¹For this Melchisedec, King of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from smiting 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 Abraham gave also the tenth portion of all; first being interpreted King of righteousness, and then 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 genealogy; having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but assimilated to the Son of God, abides 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 [personage] was, to whom [even] the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth out of the spoils.

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

⁵And they indeed from among the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have commandment to take tithes from the people according to the law, that is from their brethren, though these are 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 who has no genealogy from them has tithed Abraham, and blessed him who 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.

⁷But beyond all gainsaying, the inferior is blessed by the better.

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

⁸And here dying men receive tithes; but there [one] of whom the witness is that he lives;

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

⁹and, so to speak, through Abraham, Levi also, who received tithes, has been made to pay tithes.

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 indeed then perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, for the people had their law given to them in connexion with *it*, what need [was there] still that a different priest should arise according to the order of Melchisedec, and not be named 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 takes place of necessity a change of law also.

¹²Maana ukuhani ukibadilika ni lazima Sheria nayo ibadilike.

¹³For he, of whom these things are said, belongs to a different tribe, of which no one has [ever] been attached to the service of 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 clear that our Lord has sprung out of Juda, as to which tribe Moses spake nothing as to priests.

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

¹⁵And it is yet more abundantly evident, since a different priest arises according to the similitude of Melchisedec,

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

¹⁶who has been constituted not according to law of fleshly commandment, but according to power of indissoluble life.

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

¹⁷For it is borne witness, *Thou* art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedec.

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

¹⁸For there is a setting aside of the commandment going before for its weakness and unprofitableness,

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

¹⁹(for the law perfected nothing,) and the introduction of a better hope by which we draw nigh to God.

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

²⁰And by how much [it was] not without the swearing of an oath;

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

²¹(for they are become priests without the swearing of an oath, but he with the swearing of an oath, by him who said, as to him, The Lord has sworn, and will not repent [of it], *Thou* [art] priest for ever [according to 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 Jesus became surety of a better covenant.

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

²³And they have been many priests, on account of being hindered from continuing by death;

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

²⁴but he, because of his continuing for ever, has the priesthood unchangeable.

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

²⁵Whence also he is able to save completely those who approach by him to God, always living to intercede for them.

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

²⁶For such a high priest became us, holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and become 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 has not day by day need, as the high priests, first to offer up sacrifices for his own sins, then [for] those of the people; for this he did once for all [in] having 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 constitutes men high priests, having infirmity; but the word of the swearing of the oath which [is] after the law, a Son perfected for ever.

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.