2 Corinthians 10
1 Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ; I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you.
Basi, mimi Paulo ninawasihi kwa unyenyekevu na upole wa Kristo, mimi niliye “mwoga” ninapokuwa pamoja nanyi ana kwa ana, lakini mwenye ujasiri nikiwa mbali nanyi!
2 But I implore you that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence with which I intend on showing against some, who consider us to be walking according to the flesh.
Nawaomba nitakapokuja kwenu nisiwe na ujasiri dhidi ya watu fulani, kama ninavyotazamia kwa wale wanaodhani kwamba tunaishi kwa kufuata namna ya ulimwengu huu.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh;
Ingawa tunaishi duniani, hatupigani vita kama ulimwengu ufanyavyo.
4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty in God for the tearing down of strongholds,
Silaha za vita vyetu si za mwili, bali zina uwezo katika Mungu hata kuangusha ngome,
5 throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;
tukiangusha mawazo na kila kitu kilichoinuka, kijiinuacho juu ya elimu ya Mungu, na tukiteka nyara kila fikira ipate kumtii Kristo,
6 and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience will be made full.
tena tukiwa tayari kuadhibu kila tendo la kutotii, kutii kwenu kutakapokamilika.
7 Do you look at things only as they appear in front of your face? If anyone trusts in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ's, so also we are Christ's.
Angalieni yale yaliyo machoni penu. Kama mtu yeyote anaamini kuwa yeye ni mali ya Kristo, basi kumbuka kuwa kama ulivyo wa Kristo, vivyo hivyo na sisi ndivyo tulivyo.
8 For though I should boast somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down) I will not be disappointed,
Basi hata kama nikijisifu zaidi kidogo kuhusu mamlaka tuliyo nayo, ambayo Bwana alitupa ili kuwajenga wala si kuwabomoa, mimi sitaionea haya.
9 that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.
Sitaki nionekane kama ninayejaribu kuwatisha kwa nyaraka zangu.
10 For, "His letters," they say, "are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised."
Kwa maana wanasema, “Nyaraka zake ni nzito na zenye nguvu, lakini ana kwa ana ni dhaifu na kuzungumza kwake ni kwa kudharauliwa.”
11 Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present.
Watu kama hao wajue ya kuwa, yale tusemayo kwa barua tukiwa hatupo pamoja nanyi, ndivyo tulivyo na ndivyo tutakavyofanya tutakapokuwa pamoja nanyi.
12 For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.
Hatuthubutu kujiweka kwenye kundi moja au kujilinganisha na hao wanaojitukuza wenyewe kuwa wao ni wa maana sana. Wanapojipima na kujilinganisha wenyewe kwa wenyewe, wanaonyesha ya kuwa hawana busara.
13 But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but within the boundaries with which God appointed to us, which reach even to you.
Lakini sisi hatujajivuna kupita kiasi, bali majivuno yetu yatakuwa katika mipaka ile Mungu aliyotuwekea, mipaka ambayo inawafikia hata ninyi.
14 For we do not stretch ourselves too much, as though we did not reach to you. For we came even as far as to you with the Good News of Christ,
Kwa maana hatukuwa tunavuka mipaka katika kujisifu kwetu, kama vile ambavyo ingekuwa kama hatukuwa tumekuja kwenu. Kwa maana sisi ndio tuliokuwa wa kwanza kuja kwenu na Injili ya Kristo.
15 not boasting excessively in the work done by others, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be abundantly enlarged by you in our sphere of influence,
Wala hatuvuki mipaka kwa kujisifu kwetu kwa ajili ya kazi iliyofanywa na watu wengine. Tumaini letu ni kwamba imani yenu inavyozidi kukua, eneo letu la utendaji miongoni mwenu litapanuka zaidi,
16 so as to preach the Good News even to the regions beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done.
ili tuweze kuhubiri Injili sehemu zilizo mbali na maeneo yenu. Kwa maana hatutaki kujisifu kwa ajili ya kazi ambayo imekwisha kufanyika tayari katika eneo la mtu mwingine.
17 But "he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord."
Lakini, “Yeye ajisifuye na ajisifu katika Bwana.”
18 For it is not he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
Kwa maana si yeye ajisifuye mwenyewe akubaliwaye, bali yeye ambaye Bwana humsifu.
