¹Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.

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

²For by this, the elders obtained testimony.

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

³By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible.

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, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead, still 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 taken away, so that he wouldn’t see death, and he was not found, because God translated him. For he has had testimony given to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to 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.

⁶Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

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, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, or, reverence prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through 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, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went.

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

⁹By faith, he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling 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 looked for the city which has the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

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

¹¹By faith, even Sarah herself received power to conceive, and she bore a child when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised.

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

¹²Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead.

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.

¹³These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen TR adds “and being convinced of” them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims 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 those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.

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

¹⁵If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return.

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

¹⁶But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

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, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only 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,

¹⁸even he to whom it was said, “In Isaac will your seed be called”; Genesis 21:12

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

¹⁹concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead.

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, even concerning things to come.

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

²¹By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning 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 his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave instructions 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, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

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 grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

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

²⁵choosing rather to share ill treatment with God’s people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time;

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

²⁶accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the 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, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, 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 kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should 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 on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do so, they 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 down, after they had 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 prostitute, didn’t perish with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace.

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

³²What more shall I say? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets;

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

³³who, through faith subdued kingdoms, worked out righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Daniel 6:22-23

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, Daniel 3:1-30 escaped the edge of the sword, 1 Kings 19:1-3; 2 Kings 6:31-7:20 from weakness were made strong, grew mighty in war, and caused foreign armies to flee.

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

³⁵Women received their dead by resurrection. 1 Kings 17:17-23; 2 Kings 4:32-37 Others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain 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.

³⁶Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment.

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

³⁷They were stoned. 2 Chronicles 24:20-21 They were sawn apart. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword. Jeremiah 26:20-23; 1 Kings 19:10 They went around in sheep skins and in goat skins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-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, mountains, caves, and the holes of the earth.

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

³⁹These all, having had testimony given to them through their faith, didn’t receive the promise,

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

⁴⁰God having provided some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

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