¹For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;

¹Melkisedeki alikuwa mfalme wa Salemu, na kuhani wa Mungu Mkuu. Abrahamu alipokuwa anarudi kutoka vitani ambako aliwaua wafalme, Melkisedeki alikutana naye akambariki,

²To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;

²naye Abrahamu akampa sehemu ya kumi ya vitu vyote alivyokuwa navyo. (Maana ya kwanza ya jina hili Melkisedeki ni "Mfalme wa Uadilifu"; na, kwa vile yeye alikuwa mfalme wa Salemu, jina lake pia lina maana ya "Mfalme wa Amani.")

³Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

³Baba yake na mama yake hawatajwi, wala ukoo wake hautajwi; haisemwi alizaliwa lini au alikufa lini. Anafanana na Mwana wa Mungu, na anaendelea kuwa kuhani daima.

⁴Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

⁴Basi, mwaona jinsi mtu huyu alivyokuwa maarufu. Baba Abrahamu alimpa sehemu moja ya kumi ya vitu vyote alivyoteka vitani.

⁵And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:

⁵Tunajua vilevile kwamba kufuatana na Sheria, wana wa Lawi ambao ni makuhani, wanayo haki ya kuchukua sehemu ya kumi kutoka kwa watu, yaani ndugu zao, ingawaje nao ni watoto wa Abrahamu.

⁶But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

⁶Lakini huyo Melkisedeki hakuwa wa ukoo wa Lawi, hata hivyo alipokea sehemu ya kumi kutoka kwa Abrahamu; tena akambariki yeye ambaye alikuwa amepewa ahadi ya Mungu.

⁷And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

⁷Hakuna mashaka hata kidogo kwamba anayebariki ni mkuu zaidi kuliko yule anayebarikiwa.

⁸And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

⁸Tena, hao makuhani wanaopokea sehemu ya kumi, ni watu ambao hufa; lakini hapa anayepokea sehemu ya kumi, yaani Melkisedeki, anasemekana kwamba hafi.

⁹And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.

⁹Twaweza, basi, kusema kwamba Abrahamu alipotoa sehemu moja ya kumi, Lawi (ambaye watoto wake hupokea sehemu moja ya kumi) alitoa sehemu moja ya kumi pia.

¹⁰For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

¹⁰Maana Lawi hakuwa amezaliwa bado, bali ni kama alikuwa katika mwili wa baba yake, Abrahamu, wakati Melkisedeki alipokutana naye.

¹¹If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

¹¹Kutokana na ukuhani wa Walawi, watu wa Israeli walipewa Sheria. Sasa, kama huduma ya Walawi ingalikuwa kamilifu hapangekuwa tena na haja ya kutokea ukuhani mwingine tofauti, ukuhani ambao umefuata utaratibu wa ukuhani wa Melkisedeki, na si ule wa Aroni.

¹²For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

¹²Maana ukuhani ukibadilika ni lazima Sheria nayo ibadilike.

¹³For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.

¹³Naye Bwana wetu ambaye mambo hayo yote yanasemwa juu yake, alikuwa wa kabila lingine, na wala hakuna hata mmoja wa kabila lake aliyepata kutumikia madhabahuni akiwa kuhani.

¹⁴For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

¹⁴Inafahamika wazi kwamba yeye alizaliwa katika kabila la Yuda ambalo Mose hakulitaja alipokuwa anasema juu ya makuhani.

¹⁵And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,

¹⁵Tena jambo hili ni dhahiri zaidi: kuhani mwingine anayefanana na Melkisedeki amekwisha tokea.

¹⁶Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.

¹⁶Yeye hakufanywa kuwa kuhani kwa sheria na maagizo ya kibinadamu, bali kwa nguvu ya uhai ambao hauna mwisho.

¹⁷For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

¹⁷Maana Maandiko yasema: "Wewe ni kuhani milele, kufuatana na utaratibu wa ukuhani wa Melkisedeki."

¹⁸For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

¹⁸Basi, ile amri ya zamani ilifutwa kwa sababu ilikuwa hafifu na isiyofaa kitu.

¹⁹For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

¹⁹Maana Sheria ya Mose haikuweza kukamilisha jambo lolote. Lakini sasa, mahali pake pamewekwa tumaini lililo bora zaidi ambalo kwalo tunaweza kumkaribia Mungu.

²⁰And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:

²⁰Zaidi ya hayo hapa pana kiapo cha Mungu. Wakati wale wengine walipofanywa makuhani hapakuwako kiapo.

²¹(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)

²¹Lakini Yesu alifanywa kuhani kwa kiapo wakati Mungu alipomwambia: "Bwana ameapa, wala hataigeuza nia yake: Wewe ni kuhani milele."

²²By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

²²Basi, kutokana na tofauti hii, Yesu amekuwa mdhamini wa agano lililo bora zaidi.

²³And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

²³Kuna tofauti nyingine pia: hao makuhani wengine walikuwa wengi kwa sababu walikufa na hawakuweza kuendelea na kazi yao.

²⁴But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

²⁴Lakini Yesu si kama wao, yeye anaishi milele; ukuhani wake hauondoki kwake.

²⁵Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

²⁵Hivyo, yeye anaweza daima kuwaokoa kabisa wote wanaomwendea Mungu kwa njia yake, maana yeye anaishi milele kuwaombea kwa Mungu.

²⁶For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

²⁶Basi, Yesu ndiye Kuhani Mkuu ambaye anatufaa sana katika mahitaji yetu. Yeye ni mtakatifu, hana hatia wala dhambi ndani yake; hayumo katika kundi la wenye dhambi na ameinuliwa mpaka juu mbinguni.

²⁷Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

²⁷Yeye si kama wale makuhani wakuu wengine; hana haja ya kutoa dhabihu kila siku, kwanza kwa ajili ya dhambi zake mwenyewe, kisha kwa ajili ya dhambi za watu. Yeye alifanya hivyo mara moja tu wakati alipojitoa yeye mwenyewe, na hiyo yatosha kwa nyakati zote.

²⁸For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

²⁸Sheria ya Mose huwateua watu waliokuwa dhaifu kuwa makuhani wakuu; lakini ahadi ya Mungu aliyoifanya kwa kiapo na ambayo imefika baada ya sheria imemteua Mwana ambaye amefanywa mkamilifu milele.