1
Basi imani ni kuwa na hakika ya mambo yatarajiwayo, ni bayana ya mambo yasiyoonekana.
Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.
2
Maana kwa hiyo wazee wetu walishuhudiwa.
This is why the ancients were commended.
3
Kwa imani twafahamu ya kuwa ulimwengu uliumbwa kwa neno la Mungu, hata vitu vinavyoonekana havikufanywa kwa vitu vilivyo dhahiri.
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
4
Kwa imani Habili alimtolea Mungu dhabihu iliyo bora kuliko Kaini; kwa hiyo alishuhudiwa kuwa ana haki; Mungu akazishuhudia sadaka zake, na kwa hiyo, ijapokuwa amekufa, angali akinena.
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
5
Kwa imani Henoko alihamishwa, asije akaona mauti, wala hakuonekana, kwa sababu Mungu alimhamisha; maana kabla ya kuhamishwa alikuwa ameshuhudiwa kwamba amempendeza Mungu.
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
6
Lakini pasipo imani haiwezekani kumpendeza; kwa maana mtu amwendeaye Mungu lazima aamini kwamba yeye yuko, na kwamba huwapa thawabu wale wamtafutao.
And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
7
Kwa imani Nuhu akiisha kuonywa na Mungu katika habari za mambo yasiyoonekana bado, kwa jinsi alivyomcha Mungu, aliunda safina, apate kuokoa nyumba yake. Na hivyo akauhukumu makosa ulimwengu, akawa mrithi wa haki ipatikanayo kwa imani.
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8
Kwa imani Ibrahimu alipoitwa aliitika, atoke aende mahali pale atakapopapata kuwa urithi; akatoka asijue aendako.
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going.
9
Kwa imani alikaa ugenini katika ile nchi ya ahadi, kama katika nchi isiyo yake, akikaa katika hema pamoja na Isaka na Yakobo, warithi pamoja naye wa ahadi ile ile.
By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.
10
Maana alikuwa akiutazamia mji wenye misingi, ambao mwenye kuubuni na kuujenga ni Mungu.
For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11
Kwa imani hata Sara mwenyewe alipokea uwezo wa kuwa na mimba; alipokuwa amepita wakati wake; kwa kuwa alimhesabu yeye aliyeahidi kuwa mwaminifu.
By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised.
12
Na kwa ajili ya hayo wakazaliwa na mtu mmoja, naye alikuwa kama mfu, watu wengi kama nyota za mbinguni wingi wao, na kama mchanga ulio ufuoni, usioweza kuhesabika.
And so from one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
13
Hawa wote wakafa katika imani, wasijazipokea zile ahadi, bali wakaziona tokea mbali na kuzishangilia, na kukiri kwamba walikuwa wageni, na wasafiri juu ya nchi.
All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
14
Maana hao wasemao maneno kama hayo waonyesha wazi kwamba wanatafuta nchi yao wenyewe.
Now those who say such things show that they are seeking a country of their own.
15
Na kama wangaliikumbuka nchi ile waliyotoka, wangalipata nafasi ya kurejea.
If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.
16
Lakini sasa waitamani nchi iliyo bora, yaani, ya mbinguni. Kwa hiyo Mungu haoni haya kuitwa Mungu wao; maana amewatengenezea mji.
Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
17
Kwa imani Ibrahimu alipojaribiwa, akamtoa Isaka awe dhabihu; na yeye aliyezipokea hizo ahadi alikuwa akimtoa mwanawe, mzaliwa pekee;
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son,
18
naam, yeye aliyeambiwa, Katika Isaka uzao wako utaitwa,
even though God had said to him, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”
19
akihesabu ya kuwa Mungu aweza kumfufua hata kutoka kuzimu; akampata tena toka huko kwa mfano.
Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and in a sense, he did receive Isaac back from death.
20
Kwa imani Isaka akawabariki Yakobo na Esau, hata katika habari ya mambo yatakayokuwa baadaye.
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning the future.
21
Kwa imani Yakobo, alipokuwa katika kufa, akambariki kila mmoja wa wana wa Yusufu, akaabudu akiegemea kichwa cha fimbo yake.
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
22
Kwa imani Yusufu, alipokuwa amekaribia mwisho wake, alitaja habari za kutoka kwao wana wa Israeli, akaagiza kwa habari ya mifupa yake.
By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his bones.
23
Kwa imani Musa, alipozaliwa, akafichwa miezi mitatu na wazazi wake, kwa sababu waliona kwamba ni mtoto mzuri; wala hawakuiogopa amri ya mfalme.
By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were unafraid of the king’s edict.
24
Kwa imani Musa alipokuwa mtu mzima, akakataa kuitwa mwana wa binti Farao;
By faith Moses, when he was grown, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
25
akaona ni afadhali kupata mateso pamoja na watu wa Mungu kuliko kujifurahisha katika dhambi kwa kitambo;
He chose to suffer oppression with God’s people rather than to experience the fleeting enjoyment of sin.
26
akihesabu ya kuwa kushutumiwa kwake Kristo ni utajiri mkuu kuliko hazina za Misri; kwa kuwa aliyatazamia hayo malipo.
He valued disgrace for Christ above the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his reward.
27
Kwa imani akatoka Misri, asiogope ghadhabu ya mfalme; maana alistahimili kama amwonaye yeye asiyeonekana.
By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.
28
Kwa imani akaifanya Pasaka, na kule kunyunyiza damu, ili yule mwenye kuwaangamiza wazaliwa wa kwanza asiwaguse wao.
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch Israel’s own firstborn.
29
Kwa imani wakapita kati ya Bahari ya Shamu, kama katika nchi kavu; Wamisri walipojaribu kufanya vivyo wakatoswa.
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were drowned.
30
Kwa imani kuta za Yeriko zikaanguka, zilipokwisha kuzungukwa siku saba.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.
31
Kwa imani Rahabu, yule kahaba, hakuangamia pamoja na hao walioasi; kwa kuwa aliwakaribisha wale wapelelezi kwa amani.
By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient.
32
Nami niseme nini tena? Maana wakati usingenitosha kuleta habari za Gideoni na Baraka na Samsoni na Yeftha na Daudi na Samweli na za manabii;
And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets,
33
ambao kwa imani walishinda milki za wafalme, walitenda haki, walipata ahadi, walifunga vinywa vya simba,
who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,
34
walizima nguvu za moto, waliokoka na makali ya upanga. Walitiwa nguvu baada ya kuwa dhaifu, walikuwa hodari katika vita, walikimbiza majeshi ya wageni.
quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.
35
Wanawake walipokea wafu wao waliofufuliwa. Lakini wengine waliumizwa vibaya hata kuuawa, wasikubali ukombozi, ili wapate ufufuo ulio bora;
Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused their release, so that they might gain a better resurrection.
36
wengine walijaribiwa kwa dhihaka na mapigo, naam, kwa mafungo, na kwa kutiwa gerezani;
Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
37
walipigwa kwa mawe, walikatwa kwa misumeno, walijaribiwa, waliuawa kwa upanga; walizunguka-zunguka wakivaa ngozi za kondoo na ngozi za mbuzi; walikuwa wahitaji, wakiteswa, wakitendwa mabaya;
They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated.
38
(watu ambao ulimwengu haukustahili kuwa nao), walikuwa wakizunguka-zunguka katika nyika na katika milima na katika mapango na katika mashimo ya nchi.
The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground.
39
Na watu hao wote wakiisha kushuhudiwa kwa sababu ya imani yao, hawakuipokea ahadi;
These were all commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised.
40
kwa kuwa Mungu alikuwa ametangulia kutuwekea sisi kitu kilicho bora, ili wao wasikamilishwe pasipo sisi.
God had planned something better for us, so that together with us they would be made perfect.