Wahebrania 11
1 Sasa imani ni hakika aliyo nayo mtu wakati atarajiapo kitu fulani kwa ujasiri. Ni hakika ya kitu ambacho bado hakijaonekana.
Now faith is [the] substance of things hoped for, [the] proof of matters not being seen,
2 Kwa sababu hii mababu zetu walithibitika kwa imani yao.
for by this, the elders were well-attested.
3 Kwa imani tunafahamu kwamba ulimwengu uliumbwa kwa amri ya Mungu, ili kwamba kile kinachoonekana hakikutengenezwa kutokana na vitu ambavyo vilikuwa vinaonekana. (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 Ilikuwa kwa sababu ya imani kwamba Habili alimtolea Mungu sadaka ya kufaa kuliko alivyofanya Kaini. Ilikuwa ni kwa sababu hii kwamba alisifiwa kuwa mwenye haki. Mungu alimsifu kwa sababu ya zawadi alizoleta. Kwa sababu hiyo, Habili 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 Ilikuwa kwa imani kwamba Enoko alichukuliwa juu na hakuona mauti. “Hakuonekana, kwa sababu Mungu alimchukua” kwa vile ilinenwa juu yake kuwa alimpendeza Mungu kabla ya kuchukuliwa juu.
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 Pasipo imani haiwezekani kumpendeza Mungu, kwa kuwa ajaye kwa Mungu lazima aamini kwamba Mungu anaishi na kwamba huwapatia zawadi wale wamtafutao.
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 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Nuhu, akiwa ameonywa na Mungu kuhusiana na mambo ambayo hayakuwa yameonekana, kwa heshima ya ki Mungu alitengeneza safina kwa ajili ya kuiokoa familia yake. Kwa kufanya hivi, aliuhukumu ulimwengu na akawa mrithi wa haki ambayo huja kupitia 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 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Ibrahimu, alipoitwa alitii na kwenda mahali ambapo alipaswa kupokea kama urithi. Alitoka bila kujua mahali gani alikuwa anakwenda.
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 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba aliishi katika nchi ya ahadi kama mgeni. Aliishi katika mahema pamoja na Isaka na Yakobo, warithi wenzake 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 Hii ni kwa sababu alitarajia kuupata mji ambao mwenye kuubuni na mjenzi wake angelikuwa ni Mungu.
for he was looking for the city having the foundations, whose craftsman and constructor [is] God.
11 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Ibrahimu, na Sara mwenyewe, walipokea nguvu ya kutunga mimba ingawa walikuwa wazee sana, kwa kuwa walimuona Mungu kuwa mwaminifu, ambaye aliwaahidia mtoto wa kiume.
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 Kwa hiyo pia kutoka kwa mtu huyu mmoja ambaye alikuwa amekaribia kufa wakazaliwa watoto wasiohesabika. Walikuwa wengi kama nyota za angani na wengi kama mbegu za mchanga katika ufukwe wa bahari.
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 Hawa wote walikufa katika imani pasipo kupokea ahadi. Isipokuwa, wakiwa wameziona na kuzikaribisha kwa mbali, walikiri kwamba walikuwa wageni na wapitaji juu ya nchi.
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 Kwa wale wasemao mambo kama haya wanaweka bayana kuwa wanatafuta nchi yao wenyewe.
for those saying such things make apparent that they seek a country;
15 Kwa kweli, kama wangekuwa wakiifikiria nchi ambayo kwayo walitoka, wangelikuwa na nafasi ya kurejea.
and if, indeed, they had been mindful of that from which they came forth, they might have had an opportunity to return,
16 Lakini kama ilivyo, wanatamani nchi iliyo bora, ambayo, ni ya kimbingu. Kwa hiyo Mungu haoni aibu kuitwa Mungu wao, kwa kuwa ametayarisha 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 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Ibrahimu baada ya kujaribiwa, alimtoa Isaka. Ndiyo, yeye ambaye alipokea kwa furaha ahadi, alimtoa mwanawe wa pekee,
By faith Abraham has offered up Isaac, being tried, even the [one] having received the promises offered up his only begotten,
18 ambaye juu yake ilinenwa, “Kutoka kwa Isaka uzao wako utaitwa.”
of whom it was said, “In Isaac will your Seed be called,”
19 IbrahImU alijua kwamba Mungu alikuwa na uwezo wa kumfufua Isaka kutoka katika wafu, na kwa kuzungumza kwa lugha ya maumbo, alimpokea.
reckoning that God is even able to raise up out of the dead, from where also in a figurative sense he received [him].
20 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Isaka alimbariki Yakobo na Esau kuhusu mambo yajayo.
By faith, concerning coming things, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.
21 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Yakobo alipokuwa katika hali ya kufa, alimbariki kila mmoja wa watoto wa Yusufu. Yakobo akaabudu, akiegemea juu ya fimbo yake.
By faith Jacob, dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped on the top of his staff.
22 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Yusufu wakati wake wa mwisho ulipokaribia, alinena juu ya kutoka kwa wana wa Israel Misri na akawaagiza kuchukua pamoja nao mifupa yake.
By faith Joseph, dying, made mention concerning the outgoing of the sons of Israel, and gave command concerning his bones.
23 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Musa, alipozaliwa, alifichwa kwa miezi mitatu na wazazi wake kwa sababu walimuona kuwa ni mtoto mchanga aliyekuwa mzuri, na hawakutishwa na 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 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Musa, alipokuwa mtu mzima, alikataa kuitwa mtoto wa binti Farao.
By faith Moses, having become great, refused to be called a son of the daughter of Pharaoh,
25 Badala yake, alichagua kushiriki mateso pamoja na watu wa Mungu badala ya kufurahia anasa za dhambi kwa kitambo.
having chosen rather to be afflicted with the people of God, than to have sin’s pleasure for a season,
26 Alifikiri aibu ya kumfuata Kristo kuwa ni utajiri mkuu kuliko hazina za Misri kwa kuwa alikaza macho yake katika zawadi ya wakati wake ujao.
having reckoned the reproach of the Christ greater wealth than the treasures in Egypt, for he looked to the repayment of reward.
27 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Musa alitoka Misri. Hakuhofia hasira ya Mfalme, kwa kuwa alivumilia kwa kutazama kwa asiyeonekana.
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 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba aliishika pasaka na kunyunyiza damu, ili kwamba mharibu wa mzaliwa wa kwanza asiweze kuwagusa wazaliwa wa kwanza wa kiume wa waisrael.
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 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba walipita katika bahari ya shamu kama katika nchi kavu. Wakati wamisri walipojaribu kupita, walimezwa.
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 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba ukuta wa Yeriko ulianguka chini, baada ya kuuzunguka kwa siku saba.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell, having been surrounded for seven days.
31 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Rahabu yule kahaba hakuangamia pamoja na wale ambao hawakuwa watiifu, kwa sababu alikuwa amewapokea wapelelezi na kuwahifadhi salama.
By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who disbelieved, having received the spies with peace.
32 Na niseme nini zaidi? Maana muda hautoshi kusimulia ya Gideoni, Barak, Samsoni, Yeftha, Daudi, Samwel na za 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 kupitia imani walizishinda falme, walitenda haki, na wakapokea ahadi. Walizuia vinywa vya simba,
who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped mouths of lions,
34 walizima nguvu za moto, walikwepa ncha ya upanga, waliponywa kutoka katika magonjwa, walikuwa mashujaa vitani, na walisababisha majeshi wageni kukimbia.
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 wafu wao kwa njia ya ufufuo. Wengine waliteswa, bila kukubali kuachwa huru ili kwamba waweze kupata uzoefu wa 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 waliteswa kwa dhihaka na kwa vichapo, naam, hata kwa vifungo na kwa kutiwa gerezani.
and others received trial of mockings and scourgings, and yet of bonds and imprisonment;
37 Walipondwa mawe. Walikatwa vipande kwa misumeno. Waliuawa kwa upanga. Walikwenda kwa ngozi za kondoo na ngozi za mbuzi walikuwa wahitaji, wakiendelea katika maumivu na wakitendewa 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 (ambayo ulimwengu haukustahili kuwa nao), wakitangatanga nyikani, milimani, katika mapango na katika mashimo ya ardhini.
of whom the world was not worthy; wandering in deserts, and mountains, and caves, and the holes of the earth;
39 Ingawa watu wote hawa walikubaliwa na Mungu kwa sababu ya imani yao, hawakupokea alichoahidi.
and all these, having been testified to through faith, did not receive the promise,
40 Mungu alitangulia kutupatia kitu kilichobora, ili kwamba bila sisi wasingeweza kukamilishwa.
God, having provided something better for us, that apart from us they might not be made perfect.
