Romans 9

1 I speak the truth in Christ; I am not lying, as confirmed by my conscience in the Holy Spirit.

1 Ninasema kweli katika Kristo, wala sisemi uongo, dhamiri yangu inanishuhudia katika Roho Mtakatifu.

2 I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.

2 Nina huzuni kuu na uchungu usiokoma moyoni mwangu.

3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood,

3 Kwa maana ningetamani hata mimi nilaaniwe na kutengwa na Kristo kwa ajili ya ndugu zangu hasa, wale walio wa kabila langu kwa jinsi ya mwili,

4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises.

4 yaani, watu wa Israeli, ambao ndio wenye kule kufanywa wana, ule utukufu wa Mungu, yale maagano, kule kupokea sheria, ibada ya kwenye Hekalu na zile ahadi.

5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen.

5 Wao ni wa uzao wa mababa wakuu wa kwanza, ambao kutoka kwao Kristo alikuja kwa jinsi ya mwili kama mwanadamu, yeye ambaye ni Mungu aliye juu ya vyote, mwenye kuhimidiwa milele! Amen.

6 It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.

6 Si kwamba Neno la Mungu limeshindwa. Kwa maana si kila Mwisraeli ambaye ni wa uzao utokanao na Israeli ni Mwisraeli halisi.

7 Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”

7 Wala hawakuwi wazao wa Abrahamu kwa sababu wao ni watoto wake, lakini: “Uzao wako utahesabiwa kupitia kwake Isaki.”

8 So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring.

8 Hii ina maana kwamba, si watoto waliozaliwa kimwili walio watoto wa Mungu, bali ni watoto wa ahadi wanaohesabiwa kuwa uzao wa Abrahamu.

9 For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”

9 Kwa maana ahadi yenyewe ilisema, “Nitakurudia tena wakati kama huu, naye Sara atapata mtoto wa kiume.”

10 Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac.

10 Wala si hivyo tu, bali pia watoto aliowazaa Rebeka walikuwa na baba huyo huyo mmoja, yaani, baba yetu Isaki.

11 Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,

11 Lakini, hata kabla hao mapacha hawajazaliwa au kufanya jambo lolote jema au baya, ili kwamba kusudi la Mungu la kuchagua lipate kusimama,

12 not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”

12 si kwa matendo, bali kwa yeye mwenye kuita, Rebeka aliambiwa, “Yule mkubwa atamtumikia yule mdogo.”

13 So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

13 Kama vile ilivyoandikwa, “Nimempenda Yakobo, lakini nimemchukia Esau.”

14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not!

14 Tuseme nini basi? Je, Mungu ni dhalimu? La, hasha!

15 For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

15 Kwa maana Mungu alimwambia Mose, “Nitamrehemu yeye nimrehemuye, na pia nitamhurumia yeye nimhurumiaye.”

16 So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

16 Kwa hiyo haitegemei kutaka kwa mwanadamu au jitihada, bali hutegemea huruma ya Mungu.

17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

17 Kwa maana Maandiko yamwambia Farao, “Nilikuinua kwa kusudi hili hasa, ili nipate kuonyesha uweza wangu juu yako, na ili Jina langu lipate kutangazwa duniani yote.”

18 Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.

18 Kwa hiyo basi, Mungu humhurumia yeye atakaye kumhurumia na humfanya mgumu yeye atakaye kumfanya mgumu.

19 One of you will say to me, “Then why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?”

19 Basi mtaniambia, “Kama ni hivyo, kwa nini basi bado Mungu anatulaumu? Kwa maana ni nani awezaye kupinga mapenzi yake?”

20 But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?”

20 Lakini, ewe mwanadamu, u nani wewe ushindane na Mungu? “Je, kilichoumbwa chaweza kumwambia yeye aliyekiumba, ‘Kwa nini umeniumba hivi?’”

21 Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?

21 Je, mfinyanzi hana haki ya kufinyanga kutoka bonge moja vyombo vya udongo, vingine kwa matumizi ya heshima na vingine kwa matumizi ya kawaida?

22 What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction?

22 Iweje basi, kama Mungu kwa kutaka kuonyesha ghadhabu yake na kufanya uweza wake ujulikane, amevumilia kwa uvumilivu mwingi vile vyombo vya ghadhabu vilivyoandaliwa kwa uharibifu?

23 What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory—

23 Iweje basi, kama yeye alitenda hivi ili kufanya wingi wa utukufu wake ujulikane kwa vile vyombo vya rehema yake, alivyotangulia kuvitengeneza kwa ajili ya utukufu wake,

24 including us, whom He has called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?

24 yaani pamoja na sisi, ambao pia alituita, si kutoka kwa Wayahudi peke yao, bali pia kutoka kwa watu wa Mataifa?

25 As He says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘My People’ who are not My people, and I will call her ‘My Beloved’ who is not My beloved,”

25 Kama vile Mungu asemavyo katika Hosea: “Nitawaita ‘watu wangu’ wale ambao si watu wangu; nami nitamwita ‘mpenzi wangu’ yeye ambaye si mpenzi wangu,”

26 and, “It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”

26 tena, “Itakuwa hasa mahali pale walipoambiwa, ‘Ninyi si watu wangu,’ wao wataitwa ‘wana wa Mungu aliye hai.’”

27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites is like the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved.

27 Isaya anapiga kelele kuhusu Israeli: “Ingawa idadi ya wana wa Israeli ni wengi kama mchanga wa pwani, ni mabaki yao tu watakaookolewa.

28 For the Lord will carry out His sentence on the earth thoroughly and decisively.”

28 Kwa kuwa Bwana ataitekeleza hukumu yake duniani kwa haraka na kwa ukamilifu.”

29 It is just as Isaiah foretold: “Unless the Lord of Hosts had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.”

29 Ni kama vile alivyotabiri Isaya akisema: “Kama Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asingelituachia uzao, tungelikuwa kama Sodoma, tungelifanana na Gomora.”

30 What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;

30 Kwa hiyo tuseme nini basi? Kwamba watu wa Mataifa ambao hawakutafuta haki, wamepata haki ile iliyo kwa njia ya imani.

31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.

31 Lakini Israeli, ambao walijitahidi kupata haki kwa njia ya sheria, hawakuipata.

32 Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

32 Kwa nini? Kwa sababu hawakuitafuta kwa njia ya imani bali kwa njia ya matendo. Wakajikwaa kwenye lile “jiwe la kukwaza.”

33 as it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”

33 Kama ilivyoandikwa: “Tazama naweka katika Sayuni jiwe la kukwaza watu na mwamba wa kuwaangusha. Yeyote atakayemwamini hataaibika kamwe.”