< Luka 16 >
1 Yesu aliwaambia wanafunzi wake: “Tajiri mmoja alikuwa na karani wake. Huyu karani alichongewa kwamba alitumia ovyo mali ya tajiri wake.
Jesus also said to His disciples, “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.
2 Yule tajiri akamwita akamwambia: Ni mambo gani haya ninayosikia juu yako? Toa hesabu ya mapato na matumizi ya mali yangu, kwa maana huwezi kuwa karani tena.
So he called him in to ask, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in an account of your management, for you cannot be manager any longer.’
3 Yule karani akafikiri: Bwana wangu amenifukuza kazi ya ukarani; nitafanya nini? Kwenda kulima siwezi; kwenda kuombaomba kama maskini ni aibu.
The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking away my position? I am too weak to dig and too ashamed to beg.
4 Naam, najua la kufanya, ili nitakapofukuzwa kazi, watu waweze kunikaribisha nyumbani kwao.
I know what I will do, so that after my removal from management, people will welcome me into their homes.’
5 Basi, akawaita wadeni wa bwana wake, mmoja mmoja, akamwambia yule wa kwanza: Unadaiwa kiasi gani na bwana wangu?
And he called in each one of his master’s debtors. ‘How much do you owe my master?’ he asked the first.
6 Yeye akamjibu: Mapipa mia ya mafuta ya zeituni. Yule karani akamwambia: Chukua hati yako ya deni, keti haraka, andika hamsini.
‘A hundred measures of olive oil,’ he answered. ‘Take your bill,’ said the manager. ‘Sit down quickly, and write fifty.’
7 Kisha akamwuliza mdeni mwingine: Wewe unadaiwa kiasi gani? Yeye akamjibu: Magunia mia ya ngano. Yule karani akamwambia: Chukua hati yako ya deni, andika themanini.
Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ ‘A hundred measures of wheat,’ he replied. ‘Take your bill and write eighty,’ he told him.
8 “Basi, yule bwana akamsifu huyo karani asiye mwaminifu, kwa kuwa alitumia busara. Kwa maana watu wa dunia hii wana busara zaidi na mambo yao kuliko watu wa mwanga.” (aiōn )
The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light. (aiōn )
9 Naye Yesu akaendelea kusema, “Nami nawaambieni, jifanyieni marafiki kutokana na mali ya dunia, ili zitakapowaishieni, mweze kupokewa nao katika makao ya milele. (aiōnios )
I tell you, use worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings. (aiōnios )
10 Yeyote aliye mwaminifu katika mambo madogo, atakuwa mwaminifu katika mambo makubwa; na yeyote asiye mwaminifu katika mambo madogo, hatakuwa mwaminifu katika mambo makubwa.
Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
11 Kama basi, ninyi si hamjawa waaminifu mali mbaya za dunia, ni nani atakayewakabidhi zile mali za kweli?
So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will entrust you with true riches?
12 Na kama hamjakuwa waaminifu katika mali ya mtu mwingine, ni nani atakayewakabidhi mali yenu wenyewe?
And if you have not been faithful with the belongings of another, who will give you belongings of your own?
13 “Hakuna mtumishi awezaye kuwatumikia mabwana wawili; kwa maana atamchukia mmoja na kumpenda mwingine, au ataambatana na mmoja na kumdharau mwingine. Hamwezi kumtumikia Mungu na mali.”
No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
14 Lakini Mafarisayo waliposikia hayo, kwa vile wao walikuwa wanapenda sana fedha, wakamdharau Yesu.
The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus.
15 Hapo akawaambia, “Ninyi mnajifanya wema mbele ya watu, lakini Mungu anaijua mioyo yenu. Kwa maana kile kinachoonekana kuwa kitukufu mbele ya watu, Mungu anakiona kuwa takataka.
So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.
16 “Sheria na maandishi ya manabii vilikuweko mpaka wakati wa Yohane mbatizaji. Tangu hapo, Ufalme wa Mungu unahubiriwa, na kila mmoja anauingia kwa nguvu.
The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the gospel of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
17 Lakini ni rahisi zaidi mbingu na dunia kupita, kuliko hata herufi moja ya Sheria kufutwa.
But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.
18 “Yeyote anayemwacha mke wake na kuoa mwingine, anazini; na yeyote anayemwoa mwanamke aliyepewa talaka, anazini.
Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
19 “Palikuwa na mtu mmoja tajiri, ambaye alikuwa anavaa mavazi ya bei kubwa sana ya rangi ya zambarau, na ya kitani safi, na kufanya sherehe kila siku.
Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor.
20 Kulikuwa pia na maskini mmoja jina lake Lazaro, aliyekuwa amejaa vidonda na alikuwa analazwa mlangoni pa nyumba ya huyo tajiri.
And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores
21 Lazaro alitamani kula makombo yaliyoanguka kutoka meza ya tajiri; na zaidi ya hayo, mbwa walikuwa wanakuja na kulamba vidonda vyake!
and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “Ikatokea kwamba huyo maskini akafa, malaika wakamchukua, wakamweka karibu na Abrahamu. Na yule tajiri pia akafa, akazikwa.
One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried.
23 Huyo tajiri, alikuwa na mateso makali huko kuzimu, akainua macho yake, akamwona Abrahamu kwa mbali na Lazaro karibu naye. (Hadēs )
In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side. (Hadēs )
24 Basi, akaita kwa sauti: Baba Abrahamu, nionee huruma; umtume Lazaro angalau achovye ncha ya kidole chake katika maji, auburudishe ulimi wangu, maana ninateseka mno katika moto huu.
So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire.’
25 Lakini Abrahamu akamjibu: Kumbuka mwanangu, kwamba ulipokea mema yako katika maisha, naye Lazaro akapokea mabaya. Sasa lakini, yeye anatulizwa, nawe unateswa.
But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.
26 Licha ya hayo, kati yetu na ninyi kumewekwa shimo kubwa, ili wanaotaka kuja kwenu kutoka huku wasiweze, wala wanaotaka kutoka kwenu kuja kwetu wasiweze.
And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that even those who wish cannot cross from here to you, nor can anyone cross from there to us.’
27 Huyo aliyekuwa tajiri akasema: Basi baba, nakuomba umtume aende nyumbani kwa baba yangu,
‘Then I beg you, father,’ he said, ‘send Lazarus to my father’s house,
28 maana ninao ndugu watano, ili awaonye wasije wakaja huku kwenye mateso.
for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also end up in this place of torment.’
29 Lakini Abrahamu akamwambia: Ndugu zako wanao Mose na manabii; waache wawasikilize hao.
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let your brothers listen to them.’
30 Lakini yeye akasema: Sivyo baba Abrahamu, ila kama mtu atafufuka kutoka wafu na kuwaendea, watatubu.
‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone is sent to them from the dead, they will repent.’
31 Naye Abrahamu akasema: Kama hawawasikilizi Mose na manabii, hawatajali hata kama mtu angefufuka kutoka wafu.”
Then Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”