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.
Mimi Paulo, mwenyewe nawasihi kwa unyenyekevu na upole wa Kristo. Mimi ni mpole wakati nikiwa mbele yenu, Lakini ninaujasiri kwenu wakati 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 ninyi kwamba, wakati nikiwepo pamoja nanyi, sitahitaji kuwa jasiri na kujiamini kwangu mwenyewe. Lakini nafikiri nitahitaji kuwa jasiri wakati nikiwapinga wale wanaodhani kwamba tunaishi kwa jinsi ya mwili.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh;
Kwa kuwa hata kama tunatembea katika mwili, hatupigani vita kwa jinsi ya mwili.
4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty in God for the tearing down of strongholds,
Kwa kuwa silaha tunazotumia kupigana si za kimwili. Badala yake, zina nguvu ya kiungu ya kuharibu ngome. Zinaondosha kabisa mijadara inayopotosha.
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;
Pia, tunaharibu kila chenye mamlaka kijiinuacho dhidi ya maarifa ya Mungu. Tunalifanya mateka kila wazo katika utii kwa Kristo.
6 and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience will be made full.
Na tunapata utayari wa kuadhibu kila matendo lisilo na utii, mara tu utii wenu unapokuwa kamili.
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.
Tazama kile kilichowazi mbele yenu. Kama yeyote anashawishika kwamba yeye ni wa Kristo, na hebu ajikumbushe yeye mwenyewe kwamba kama tu alivyo ni wa Kristo, hivyo ndiyo na sisi pia tuko hivyo.
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,
Kwa kuwa hata nikijivuna kidogo zaidi kuhusu mamlaka yetu, ambayo Bwana aliyatoa kwa ajili yetu kuwajenga ninyi na siyo kuwaharibu, sitaona haya.
9 that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.
Sihitaji hili lionekane kwamba nawatisha ninyi 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 vile baadhi ya watu husema, “Nyaraka zake ni kali na zina nguvu, lakini kimwili yeye ni dhaifu. Maneno yake hayastahili kusikilizwa.”
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.
Hebu watu wa jinsi hiyo waelewe kwamba kile tusemacho kwa waraka wakati tukiwa mbali, ni sawasawa na vile tutakavyotenda wakati tukiwa pale.
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.
Hatuendi mbali mno kama kujikusanya wenyewe au kujilinganisha wenyewe na wale ambao hujisifia wenyewe. Lakini wanapojipima wenyewe na kila mmoja wao, hawana akili.
13 But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but within the boundaries with which God appointed to us, which reach even to you.
Sisi, hata hivyo, hatutajivuna kupita mipaka. Badala yake, tutafanya hivyo tu ndani ya mipaka ambayo Mungu ametupimia sisi, mipaka inayofika umbali kama wenu ulivyo.
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 kuwa hatukujizidishia wenyewe tulipowafikia ninyi. Tulikuwa wa kwanza kufika kwa umbali kama wenu kwa 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,
Hatujajivuna kupita mipaka kuhusu kazi za wengine. Badala yake, tunatumaini kama imani yenu ikuwavyo kwamba eneo letu la kazi litapanuliwa sana, na bado ni ndani ya mipaka sahihi.
16 so as to preach the Good News even to the regions beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done.
Tunatumaini kwa hili, ili kwamba tuweze kuhubiri injili hata kwenye mikoa zaidi yenu. Hatutajivuna kuhusu kazi inayofanywa katika maeneo mengine.
17 But "he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord."
“Lakini yeyote ajivunaye, ajivune katika Bwana.”
18 For it is not he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
Kwa maana siyo yule ajithibitishaye mwenyewe anathibitishwa. Isipokuwa, ni yule ambaye Bwana humthibitisha.
