Matendo 27
1 Walipokwisha amua tusafiri mpaka Italia, walimweka Paulo pamoja na wafungwa wengine chini ya ulinzi wa Yulio aliyekuwa ofisa wa jeshi katika kikosi kiitwacho “Kikosi cha Augusto.”
And Festus commanded, respecting him, that he should be sent to Italy, unto Caesar. And he delivered Paul, and other prisoners with him, to a certain man, a centurion of the Augustan cohort, whose name was Julius.
2 Tulipanda meli ya Adiramito iliyokuwa inasafiri na kupitia bandari kadhaa za mkoa wa Asia, tukaanza safari. Aristarko, mwenyeji wa Makedonia kutoka Thesalonika, alikuwa pamoja nasi.
And when we were to depart, we embarked in a ship which was from the city of Adramyttium, and was going to the country of Asia. And there embarked with us in the ship, Aristarchus, a Macedonian of the city of Thessalonica.
3 Kesho yake tulitia nanga katika bandari ya Sidoni. Yulio alimtendea Paulo vizuri kwa kumruhusu awaone rafiki zake na kupata mahitaji yake.
And the next day, we arrived at Zidon. And the centurion treated Paul with kindness, and permitted him to visit his friends and be refreshed.
4 Kutoka huko tuliendelea na safari, lakini kwa kuwa upepo ulikuwa unavuma kwa kasi kutujia kwa mbele, tulipitia upande wa kisiwa cha Kupro ambapo upepo haukuwa mwingi.
And on sailing from there, because the winds were against us, we sailed around to Cyprus.
5 Halafu tulivuka bahari ya Kilikia na Pamfulia, tukatia nanga Mura, mji wa Lukia.
And we passed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, and arrived at Myra, a city of Lycia.
6 Hapo yule ofisa alikuta meli moja ya Aleksandria iliyokuwa inakwenda Italia, na hivyo akatupandisha ndani.
And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria, which was going to Italy; and he set us on board of it.
7 Kwa muda wa siku nyingi tulisafiri polepole, na kwa shida tulifika karibu na Nido. Kwa sababu upepo ulikuwa bado unatupinga, tuliendelea mbele moja kwa moja tukapitia upande wa Krete karibu na rasi Salmone ambapo upepo haukuwa mwingi.
And as it was hard navigating, we had scarcely arrived, after many days, over against the isle of Cnidos. And, because the wind would not allow us to pursue a straight course, we sailed around by Crete, and came opposite the city of Salmone.
8 Tulipita kando yake polepole tukafika mahali paitwapo “Bandari Nzuri”, karibu na mji wa Lasea.
And with difficulty, after sailing about it, we arrived at a place called the Fair Havens, near to which was the city called Lassa.
9 Muda mrefu ulikuwa umepita, na hata siku ya kufunga ilikuwa imekwisha pita. Sasa ilikuwa hatari sana kusafiri kwa meli. Basi, Paulo aliwapa onyo:
And we were there a long time, and till after the day of the Jewish fast. And it was hazardous then for any one to go by sea; and Paul counselled them,
10 “Waheshimiwa, nahisi kwamba safari hii itakuwa ya shida na hasara nyingi si kwa shehena na meli tu, bali pia kwa maisha yetu.”
and said: Men, I perceive that our voyage will be attended with peril, and with much loss, not only of the cargo of our ship, but also of our lives.
11 Lakini yule ofisa alivutiwa zaidi na maoni ya nahodha na ya mwenye meli kuliko yale aliyosema Paulo.
But the centurion listened to the pilot, and to the owner of the ship, more than to the words of Paul.
12 Kwa kuwa bandari hiyo haikuwa mahali pazuri pa kukaa wakati wa baridi, wengi walipendelea kuendelea na safari, ikiwezekana mpaka Foinike. Foinike ni bandari ya Krete inayoelekea kusini-magharibi na kaskazini-magharibi; na huko wangeweza kukaa wakati wa baridi.
And, because that harbor was not commodious for wintering in, many of us were desirous to sail from it, and if possible, to reach and to winter in a certain harbor of Crete, which was called Phenice, and which opened towards the south.
13 Basi, upepo mzuri wa kusi ulianza kuvuma, nao wakadhani wamefanikiwa lengo lao; hivyo wakang'oa nanga, wakaiendesha meli karibu sana na pwani ya Krete.
And when the south wind breezed up, and they hoped to arrive as they desired, we began to sail around Crete.
14 Lakini haukupita muda, upepo mkali uitwao “Upepo wa Kaskazi” ulianza kuvuma kutoka kisiwani.
And shortly after, a tempest of wind arose upon us, called Typhonic Euroclydon.
15 Upepo uliipiga ile meli, na kwa kuwa hatukuweza kuukabili, tukaiacha ikokotwe na huo upepo.
And the ship was whirled about by the wind, and could not keep head to it; and we resigned the ship to its power.
16 Kisiwa kimoja kiitwacho Kanda kilitukinga kidogo na ule upepo; na tulipopita kusini mwake tulifaulu, ingawa kwa shida, kuusalimisha ule mtumbwi wa meli.
And when we had passed a certain island, called Cyra, we could hardly retain the boat.
17 Wale wanamaji waliuvuta mtumbwi ndani, kisha wakaizungushia meli kamba na kuifunga kwa nguvu. Waliogopa kwamba wangeweza kukwama kwenye ufuko wa bahari, pwani ya Libya. Kwa hiyo walishusha matanga na kuiacha meli ikokotwe na upepo.
And after hoisting it on board, we girded the ship around the waist, and made it strong. And, because we were afraid of falling upon a precipice of the sea, we pulled own the sail; and so we drifted.
18 Dhoruba iliendelea kuvuma na kesho yake wakaanza kutupa nje shehena ya meli.
And as the storm raged violently upon us, we the next day threw goods into the sea.
19 Siku ya tatu, wakaanza pia kutupa majini vifaa vya meli kwa mikono yao wenyewe.
And on the third day, with our own hands, we threw away the tackling of the ship.
20 Kwa muda wa siku nyingi hatukuweza kuona jua wala nyota; dhoruba iliendelea kuvuma sana, hata matumaini yote ya kuokoka yakatuishia.
And as the storm held on for many days, and as no sun was visible, nor moon, nor stars, all hope of our surviving was wholly cut off.
21 Baada ya kukaa muda mrefu bila kula chakula, Paulo alisimama kati yao, akasema, “Waheshimiwa, ingalikuwa afadhali kama mngalinisikiliza na kuacha kusafiri kutoka Krete. Kama mngalifanya hivyo tungaliiepuka shida hii na hasara hizi zote.
And as no one had taken a meal of food, Paul now stood up in the midst of them, and said: If ye had given heed to me, O men, we should not have sailed from Crete, and we should have been exempt from this loss and peril.
22 Lakini sasa ninawaombeni muwe na moyo; hakuna hata mmoja wenu atakayepoteza maisha yake; meli tu ndiyo itakayopotea.
And now, I counsel you to be without anxiety; for not a soul of you will be lost, but only the ship.
23 Kwa maana jana usiku malaika wa yule Mungu ambaye mimi ni wake na ambaye mimi ninamwabudu alinitokea,
For there appeared to me this night, the angel of that God whose I am, and whom I serve;
24 akaniambia: Paulo usiogope! Ni lazima utasimama mbele ya Kaisari; naye Mungu, kwa wema wake, amekufadhili kwa kuwaokoa wote wanaosafiri nawe wasiangamie.
and he said to me: Fear not, Paul; for thou art yet to stand before Caesar; and, lo, God hath made a gift to thee of all them that sail with thee.
25 Hivyo, waheshimiwa, jipeni moyo! Maana ninamwamini Mungu kwamba itakuwa sawa kama nilivyoambiwa.
Therefore, men, be ye courageous; for I confide in God, that it will be as was told to me.
26 Lakini ni lazima tutatupwa ufukoni mwa kisiwa fulani.”
Yet we are to be cast upon a certain island.
27 Usiku wa siku ya kumi na nne, tulikuwa tunakokotwa huku na huku katika bahari ya Adria. Karibu na usiku wa manane wanamaji walijihisi kuwa karibu na nchi kavu.
And after the fourteen days of our roaming and tossing on the Adriatic sea, at midnight, the sailors conceived that they approached land.
28 Hivyo walitafuta kina cha bahari kwa kuteremsha kamba iliyokuwa imefungiwa kitu kizito, wakapata kina cha mita arobaini. Baadaye wakapima tena wakapata mita thelathini.
And they cast the lead, and found twenty fathoms. And again they advanced a little, and they found fifteen fathoms.
29 Kwa sababu ya kuogopa kukwama kwenye miamba, waliteremsha nanga nne nyuma ya meli; wakaomba kuche upesi.
And as we feared lest we should be caught in places where were rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern of the ship, and prayed for the morning.
30 Wanamaji walitaka kutoroka, na walikwisha kuteremsha ule mtumbwi majini, wakijisingizia kwamba wanakwenda kuteremsha nanga upande wa mbele wa meli.
And the sailors sought to flee out of the ship. And from it they lowered down the boat into the sea, under pretence that they were going in it to make fast the ship to the land.
31 Lakini Paulo alimwambia yule ofisa wa jeshi na askari wake, “Kama wanamaji hawa hawabaki ndani ya meli, hamtaokoka.”
And when Paul saw it, he said to the centurion and to the soldiers: Unless these remain in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
32 Hapo wale askari walizikata kamba zilizokuwa zimeshikilia ule mtumbwi, wakauacha uchukuliwe na maji.
Then the soldiers cut the boat rope from the ship, and let the boat go adrift.
33 Karibu na alfajiri, Paulo aliwahimiza wote wale chakula: “Kwa siku kumi na nne sasa mmekuwa katika mashaka na bila kula; hamjala kitu chochote.
And while it was not yet morning, Paul advised them all to take food, saying to them: In consequence of the peril, it is now the fourteenth day that ye have tasted nothing.
34 Basi, ninawasihi mle chakula kwa maana mnakihitaji ili mweze kuendelea kuishi. Maana hata unywele mmoja wa vichwa vyenu hautapotea.”
Therefore I entreat you, to take food for the sustenance of your life; for not a hair from the head of any of you, will perish.
35 Baada ya kusema hivyo, Paulo alichukua mkate, akamshukuru Mungu mbele yao wote, akaumega, akaanza kula.
And having said these things, he took bread, and gave glory to God before them all; and he broke it, and began to eat.
36 Hapo wote wakapata moyo, nao pia wakala chakula.
And they were all consoled; and they took nourishment.
37 Jumla tulikuwa watu mia mbili na sabini na sita katika meli.
And there were of us in the ship two hundred and seventy-six souls.
38 Baada ya kila mmoja kula chakula cha kutosha, walipunguza uzito wa meli kwa kutupa nafaka baharini.
And when they were satisfied with food, they lightened the ship, and took the wheat and cast it into the sea.
39 Kulipokucha, wanamaji hawakuweza kuitambua nchi ile, ila waliona ghuba moja yenye ufuko; wakaamua kutia nanga huko kama ikiwezekana.
And when it was day, the sailors knew not what land it was: but they saw on the margin of the land an inlet of the sea; whither, if possible they intended to drive the ship.
40 Hivyo walikata nanga na kuziacha baharini, na wakati huohuo wakazifungua kamba zilizokuwa zimeufunga usukani, kisha wakatweka tanga moja mbele kushika upepo, wakaelekea ufukoni.
And they cut away the anchors from the ship, and left them in the sea. And they loosened the bands of the rudder, and hoisted a small sail to the breeze, and made way towards the land.
41 Lakini walifika mahali ambapo mikondo miwili ya bahari hukutana, na meli ikakwama. Sehemu ya mbele ilikuwa imezama mchangani bila kutikisika. Sehemu ya nyuma ya meli ilianza kuvunjika vipandevipande kwa mapigo ya nguvu ya mawimbi.
And the ship struck upon a shoal between two channels of the sea, and stuck fast upon it. And the forward part rested upon it, and was immovable; but the after part was shattered by the violence of the waves.
42 Askari walitaka kuwaua wafungwa wote kwa kuogopa kwamba wangeogelea hadi pwani na kutoroka.
And the soldiers were disposed to slay the prisoners; lest they should resort to swimming, and escape from them.
43 Lakini kwa vile yule ofisajeshi alitaka kumwokoa Paulo, aliwazuia wasifanye hivyo. Aliamuru wale waliojua kuogelea waruke kutoka melini na kuogelea hadi pwani,
But the centurion kept them from it, because he was desirous to preserve Paul. And those who were able to swim, he commanded to swim off first, and pass to the land.
44 na wengine wafuate wakijishikilia kwenye mbao au kwenye vipande vya meli iliyovunjika. Ndivyo sisi sote tulivyofika salama pwani.
And the rest, he made to transport themselves on planks, and on other timbers of the ship. And so they all escaped safe to land.
