Warumi 9
1 Nasema ukweli mtupu; nimeungana na Kristo nami sisemi uongo. Dhamiri yangu ikiongozwa na Roho Mtakatifu inanithibitishia jambo hili pia.
I say the truth in Messiah, and do not misrepresent; and my conscience beareth me witness in the Holy Spirit;
2 Nataka kusema hivi: nina huzuni kubwa na maumivu yasiyopimika moyoni mwangu
that I have great sorrow, and the sadness of my heart is unceasing.
3 kwa ajili ya watu wangu, walio damu moja nami! Kama ingekuwa kwa faida yao, ningekuwa radhi kulaaniwa na kutengwa na Kristo.
For I have prayed, that I myself might be accursed from Messiah, for my brethren and my kinsmen in the flesh:
4 Hao ndio watu wa Israeli ambao Mungu aliwateua wawe watoto wake, akawashirikisha utukufu wake; aliagana nao, akawapa Sheria yake, imani ya kweli na ahadi zake.
who are sons of Israel, to whom belonged the adoption of sons, and the glory, and the covenants, and the law, and the ministration, and the promises, and the fathers;
5 Wao ni wajukuu wa mababu, naye Kristo, kadiri ya ubinadamu wake, ametoka katika ukoo wao. Mungu atawalaye juu ya yote, na atukuzwe milele! Amina. (aiōn g165)
and from among whom, Messiah appeared in the flesh, who is God over all; to whom be praises and benediction, for ever and ever; Amen. (aiōn g165)
6 Sisemi kwamba ahadi ya Mungu imebatilika; maana si watu wote wa Israeli ni wateule wa Mungu.
Not, however, that the word of God hath actually failed. For all are not Israel, who are of Israel.
7 Wala, si wazawa wote wa Abrahamu ni watoto wake wa kweli. Ila, kama yasemavyo Maandiko Matakatifu: “Wazao wake watatokana na Isaka.”
Neither are they all sons, because they are of the seed of Abraham: for it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 Nido kusema, wale waliozaliwa kimaumbile ndio watoto wa Mungu, bali wale waliozaliwa kutokana na ahadi ya Mungu ndio watakaoitwa watoto wake.
That is, it is not the children of the flesh, who are the children of God; but the children of the promise, are accounted for the seed.
9 Maana ahadi yenyewe ni hii: “Nitakujia wakati maalum, naye Sara atapata mtoto.”
For the word of promise was this: At that time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
10 Tena si hayo tu ila pia Rebeka naye alipata mapacha kwa baba mmoja, yaani Isaka, babu yetu.
Nor this only; but Rebecca also, when she had cohabited with one man, our father Isaac,
11 Lakini, ili Mungu aonekane kwamba anao uhuru wa kuchagua, hata kabla wale ndugu hawajazaliwa na kabla hawajaweza kupambanua jema na baya,
before her children were born, or: had done good or evil, the choice of God was predeclared; that it might stand, not of works, but of him who called.
12 Rebeka aliambiwa kwamba yule mtoto wa kwanza atamtumikia yule wa nyuma. Hivyo uchaguzi wa Mungu unategemea jinsi anavyoita mwenyewe, na si matendo ya binadamu.
For it was said: The elder shall be servant to the younger.
13 Kama Maandiko Matakatifu yasemavyo: “Yakobo nilimpenda, lakini Esau nilimchukia.”
As it is written: Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated.
14 Basi, tuseme nini? Je, Mungu amekosa haki? Hata kidogo!
What shall we say then? Is there iniquity with God? Far be it.
15 Maana alimwambia Mose: “Nitamhurumia mtu yeyote ninayetaka kumhurumia; nitamwonea huruma mtu yeyote ninayetaka.”
Behold, to Moses also he said: I will have pity, on whom I will have pity; and I will be merciful, to whom I will be merciful.
16 Kwa hiyo, yote hutegemea huruma ya Mungu, na si bidii au mapenzi ya mtu.
Therefore, it is not of him who is willing, nor of him who runneth, but of the merciful God.
17 Maana Maandiko Matakatifu yasema hivi kwa Farao: “Nilikufanya mfalme ili kwa njia yako, uwezo wangu ujulikane, na jina langu litangazwe popote duniani.”
For in the scripture, he said to Pharaoh: For this very thing, have I raised thee up; that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
18 Ni wazi, basi, kwamba Mungu humhurumia yeyote anayetaka kumhurumia, na akipenda kumfanya mtu awe mkaidi, hufanya hivyo.
Wherefore, he hath pity upon whom he pleaseth; and whom he pleaseth, he hardeneth.
19 Labda utaniuliza: “Ikiwa mambo yako hivyo, Mungu anawezaje kumlaumu mtu? Nani awezaye kuyapinga mapenzi yake?”
But, perhaps thou wilt say: Of what then doth he complain? For, who hath resisted his pleasure?
20 Lakini, ewe binadamu, u nani hata uthubutu kumhoji Mungu? Je, chungu chaweza kumwuliza mfinyanzi wake: “Kwa nini umenitengeneza namna hii?”
Thou, thus! Who art thou? O man; that thou repliest against God! Shall the potter's vessel say to the former of it, Why hast thou formed me so?
21 Mfinyanzi anaweza kuutumia udongo apendavyo na kufinyanga vyungu viwili kwa udongo uleule; kimoja kwa matumizi ya heshima, na kingine kwa matumizi ya kawaida.
Hath not the potter dominion over his clay out of the same mass to make vessels, one for honor, and another for dishonor?
22 Hivyo ndivyo ilivyo kwa Mungu. Alitaka kuonyesha ghadhabu yake na kujulisha uwezo wake, Basi, alikuwa na saburi sana, akiwavumilia wale ambao walikuwa lengo la ghadhabu yake, ambao walistahili kuangamizwa.
And if God, being disposed to exhibit his wrath and to make known his power, in abundance of long-suffering, brought wrath upon the vessels of wrath which were complete for destruction;
23 Alitaka pia kudhihirisha wingi wa utukufu wake ambao alitumiminia sisi tulio lengo la huruma yake; sisi ambao alikwisha kututayarisha kuupokea utukufu wake.
and made his mercy flow forth upon the vessels of mercy, which were prepared by God for glory;
24 Maana sisi ndio hao aliowaita, si tu kutoka miongoni mwa Wayahudi bali pia kutoka kwa watu wa mataifa mengine.
namely, upon us who are called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles:
25 Maana ndivyo asemavyo katika kitabu cha Hosea: “Wale waliokuwa Si watu wangu nitawaita: Watu wangu! Naye Sikupendi ataitwa: Mpenzi wangu!
As also he said in Hosea: I will call them my people, who were not my people; and will pity, whom I have not pitied:
26 Na pale walipoambiwa: Ninyi si wangu hapo wataitwa: Watoto wa Mungu hai.”
For it shall be, that in the place where they were called: Not my people, there shall they be called: The children of the living God.
27 Naye nabii Isaya, kuhusu Israeli anapaaza sauti: “Hata kama watoto wa Israeli ni wengi kama mchanga wa pwani, ni wachache tu watakaookolewa;
And Isaiah proclaimed concerning the children of Israel: Though the number of the children of Israel should be as the sand on the sea, a remnant of them will live.
28 maana, Bwana ataitekeleza upesi hukumu yake kamili juu ya ulimwengu wote.”
He hath finished and cut short the matter: and the Lord will do it on the earth.
29 Ni kama Isaya alivyosema hapo awali: “Kama Bwana Mwenye Nguvu asingalituachia baadhi ya watoto wa Israeli, tungalikwisha kuwa kama Sodoma, tungalikwisha kuwa ma Gomora.”
And according to what Isaiah had before said: If the Lord of hosts had not favored us with a residue, we had been as Sodom, and had been like Gomorrha.
30 Basi, tuseme nini? Ni hivi: watu wa mataifa ambao hawakutafuta kukubaliwa kuwa waadilifu, wamekubaliwa kuwa waadilifu kwa njia ya imani,
What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who ran not after righteousness, have found righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith:
31 hali watu wa Israeli waliokuwa wakitafuta Sheria iletayo kukubaliwa kuwa waadilifu, hawakuipata.
But Israel, who ran after the law of righteousness, hath not found the law of righteousness.
32 Kwa nini? Kwa sababu walitegemea matendo yao badala ya kutegemea imani. Walijikwaa juu ya jiwe la kujikwaa
And why? Because they sought it, not by faith, but by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling-stone:
33 kama yesemavyo Maandiko Matakatifu: “Tazama! Naweka huko Sioni jiwe likwazalo, mwamba utakaowafanya watu waanguke. Mtu atakayemwamini yeye aliye hilo jiwe, hataaibishwa!”
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling-stone, and a stone of offence: and he who believeth in him, shall not be ashamed.
