¹Now faith is [the] substantiating of things hoped for, [the] conviction of things not seen.

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

²For in [the power of] this the elders have obtained testimony.

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

³By faith we apprehend that the worlds were framed by [the] word of God, so that that which is seen should not take its origin from things which appear.

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

⁴By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained testimony of being righteous, God bearing testimony to his gifts, and by it, having died, he yet speaks.

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 that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him; for before [his] translation he has the testimony that he had pleased God.

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.

⁶But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]. For he that draws near to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them who seek him out.

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, oracularly warned concerning things not yet seen, moved with fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which [is] according to faith.

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, obeyed to go out into the place which he was to receive for an inheritance, and went out, not knowing where he was going.

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

⁹By faith he sojourned as a stranger in the land of promise as a foreign country, having dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with [him] 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 waited for the city which has foundations, of which God is [the] artificer and constructor.

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

¹¹By faith also Sarah herself received strength for [the] conception of seed, and [that] beyond a seasonable age; since she counted him faithful who promised.

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

¹²Wherefore also there have been born of one, and that of one become dead, even as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the countless sand which [is] by the sea shore.

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.

¹³All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them from afar off and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and sojourners on 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 they who say such things shew clearly that they seek [their] country.

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

¹⁵And if they had called to mind that from whence they went out, they had had opportunity to have returned;

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

¹⁶but now they seek a better, that is, a heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he has prepared 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, [when] tried, offered up Isaac, and he who had received to himself the promises offered up his only begotten [son],

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,

¹⁸as to whom it had been said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called:

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

¹⁹counting that God [was] able to raise [him] even from among [the] dead, whence also he received him in a figure.

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

²⁰By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

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

²¹By faith Jacob [when] dying blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshipped on 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 [when] dying called to mind the going forth of the sons of Israel, and gave commandment concerning his bones.

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, being born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw the child beautiful; and they did not fear the injunction 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, when he had become great, refused to be called son of Pharaoh's daughter;

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

²⁵choosing rather to suffer affliction along with the people of God than to have [the] temporary pleasure of sin;

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

²⁶esteeming the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he had respect to the recompense.

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, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he persevered, as seeing him who is invisible.

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 celebrated the passover and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn 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 passed through the Red sea as through dry land; of which the Egyptians having made trial 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 fell, having been encircled 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 along with the unbelieving, having received the spies in peace.

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

³²And what more do I say? For the time would fail me telling of Gideon, and Barak, and Samson, and Jephthah, and David and Samuel, and of the prophets:

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

³³who by faith overcame kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped lions' mouths,

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] edge of the sword, became strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, made [the] armies of strangers give way.

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

³⁵Women received their dead again by resurrection; and others were tortured, not having accepted deliverance, that they might get a better resurrection;

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 underwent trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, and of bonds and imprisonment.

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

³⁷They were stoned, were sawn asunder, were tempted, died by the death of the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, evil treated,

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

³⁸(of whom the world was not worthy,) wandering in deserts and mountains, and [in] dens and caverns of the earth.

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

³⁹And these all, having obtained witness through 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 having foreseen some better thing for us, that they should not be made perfect without us.

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