Wahebrania 11
1 Kuwa na imani ni kuwa na hakika ya mambo tunayotumainia; kusadiki kabisa mambo tusiyoyaona.
Faith is the realisation of things hoped for — the proof of things not seen.
2 Maana wazee wa kale walipata kibali cha Mungu kwa sababu ya imani yao.
And it was for faith that the men of old were renowned.
3 Kwa imani sisi tunafahamu kwamba ulimwengu uliumbwa kwa neno la Mungu; vitu vinavyoonekana kutoka vitu visivyoonekana. (aiōn g165)
Faith enables us to perceive that the universe was created at the bidding of God — so that we know that what we see was not made out of visible things. (aiōn g165)
4 Kwa imani Abeli alimtolea Mungu dhabihu iliyokuwa bora zaidi kuliko ile ya Kaini. Kwa imani yake alikubaliwa na Mungu kuwa mwadilifu; Mungu mwenyewe alizikubali sadaka zake. Kwa imani yake ingawa amekufa, bado ananena.
Faith made the sacrifice which Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain’s, and won him renown as a righteous man, God himself establishing his renown by accepting his gifts; and it is by the example of his faith that Abel, though dead, still speaks.
5 Kwa imani Henoki alichukuliwa na Mungu, asipate kufa. Hakuonekana tena kwa sababu Mungu alikuwa amemchukua. Maandiko yasema kwamba kabla ya kuchukuliwa kwake, yeye alikuwa amempendeza Mungu.
Faith led to Enoch’s removal from earth, that he might not experience death. ‘He could not be found because God had removed him.’ For, before his removal, he was renowned as having pleased God;
6 Basi, pasipo imani haiwezekani kumpendeza Mungu. Kwa maana kila mtu anayemwendea Mungu ni lazima aamini kwamba Mungu yuko, na kwamba huwatuza wale wanaomtafuta.
but without faith it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe that God exists, and that he rewards those who seek for him.
7 Kwa imani Noa alionywa na Mungu juu ya mambo ya baadaye ambayo hakuweza kuyaona bado. Alimtii Mungu, akajenga ile safina ambamo aliokolewa yeye pamoja na jamaa yake. Kutokana na hayo ulimwengu ulihukumiwa, naye Noa akapokea uadilifu unaotokana na imani.
It was faith that enabled Noah, after he had received the divine warning about what could not then be foreseen, to build, in reverent obedience, an ark in which to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world, and became possessed of that righteousness which follows upon faith.
8 Kwa imani Abrahamu alimtii Mungu alipoitwa aende katika nchi ambayo Mungu angempa iwe yake. Ingawa hakujua alikokuwa anakwenda, Abrahamu alihama.
It was faith that enabled Abraham to obey the Call that he received, and to set out for the place which he was afterwards to obtain as his own; and he set out not knowing where he was going.
9 Kwa imani aliishi kama mgeni katika nchi aliyoahidiwa na Mungu. Aliishi huko katika hema kama walivyoishi Isaka na Yakobo, ambao pia walishiriki ahadi ileile.
It was faith that made him go to live as an emigrant in the Promised Land — as in a strange country — living there in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who shared the promise with him.
10 Maana Abrahamu alikuwa akingojea mji wenye misingi imara, mji ambao Mungu mwenyewe ndiye fundi aliyeubuni na kuujenga.
For he was looking for the City with the sure foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 Kwa imani hata Sara aliamini kwamba Mungu hutimiza ahadi zake, kwa hiyo akajaliwa kuchukua mimba ingawaje alikuwa amepita umri.
Again, it was faith that enabled Sarah to conceive (though she was past the age for child-bearing), because she felt sure that he who had given her the promise would not fail her.
12 Kwa hiyo, kutoka katika mtu huyo mmoja, Abrahamu, ambaye alikuwa kama amekufa, walitokea watu wengi wasiohesabika kama vile nyota za mbinguni na mchanga wa pwani.
And so from one man — and that when his powers were dead — there sprang a people as numerous ‘as the stars in the heavens or the countless grains of sand upon the shore.’
13 Watu hawa wote walikufa wakiwa na imani. Walikufa kabla ya kupokea mambo ambayo Mungu alikuwa ameahidi, lakini kwa mbali waliyaona, wakashangilia, na kukiri wazi kwamba wao walikuwa wageni na wakimbizi duniani.
All these died sustained by faith. They did not obtain the promised blessings, but they saw them from a distance and welcomed the sight, and they acknowledged themselves to be only aliens and strangers on the earth.
14 Watu wanaosema mambo kama hayo, huonyesha wazi kwamba wanaitafuta nchi yao wenyewe.
Those who speak thus show plainly that they are seeking their fatherland.
15 Kama wangalikuwa wanaifikiria nchi walikotoka zamani, wangalipata nafasi ya kurudi huko.
If they had been thinking of the land that they had left, they could have found opportunities to return.
16 Lakini sasa wanataka nchi iliyo bora zaidi, yaani nchi ya mbinguni. Ndiyo maana Mungu haoni haya wakimwita yeye Mungu wao, kwa sababu yeye mwenyewe amekwisha watayarishia mji.
But no, they were longing for a better, a heavenly, land! And therefore God was not ashamed to be called their God; indeed he had already prepared them a city.
17 Kwa imani, Abrahamu alimtoa mwanae Isaka sadaka wakati Mungu alipomjaribu. Huyo Abrahamu ndiye aliyekuwa amepokea ahadi ya Mungu, lakini, hata hivyo, alikubali kumtoa dhabihu mwanae wa pekee,
It was faith that enabled Abraham, when put to the test, to offer Isaac as a sacrifice — he who had received the promises offering up his only son,
18 ingawa Mungu alikuwa amemwambia: “Wazawa wako watatokana na Isaka.”
of whom it had been said — ‘It is through Isaac that there shall be descendants to bear thy name.’
19 Abrahamu aliamini kwamba Mungu anaweza kuwafufua wafu: na kwa namna fulani kweli Abrahamu alimpata tena mwanae kutoka wafu.
For he argued that God was able even to raise a man from the dead — and indeed, figuratively speaking, Abraham did receive Isaac back from the dead.
20 Kwa imani Isaka aliwabariki Yakobo na Esau, wapate baraka zitakazokuja baadaye.
It was faith that enabled Isaac to bless Jacob and Esau, even with regard to the future.
21 Kwa imani Yakobo alipokuwa karibu kufa, aliwabariki kila mmoja wa wana wa Yosefu, akamwabudu Mungu akiegemea ile fimbo yake.
Faith enabled Jacob, when dying, to give his blessing to each of the sons of Joseph, and ‘to bow himself in worship as he leant upon the top of his staff.’
22 Kwa imani Yosefu alipokuwa karibu kufa, alinena juu ya kutoka kwa Waisraeli katika nchi ya Misri, na pia akawaachia maagizo kuhusu mifupa yake.
Faith caused Joseph, when his end was near, to speak of the future migration of the Israelites, and to give instructions with regard to his bones.
23 Kwa imani wazazi wa Mose walimficha huyo mtoto kwa muda wa miezi mitatu baada ya kuzaliwa kwake. Walimwona kuwa ni mtoto mzuri, wala hawakuiogopa amri ya mfalme.
Faith caused the parents of Moses to hide the child for three months after his birth, for they saw that he was a beautiful child; and they would not respect the King’s order.
24 Kwa imani Mose alipokuwa mtu mzima, alikataa kuitwa mwana wa binti Farao.
It was faith that caused Moses, when he was grown up, to refuse the title of ‘Son of a Daughter of Pharaoh.’
25 Aliona ni afadhali kuteseka pamoja na watu wa Mungu kuliko kufurahia raha ya dhambi kwa kitambo kidogo.
He preferred sharing the hardships of God’s People to enjoying the short-lived pleasures of sin.
26 Alitambua kwamba kuteseka kwa ajili ya Masiha kuna faida kubwa zaidi kuliko utajiri wote wa nchi ya Misri, maana alikuwa anatazamia tuzo la baadaye.
For he counted ‘the reproaches that are heaped upon the Christ’ of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, looking forward, as he did, to the reward awaiting him.
27 Kwa imani Mose alihama kutoka nchi ya Misri bila kuogopa hasira ya mfalme; na wala hakurudi nyuma, kwani alikuwa kama mtu aliyemwona yule Mungu asiyeonekana.
Faith caused him to leave Egypt, though undaunted by the King’s anger, for he was strengthened in his endurance by the vision of the invisible God.
28 Kwa imani aliadhimisha siku ya Pasaka, akaamuru damu inyunyizwe juu ya milango, ili yule Malaika Mwangamizi asiwaue wazaliwa wa kwanza wa Israeli.
Faith led him to institute the Passover and the Sprinkling of the Blood, so that the Destroyer might not touch the eldest children of the Israelites.
29 Kwa imani watu wa Israeli walivuka bahari ya Shamu, kana kwamba ilikuwa nchi kavu; lakini Wamisri walipojaribu kufanya hivyo walikufa maji.
Faith enabled the people to cross the Red Sea, as if it had been dry land, while the Egyptians, when they attempted to do so, were drowned.
30 Kwa imani kuta za mji wa Yeriko zilianguka watu wa Israeli walipokwisha zunguka kwa muda wa siku saba.
Faith caused the walls of Jericho to fall after being encircled for seven days.
31 Kwa imani Rahabu aliyekuwa malaya hakuangamia pamoja na wale waliomwasi Mungu, kwa sababu aliwakaribisha wale wapelelezi.
Faith saved Rahab, the prostitute, from perishing with the unbelievers, after she had entertained the spies with friendliness.
32 Basi, niseme nini zaidi? Wakati hauniruhusu kueleza juu ya Gedeoni, Baraki, Samsoni, Yeftha, Daudi, Samweli na manabii.
Need I add anything more? Time would fail me if I attempted to relate the stories of Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, and those of David, Samuel, and the Prophets.
33 Kwa imani hawa wote walipigana vita na wafalme, wakashinda. Walitenda mambo adili, wakapokea yale aliyoahidi Mungu. Walifunga vinywa vya simba,
By their faith they subdued kingdoms, ruled righteously, gained the fulfilment of God’s promises, ‘shut the mouths of lions,’
34 Walizima mioto mikali, waliepuka kuuawa kwa upanga. Walikuwa dhaifu lakini walipata nguvu. Walikuwa hodari katika vita wakashinda majeshi ya kigeni.
quelled the fury of the flames, escaped the edge of the sword, found strength in the hour of weakness, displayed their prowess in war, and routed hostile armies.
35 Na, wanawake walioamini walirudishiwa wafu wao wakiwa wamefufuliwa. Baadhi yao walikataa kufunguliwa, wakateswa mpaka kufa ili wapate kufufuliwa na kuingia katika maisha bora zaidi.
Women received back their dead raised to life. Some were tortured on the wheel, and refused release in order that they might rise to a better life.
36 Wengine walidhihakiwa na kupigwa mijeledi, na wengine walifungwa minyororo na kutupwa gerezani.
Others had to face taunts and blows, and even chains and imprisonment.
37 Walipigwa mawe, walipasuliwa vipandevipande, waliuawa kwa upanga. Walizungukazunguka wakiwa wamevaa ngozi za kondoo na ngozi za mbuzi, walikuwa watu maskini, walioteswa na kudhulumiwa.
They were stoned to death, they were tortured, they were swan asunder, they were put to the sword; they wandered about clothed in the skins of sheep or goats, destitute, persecuted, ill-used —
38 Ulimwengu haukustahili kuwa na watu hao. Walitangatanga jangwani na mlimani, wakaishi katika mashimo na mapango ya ardhi.
men of whom the world was not worthy — roaming in lonely places, and on the mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39 Watu hawa wote walionekana kuwa mashujaa kwa sababu ya imani yao. Hata hivyo, hawakupokea yale ambayo Mungu aliwaahidia,
Yet, though they all won renown by their faith, they did not obtain the final fulfilment of God’s promise;
40 maana Mungu alikuwa ameazimia mpango ulio bora zaidi kwa ajili yetu; yaani wao wangeufikia ukamilifu wakiwa pamoja nasi.
since God had in view some better thing for us, that they, apart from us, should not attain perfection.
