1 Thessalonians 2
1 For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you was not in vain,
Ndugu, ninyi wenyewe mnafahamu kwamba ziara yetu kwenu haikuwa bure.
2 but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict.
Mnajua jinsi tulivyodhulumiwa na kutukanwa kule Filipi kabla ya kufika kwenu Thesalonike. Ingawa kulikuwa na upinzani mwingi, Mungu wetu alitujalia uhodari wa kuwahubirieni Habari Njema yake.
3 For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception.
Jambo tunalosisitiza kwenu si jambo linalotegemea uongo au nia mbaya; wala hatupendi kumdanganya mtu yeyote.
4 But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak; not as pleasing people, but God, who tests our hearts.
Sisi twanena daima kama atakavyo Mungu kwani yeye alituona kwamba tunafaa, akatukabidhi hii Habari Njema. Si nia yetu kuwapendeza watu hata kidogo, bali twataka kumpendeza Mungu ambaye anajua mioyo yetu mpaka ndani.
5 For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed (God is witness),
Ninyi mnajua kwamba sisi hatukuja kwenu na maneno matamu ya kubembeleza wala hatukutumia maneno ya kijanja ya kuficha ubinafsi fulani; Mungu ni shahidi!
6 nor seeking glory from people (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ.
Hatukutafuta sifa kutoka kwa watu, wala kutoka kwenu, wala kutoka kwa mtu yeyote,
7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.
ingawa sisi tukiwa mitume wa Kristo, tungeweza kudai mambo fulani kwenu. Lakini sisi tulikuwa Wapole kati yenu kama alivyo mama kwa watoto wake.
8 Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.
Tuliwapenda ninyi sana hata tukawa tayari kuwashirikisha si tu Habari Njema ya Mungu, bali pia na maisha yetu. Ndivyo mlivyokuwa wapenzi wetu!
9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God.
Ndugu, mnakumbuka jinsi tulivyofanya kazi na kutaabika. Tulipowaleteeni Habari Njema ya Mungu tulifanya kazi mchana na usiku kusudi tusiwe mzigo kwa mtu yeyote miongoni mwenu.
10 You are witnesses with God, how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe.
Ninyi mnaweza kushuhudia, na Mungu pia ni shahidi, jinsi mwenendo wetu kati yenu ninyi mnaoamini ulivyokuwa mzuri, mwadilifu na usio na lawama.
11 As you know, as a father with his own children,
Mnajua kwamba sisi tulimtendea kila mmoja wenu kama vile baba anavyowatendea watoto wake mwenyewe.
12 we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you to lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
Tuliwapeni moyo, tuliwafarijini na kuwahimiza ili mpate kuishi maisha yampendezayo Mungu ambaye aliwaiteni mshiriki Utawala na utukufu wake.
13 For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as a human word, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.
Tena tunayo sababu nyingine ya kumshukuru Mungu: tulipowaleteeni ujumbe wa Mungu, ninyi mliusikia mkaupokea, si kama vile ujumbe wa binadamu, bali kama ujumbe wa Mungu, na kweli ndivyo ulivyo. Maana Mungu anafanya kazi ndani yenu ninyi mnaoamini.
14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Judeans;
Ndugu, ninyi mmepatwa na mambo yaleyale yaliyoyapata makanisa ya Mungu kule Yudea, mambo yaliyowapata watu walio wake Kristo Yesu. Ninyi mlidhulumiwa na wananchi wenzenu kama vile wao walivyodhulumiwa na wenzao Wayahudi,
15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and did not please God, and are hostile to all people;
ambao walimuua Bwana Yesu na manabii, wakatutesa na sisi pia. Watu hao wanamchukiza Mungu, tena ni adui za kila mtu!
16 forbidding us to speak to those who are not Jewish that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always. But wrath has come on them to the uttermost.
Hata walijaribu kutuzuia kuwahubiria watu wa mataifa mengine ujumbe utakaowaletea wokovu. Ndivyo walivyokamilisha orodha ya dhambi zote walizotenda siku zote. Lakini sasa hasira ya Mungu imewaangukia.
17 But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see your face with great desire,
Ndugu, kuachana kwetu nanyi kulikuwa kwa muda tu, tena kuachana huko kulikuwa kwa mwili tu na si kwa roho. Kitambo kifupi baadaye, tulishikwa na hamu kubwa ya kuwaoneni tena!
18 because we wanted to come to you—indeed, I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us.
Kwa hiyo tuliamua kuwatembeleeni tena. Nami, Paulo, nilijaribu kuja kwenu zaidi ya mara moja, lakini Shetani alituzuia.
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you, before our Lord Jesus at his coming?
Je, tutakaposimama mbele ya Bwana Yesu wakati atakapokuja, fahari ya ushindi wetu itakuwa nini? Itakuwa ni ninyi wenyewe; ninyi ndio tumaini letu na furaha yetu.
20 For you are our glory and our joy.
Naam, ninyi ni utukufu wetu na furaha yetu!
