Romans 4
1 What then shall we say—as touching Abraham our forefather?
Tuseme nini basi, kuhusu Abrahamu baba yetu kwa jinsi ya mwili: yeye alipataje kujua jambo hili?
2 For, if Abraham by works was declared righteous, he hath whereof to boast; —nevertheless, not towards God, —
Kwa maana ikiwa Abrahamu alihesabiwa haki kwa matendo, basi, anacho kitu cha kujivunia, lakini si mbele za Mungu.
3 For what doth the Scripture say? And Abraham believed in God, and it was reckoned unto him as righteousness.
Kwa maana Maandiko yasemaje? “Abrahamu alimwamini Mungu na ikahesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.”
4 Now, unto him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned by way of favour but by way of obligation,
Basi mtu afanyapo kazi, mshahara wake hauhesabiwi kwake kuwa ni zawadi, bali ni haki yake anayostahili.
5 Whereas, unto him that worketh not but believeth on him that declareth righteous the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.
Lakini kwa mtu ambaye hafanyi kazi na anamtumaini Mungu, yeye ambaye huwahesabia waovu haki, imani yake inahesabiwa kuwa haki.
6 Just as David also affirmeth the happiness of the man unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works: —
Daudi pia alisema vivyo hivyo aliponena juu ya baraka za mtu ambaye Mungu humhesabia haki pasipo matendo:
7 Happy, they whose lawlessnesses have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered,
“Wamebarikiwa wale ambao wamesamehewa makosa yao, ambao dhambi zao zimefunikwa.
8 Happy, the man whose sin the Lord will in nowise reckon.
Heri mtu yule Bwana hamhesabii dhambi zake.”
9 This happiness, then, [is it] for the circumcision, or for the uncircumcision? for we say—His faith was reckoned unto Abraham as righteousness:
Je, huku kubarikiwa ni kwa wale waliotahiriwa peke yao, au pia na kwa wale wasiotahiriwa? Tunasema, “Imani ya Abrahamu ilihesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.”
10 How, then, was it reckoned? When he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision;
Je, ni lini basi ilipohesabiwa kwake kuwa haki? Je, ilikuwa kabla au baada ya kutahiriwa kwake? Haikuwa baada, ila kabla hajatahiriwa.
11 And, a sign, he received [namely] of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while yet uncircumcised; to the end he might be father of all that believe during uncircumcision, to the end [the same] righteousness might be reckoned unto them, —
Alipewa ishara ya tohara kuwa muhuri wa haki aliyokuwa nayo kwa imani hata alipokuwa bado hajatahiriwa. Kusudi lilikuwa kumfanya baba wa wote wale waaminio pasipo kutahiriwa na ambao wamehesabiwa haki.
12 And father of circumcision—unto them who are not of circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of the faith, while yet uncircumcised, of our father Abraham.
Vivyo hivyo awe baba wa wale waliotahiriwa ambao si kwamba wametahiriwa tu, bali pia wanafuata mfano wa imani ambayo Baba yetu Abrahamu alikuwa nayo kabla ya kutahiriwa.
13 For, not through means of law, doth the promise belong unto Abraham or unto his seed, —that he should be heir of the world; but, through a righteousness by faith.
Kwa maana ile ahadi kwamba angeurithi ulimwengu haikuja kwa Abrahamu au kwa wazao wake kwa njia ya sheria bali kwa njia ya haki ipatikanayo kwa imani.
14 For, if they who are of law are heirs, made void is faith and of no effect is the promise.
Kwa maana ikiwa wale waishio kwa sheria ndio warithi, imani haina thamani na ahadi haifai kitu,
15 For, the law, worketh out anger, but, where there is no law, neither is there transgression.
kwa sababu sheria huleta ghadhabu. Mahali ambapo hakuna sheria hakuna makosa.
16 For this cause, it is by faith, in order that it may be by way of favour, so that the promise is firm unto all the seed, —not unto that by the law only, but unto that also [which is such] by the faith of Abraham; who is father of us all, —
Kwa hiyo, ahadi huja kwa njia ya imani, ili iwe ni kwa neema, na itolewe kwa wazao wa Abrahamu, si kwa wale walio wa sheria peke yao, bali pia kwa wale walio wa imani ya Abrahamu. Yeye ndiye baba yetu sisi sote.
17 Even as it is written—Father of many nations, have I appointed thee: before him whom he believed—God, who causeth the dead to live, and calleth the things that are not as things that are: —
Kama ilivyoandikwa: “Nimekufanya wewe kuwa baba wa mataifa mengi.” Yeye ni baba yetu mbele za Mungu, ambaye yeye alimwamini, yule Mungu anaye fufua waliokufa, na kuvitaja vile vitu ambavyo haviko kana kwamba vimekwisha kuwako.
18 Who, past hope, upon hope believed, so that he became father of many nations, —according to what had been said—So shall be thy seed; —
Akitarajia yasiyoweza kutarajiwa, Abrahamu akaamini, akawa baba wa mataifa mengi, kama alivyoahidiwa kwamba, “Uzao wako utakuwa mwingi mno.”
19 And, without becoming weak in his faith, he attentively considered his own body, already deadened—he being a hundred years old, the deadening also of Sarah’s womb;
Abrahamu hakuwa dhaifu katika imani hata alipofikiri juu ya mwili wake, ambao ulikuwa kama uliokufa, kwani umri wake ulikuwa unakaribia miaka mia moja, au alipofikiri juu ya ufu wa tumbo la Sara.
20 In respect, however, of the promise of God, he was not led to hesitate by unbelief, but received power by his faith, giving glory unto God,
Lakini Abrahamu hakusitasita kwa kutokuamini ahadi ya Mungu, bali alitiwa nguvu katika imani yake na kumpa Mungu utukufu,
21 And being fully persuaded (that), —what he hath promised, able is he also to perform:
akiwa na hakika kabisa kwamba Mungu alikuwa na uwezo wa kutimiza lile aliloahidi.
22 Wherefore [also], it was reckoned unto him as righteousness.
Hii ndio sababu, “ilihesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.”
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was reckoned unto him,
Maneno haya “ilihesabiwa kwake kuwa haki,” hayakuandikwa kwa ajili yake peke yake,
24 But for our sakes also—unto whom it is to be reckoned, —even unto them that believe upon him who raised Jesus our Lord from among the dead:
bali kwa ajili yetu sisi pia ambao Mungu atatupa haki, sisi tunaomwamini yeye aliyemfufua Yesu Bwana wetu kutoka kwa wafu.
25 Who was delivered up on account of our offences and was raised on account of the declaring us righteous.
Alitolewa afe kwa ajili ya dhambi zetu, naye alifufuliwa kutoka mauti ili tuhesabiwe haki.
