1 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
Enyi wanaume, ndugu zangu na baba zangu, nisikilizeni, nikijitetea mbele yenu sasa.
2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
Waliposikia kwamba anasema nao kwa lugha ya Kiebrania wakazidi kunyamaza; akasema,
3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
Mimi ni mtu wa Kiyahudi, nalizaliwa Tarso, mji wa Kilikia, ila nililelewa katika mji huu, miguuni pa Gamalieli, nikafundishwa sheria ya baba zetu kwa usahihi, nikawa mtu wa jitihadi kwa Mungu kama ninyi nyote mlivyo leo hivi;
4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
nikawaudhi watu wa Njia hii hata kuwaua, nikawafunga, nikiwatia gerezani, wanaume na wanawake.
5 As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
Kama Kuhani Mkuu naye anishuhudiavyo, na wazee wa baraza wote pia, ambao nalipokea barua kwao kuwapelekea ndugu wale, nikaenda Dameski, ili niwalete wale waliokuwa huko hata Yerusalemu, hali wamefungwa, ili waadhibiwe.
6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
Ikawa nilipokuwa nikisafiri, nikikaribia Dameski, wakati wa adhuhuri, ghafula nuru kuu ilitoka mbinguni, ikanimulikia pande zote.
7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Nikaanguka nchi, nikasikia sauti ikiniambia, Sauli, Sauli, mbona unaniudhi?
8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
Nikajibu, Wewe u nani, Bwana? Akaniambia, Mimi ni Yesu Mnazareti, ambaye wewe unaniudhi.
9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
Na wale waliokuwa pamoja nami waliiona ile nuru, lakini hawakuisikia ile sauti ya yule aliyesema nami.
10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
Nikasema, Nifanye nini, Bwana? Bwana akaniambia, Simama, uingie Dameski, na huko utaambiwa habari za mambo yote yaliyoamriwa uyafanye.
11 And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
Na nilipokuwa sioni kwa sababu ya fahari ya nuru ile, nikaongozwa na mikono yao waliokuwa pamoja nami, nikaingia Dameski.
12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there ,
Basi mtu mmoja, Anania, mtauwa kwa kuifuata sheria, aliyeshuhudiwa wema na Wayahudi wote waliokaa huko,
13 came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
Akanijia, akasimama karibu nami, akaniambia, Ndugu yangu Sauli, uone. Nikamwinulia macho yangu saa ile ile.
14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
Akasema, Mungu wa baba zetu amekuchagua wewe upate kujua mapenzi yake, na kumwona yule Mwenye haki, na kuisikia sauti itokayo katika kinywa chake.
15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
Kwa maana utakuwa shahidi wake kwa watu wote, wa mambo hayo uliyoyaona na kuyasikia.
16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Basi sasa, unakawilia nini? Simama, ubatizwe, ukaoshe dhambi zako, ukiliitia jina lake.
17 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
Ikawa nilipokwisha kurudi Yerusalemu, nilipokuwa nikisali ndani ya hekalu, nikawa hali ya kuzimia roho,
18 and saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
nikamwona, naye akiniambia, Hima, utoke Yerusalemu upesi, kwa sababu hawatakubali ushuhuda wako katika habari zangu.
19 And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
Nami nikasema, Bwana, wanajua hao ya kuwa mimi nalikuwa nikiwafunga gerezani wale wanaokuamini na kuwapiga katika kila sinagogi.
20 and when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
Na damu ya Stefano shahidi wako ilipomwagwa, mimi nami nilikuwa nikisimama karibu, nikikubali, na kuzitunza nguo zao waliomwua.
21 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
Naye akaniambia, Enenda zako; kwa kuwa mimi nitakutuma uende mbali kwa watu wa Mataifa.
22 And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
Wakamsikiliza mpaka neno lile, wakapaza sauti zao, wakisema, Mwondoe huyu katika nchi, kwa maana haifai aishi.
23 And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
Walipokuwa wakipiga kelele na kutupa mavazi yao na kurusha-rusha mavumbi juu,
24 the chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
yule jemadari akaamuru aletwe ndani ya ngome, akisema aulizwe habari zake kwa kupigwa mijeledi, ili ajue sababu hata wakampigia kelele namna hii.
25 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
Hata walipokwisha kumfunga kwa kamba, Paulo akamwambia yule akida aliyesimama karibu, Je! Ni halali ninyi kumpiga mtu aliye Mrumi naye hajakuhumiwa bado?
26 When the centurion heard that , he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
Yule akida aliposikia, akaenda akamwarifu yule jemadari, akisema, Unataka kufanya nini? Kwa maana mtu huyu ni Mrumi.
27 Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
Jemadari akaja, akamwuliza, Niambie, u Mrumi? Akasema, Ndiyo.
28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
Jemadari akajibu, Mimi nalipata wenyeji huu kwa mali nyingi. Paulo akasema, Na mimi ni Mrumi wa kuzaliwa.
29 Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
Basi wale waliokuwa tayari kumwuliza wakaondoka wakamwacha. Na yule jemadari naye akaogopa, alipojua ya kuwa ni Mrumi, na kwa sababu amemfunga.
Before the Sanhedrin
30 On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.
Siku ya pili yake akitaka kujua hakika, ni kwa sababu gani ameshitakiwa na Wayahudi, akamfungua, akawaamuru wakuu wa makuhani na baraza yote wakutane. Akamleta Paulo chini, akamweka mbele yao.
