¹And faith is of things hoped for a confidence, of matters not seen a conviction,

¹Kuwa na imani ni kuwa na hakika ya mambo tunayotumainia; kusadiki kabisa mambo tusiyoyaona.

²for in this were the elders testified of;

²Maana wazee wa kale walipata kibali cha Mungu kwa sababu ya imani yao.

³by faith we understand the ages to have been prepared by a saying of God, in regard to the things seen not having come out of things appearing;

³Kwa imani sisi tunafahamu kwamba ulimwengu uliumbwa kwa neno la Mungu; vitu vinavyoonekana kutoka vitu visivyoonekana.

⁴by faith a better sacrifice did Abel offer to God than Cain, through which he was testified to be righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and through it, he being dead, doth yet speak.

⁴Kwa imani Abeli alimtolea Mungu dhabihu iliyokuwa bora zaidi kuliko ile ya Kaini. Kwa imani yake alikubaliwa na Mungu kuwa mwadilifu; Mungu mwenyewe alizikubali sadaka zake. Kwa imani yake ingawa amekufa, bado ananena.

⁵By faith Enoch was translated — not to see death, and was not found, because God did translate him; for before his translation he had been testified to — that he had pleased God well,

⁵Kwa imani Henoki alichukuliwa na Mungu, asipate kufa. Hakuonekana tena kwa sababu Mungu alikuwa amemchukua. Maandiko yasema kwamba kabla ya kuchukuliwa kwake, yeye alikuwa amempendeza Mungu.

⁶and apart from faith it is impossible to please well, for it behoveth him who is coming to God to believe that He is, and to those seeking Him He becometh a rewarder.

⁶Basi, pasipo imani haiwezekani kumpendeza Mungu. Kwa maana kila mtu anayemwendea Mungu ni lazima aamini kwamba Mungu yuko, na kwamba huwatuza wale wanaomtafuta.

⁷By faith Noah, having been divinely warned concerning the things not yet seen, having feared, did prepare an ark to the salvation of his house, through which he did condemn the world, and of the righteousness according to faith he became heir.

⁷Kwa imani Noa alionywa na Mungu juu ya mambo ya baadaye ambayo hakuweza kuyaona bado. Alimtii Mungu, akajenga ile safina ambamo aliokolewa yeye pamoja na jamaa yake. Kutokana na hayo ulimwengu ulihukumiwa, naye Noa akapokea uadilifu unaotokana na imani.

⁸By faith Abraham, being called, did obey, to go forth to the place that he was about to receive for an inheritance, and he went forth, not knowing whither he doth go;

⁸Kwa imani Abrahamu alimtii Mungu alipoitwa aende katika nchi ambayo Mungu angempa iwe yake. Ingawa hakujua alikokuwa anakwenda, Abrahamu alihama.

⁹by faith he did sojourn in the land of the promise as a strange country, in tabernacles having dwelt with Isaac and Jacob, fellow-heirs of the same promise,

⁹Kwa imani aliishi kama mgeni katika nchi aliyoahidiwa na Mungu. Aliishi huko katika hema kama walivyoishi Isaka na Yakobo, ambao pia walishiriki ahadi ileile.

¹⁰for he was looking for the city having the foundations, whose artificer and constructor [is] God.

¹⁰Maana Abrahamu alikuwa akingojea mji wenye misingi imara, mji ambao Mungu mwenyewe ndiye fundi aliyeubuni na kuujenga.

¹¹By faith also Sarah herself did receive power to conceive seed, and she bare after the time of life, seeing she did judge Him faithful who did promise;

¹¹Kwa imani hata Sara aliamini kwamba Mungu hutimiza ahadi zake, kwa hiyo akajaliwa kuchukua mimba ingawaje alikuwa amepita umri.

¹²wherefore, also from one were begotten — and that of one who had become dead — as the stars of the heaven in multitude, and as sand that [is] by the sea-shore — the innumerable.

¹²Kwa hiyo, kutoka katika mtu huyo mmoja, Abrahamu, ambaye alikuwa kama amekufa, walitokea watu wengi wasiohesabika kama vile nyota za mbinguni na mchanga wa pwani.

¹³In faith died all these, not having received the promises, but from afar having seen them, and having been persuaded, and having saluted [them], and having confessed that strangers and sojourners they are upon the earth,

¹³Watu hawa wote walikufa wakiwa na imani. Walikufa kabla ya kupokea mambo ambayo Mungu alikuwa ameahidi, lakini kwa mbali waliyaona, wakashangilia, na kukiri wazi kwamba wao walikuwa wageni na wakimbizi duniani.

¹⁴for those saying such things make manifest that they seek a country;

¹⁴Watu wanaosema mambo kama hayo, huonyesha wazi kwamba wanaitafuta nchi yao wenyewe.

¹⁵and if, indeed, they had been mindful of that from which they came forth, they might have had an opportunity to return,

¹⁵Kama wangalikuwa wanaifikiria nchi walikotoka zamani, wangalipata nafasi ya kurudi huko.

¹⁶but now they long for a better, that is, an heavenly, wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for He did prepare for them a city.

¹⁶Lakini sasa wanataka nchi iliyo bora zaidi, yaani nchi ya mbinguni. Ndiyo maana Mungu haoni haya wakimwita yeye Mungu wao, kwa sababu yeye mwenyewe amekwisha watayarishia mji.

¹⁷By faith Abraham hath offered up Isaac, being tried, and the only begotten he did offer up who did receive the promises,

¹⁷Kwa imani, Abrahamu alimtoa mwanae Isaka sadaka wakati Mungu alipomjaribu. Huyo Abrahamu ndiye aliyekuwa amepokea ahadi ya Mungu, lakini, hata hivyo, alikubali kumtoa dhabihu mwanae wa pekee,

¹⁸of whom it was said — `In Isaac shall a seed be called to thee;`

¹⁸ingawa Mungu alikuwa amemwambia: "Wazawa wako watatokana na Isaka."

¹⁹reckoning that even out of the dead God is able to raise up, whence also in a figure he did receive [him].

¹⁹Abrahamu aliamini kwamba Mungu anaweza kuwafufua wafu: na kwa namna fulani kweli Abrahamu alimpata tena mwanae kutoka wafu.

²⁰By faith, concerning coming things, Isaac did bless Jacob and Esau;

²⁰Kwa imani Isaka aliwabariki Yakobo na Esau, wapate baraka zitakazokuja baadaye.

²¹by faith Jacob dying — each of the sons of Joseph did bless, and did bow down upon the top of his staff;

²¹Kwa imani Yakobo alipokuwa karibu kufa, aliwabariki kila mmoja wa wana wa Yosefu, akamwabudu Mungu akiegemea ile fimbo yake.

²²by faith, Joseph dying, concerning the outgoing of the sons of Israel did make mention, and concerning his bones did give command.

²²Kwa imani Yosefu alipokuwa karibu kufa, alinena juu ya kutoka kwa Waisraeli katika nchi ya Misri, na pia akawaachia maagizo kuhusu mifupa yake.

²³By faith Moses, having been born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw the child comely, and were not afraid of the decree of the king;

²³Kwa imani wazazi wa Mose walimficha huyo mtoto kwa muda wa miezi mitatu baada ya kuzaliwa kwake. Walimwona kuwa ni mtoto mzuri, wala hawakuiogopa amri ya mfalme.

²⁴by faith Moses, having become great, did refuse to be called a son of the daughter of Pharaoh,

²⁴Kwa imani Mose alipokuwa mtu mzima, alikataa kuitwa mwana wa binti Farao.

²⁵having chosen rather to be afflicted with the people of God, than to have sin`s pleasure for a season,

²⁵Aliona ni afadhali kuteseka pamoja na watu wa Mungu kuliko kufurahia raha ya dhambi kwa kitambo kidogo.

²⁶greater wealth having reckoned the reproach of the Christ than the treasures in Egypt, for he did look to the recompense of reward;

²⁶Alitambua kwamba kuteseka kwa ajili ya Masiha kuna faida kubwa zaidi kuliko utajiri wote wa nchi ya Misri, maana alikuwa anatazamia tuzo la baadaye.

²⁷by faith he left Egypt behind, not having been afraid of the wrath of the king, for, as seeing the Invisible One — he endured;

²⁷Kwa imani Mose alihama kutoka nchi ya Misri bila kuogopa hasira ya mfalme; na wala hakurudi nyuma, kwani alikuwa kama mtu aliyemwona yule Mungu asiyeonekana.

²⁸by faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that He who is destroying the first-born might not touch them.

²⁸Kwa imani aliadhimisha siku ya Pasaka, akaamuru damu inyunyizwe juu ya milango, ili yule Malaika Mwangamizi asiwaue wazaliwa wa kwanza wa Israeli.

²⁹By faith they did pass through the Red Sea as through dry land, which the Egyptians having received a trial of, were swallowed up;

²⁹Kwa imani watu wa Israeli walivuka bahari ya Shamu, kana kwamba ilikuwa nchi kavu; lakini Wamisri walipojaribu kufanya hivyo walikufa maji.

³⁰by faith the walls of Jericho did fall, having been surrounded for seven days;

³⁰Kwa imani kuta za mji wa Yeriko zilianguka watu wa Israeli walipokwisha zunguka kwa muda wa siku saba.

³¹by faith Rahab the harlot did not perish with those who disbelieved, having received the spies with peace.

³¹Kwa imani Rahabu aliyekuwa malaya hakuangamia pamoja na wale waliomwasi Mungu, kwa sababu aliwakaribisha wale wapelelezi.

³²And what shall I yet say? for the time will fail me recounting about Gideon, Barak also, and Samson, and Jephthah, David also, and Samuel, and the prophets,

³²Basi, niseme nini zaidi? Wakati hauniruhusu kueleza juu ya Gedeoni, Baraki, Samsoni, Yeftha, Daudi, Samweli na manabii.

³³who through faith did subdue kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped mouths of lions,

³³Kwa imani hawa wote walipigana vita na wafalme, wakashinda. Walitenda mambo adili, wakapokea yale aliyoahidi Mungu. Walifunga vinywa vya simba,

³⁴quenched the power of fire, escaped the mouth of the sword, were made powerful out of infirmities, became strong in battle, caused to give way camps of the aliens.

³⁴Walizima mioto mikali, waliepuka kuuawa kwa upanga. Walikuwa dhaifu lakini walipata nguvu. Walikuwa hodari katika vita wakashinda majeshi ya kigeni.

³⁵Women received by a rising again their dead, and others were tortured, not accepting the redemption, that a better rising again they might receive,

³⁵Na, wanawake walioamini walirudishiwa wafu wao wakiwa wamefufuliwa. Baadhi yao walikataa kufunguliwa, wakateswa mpaka kufa ili wapate kufufuliwa na kuingia katika maisha bora zaidi.

³⁶and others of mockings and scourgings did receive trial, and yet of bonds and imprisonment;

³⁶Wengine walidhihakiwa na kupigwa mijeledi, na wengine walifungwa minyororo na kutupwa gerezani.

³⁷they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tried; in the killing of the sword they died; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins — being destitute, afflicted, injuriously treated,

³⁷Walipigwa mawe, walipasuliwa vipandevipande, waliuawa kwa upanga. Walizungukazunguka wakiwa wamevaa ngozi za kondoo na ngozi za mbuzi, walikuwa watu maskini, walioteswa na kudhulumiwa.

³⁸of whom the world was not worthy; in deserts wandering, and [in] mountains, and [in] caves, and [in] the holes of the earth;

³⁸Ulimwengu haukustahili kuwa na watu hao. Walitangatanga jangwani na mlimani, wakaishi katika mashimo na mapango ya ardhi.

³⁹and these all, having been testified to through the faith, did not receive the promise,

³⁹Watu hawa wote walionekana kuwa mashujaa kwa sababu ya imani yao. Hata hivyo, hawakupokea yale ambayo Mungu aliwaahidia,

⁴⁰God for us something better having provided, that apart from us they might not be made perfect.

⁴⁰maana Mungu alikuwa ameazimia mpango ulio bora zaidi kwa ajili yetu; yaani wao wangeufikia ukamilifu wakiwa pamoja nasi.