzeituni!
For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 Ndugu zangu, ili msije mkajidai kuwa wenye hekima kuliko mlivyo, nataka mfahamu siri hii: Ugumu umewapata Israeli kwa sehemu hadi idadi ya watu wa Mataifa watakaoingia itimie.
For I don’t desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won’t be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,
26 Hivyo Israeli wote wataokolewa. Kama ilivyoandikwa: “Mkombozi atakuja kutoka Sayuni; ataondoa kutokumcha Mungu katika Yakobo.
and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, “There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
27 Hili ndilo agano langu nao nitakapoziondoa dhambi zao.”
This is my covenant with them, when I will take away their sins.”
28 Kwa habari ya Injili, wao ni adui wa Mungu kwa ajili yenu, lakini kuhusu kule kuteuliwa kwao ni wapendwa, kwa ajili ya mababa zao wa zamani,
Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake.
29 kwa maana akishawapa watu karama, Mungu haziondoi, wala wito wake.
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
30 Kama vile ninyi wakati fulani mlivyokuwa waasi kwa Mungu lakini sasa mmepata rehema kwa sababu ya kutokutii kwao,
For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience,
31 hivyo nao Waisraeli wamekuwa waasi ili kwamba wao nao sasa waweze kupata rehema kwa ajili ya rehema za Mungu kwenu.
even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy.
For God has bound all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all. (eleēsē g1653)
33 Tazama jinsi kilivyo kina cha utajiri wa hekima na maarifa ya Mungu! Tazama jinsi ambavyo hukumu zake hazichunguziki, na ambavyo njia zake zisivyotafutikana!
Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past tracing out!
34 “Ni nani aliyeyafahamu mawazo ya Bwana? Au ni nani ambaye amekuwa mshauri wake?”
“For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor?”
35 “Au ni nani aliyempa chochote ili arudishiwe?”
“Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?”
