1 Corinthians 4
1 Let a man so account us, as servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Mtu na atuone sisi kuwa ni watumishi wa Kristo tuliokabidhiwa siri za mungu.
2 Here moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
Kinachotakiwa kwa yeyote yule aliyekabidhiwa kazi ni kuwa mwaminifu.
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by a human tribunal; nay, I do not even judge myself;
Kwangu mimi si kitu nikihukumiwa na ninyi, au na mahakama ya kibinadamu; wala sijihukumu.
4 for though I am conscious to myself of nothing wrong, yet not by this am I cleared of blame; but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
Dhamiri yangu hainishtaki kwa jambo lolote, lakini hiyo haionyeshi kwamba sina lawama. Bwana ndiye anayenihukumu.
5 So then judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the purposes of men's hearts; and then shall every one have his praise from God.
Basi, msihukumu kabla ya wakati wake acheni mpaka Bwana atakapokuja. Yeye atayafichua mambo ya giza yaliyofichika, na kuonyesha wazi nia za mioyo ya watu. Ndipo kila mmoja atapata sifa anayostahili kutoka kwa Mungu.
6 And these things, brethren, I have transferred in a figure to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us ye may learn not to go beyond what is written, that no one of you may pride himself in one against another.
Ndugu, hayo yote niliyosema juu ya Apolo na juu yangu, ni kielelezo kwenu: kutokana na mfano wangu mimi na Apolo nataka mwelewe maana ya msemo huu: “Zingatieni yaliyoandikwa.” Kati yenu pasiwe na mtu yeyote anayejivunia mtu mmoja na kumdharau mwingine.
7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? But if thou didst receive it, why dost thou boast, as if thou hadst not received it?
Nani amekupendelea wewe? Una kitu gani wewe ambacho hukupewa? Na ikiwa umepewa, ya nini kujivunia kana kwamba hukukipewa?
8 Already ye are full; already ye are rich; without us ye have become kings; and I would indeed ye were kings, that we also might reign with you.
Haya, mmekwisha shiba! Mmekwisha kuwa matajiri! Mmekuwa wafalme bila ya sisi! Naam, laiti mngekuwa kweli watawala, ili nasi pia tuweze kutawala pamoja nanyi.
9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles as lowest, as men sentenced to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.
Nafikiri Mungu ametufanya sisi mitume tuwe watu wa mwisho kabisa, kama watu waliohukumiwa kuuawa, maana tumekuwa tamasha mbele ya ulimwengu wote, mbele ya malaika na watu.
10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are in honor, but we are despised.
Sisi ni wapumbavu kwa ajili ya Kristo, lakini ninyi ni wenye busara katika kuungana na Kristo! Sisi ni dhaifu, ninyi ni wenye nguvu. Ninyi mnaheshimika, sisi tunadharauliwa.
11 Even to this very hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place,
Mpaka dakika hii, sisi tuna njaa na kiu, hatuna nguo, twapigwa makofi, hatuna malazi.
12 and labor, working with our own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure it;
Tena twataabika na kufanya kazi kwa mikono yetu wenyewe. Tukitukanwa, tunawatakia baraka; tukidhulumiwa, tunavumilia;
13 being slandered, we exhort; we have become as the filth of the world, the off-scouring of all things until now.
tukisingiziwa, tunajibu kwa adabu. Mpaka sasa tumetendewa kama uchafu wa dunia; na kwa kila mtu sisi ni takataka!
14 I write not these things to shame you, but I am warning you as my beloved children.
Siandiki mambo haya kwa ajili ya kuwaaibisha ninyi, bali kwa ajili ya kuwafundisheni watoto wangu wapenzi.
15 For though ye have ten thousand teachers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begot you through the gospel.
Maana hata kama mnao maelfu ya walezi katika maisha yenu ya Kikristo, baba yenu ni mmoja tu, kwani katika maisha ya Kikristo mimi ndiye niliyewazaeni kwa kuihubiri Habari Njema.
16 I exhort you therefore, be ye imitators of me.
Kwa hiyo, nawasihi: fuateni mfano wangu.
17 For this end I sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved child, and faithful in the Lord, who will put you in mind of my ways in Christ, according as I teach everywhere in every church.
Ndiyo maana nimemtuma Timetheo kwenu. Yeye ni mtoto wangu mpenzi na mwaminifu katika Bwana. Atawakumbusheni njia ninayofuata katika kuishi maisha ya Kikristo; njia ninayofundisha kila mahali katika makanisa yote.
18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.
Baadhi yenu wameanza kuwa na majivuno wakidhani kwamba sitakuja tena kwenu.
19 But I shall come to you shortly, if it be the Lord's will, and will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power;
Lakini, Bwana akipenda, nitakuja kwenu upesi; na hapo ndipo nitakapojionea mwenyewe, sio tu kile wanachoweza kusema hao wenye majivuno, bali pia kila wanachoweza kufanya.
20 for the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
Maana Utawala wa Mungu si shauri la maneno matupu, bali ni nguvu.
21 What will ye? Am I to come to you with a rod, or in love, and the spirit of mildness?
Mnapendelea lipi? Nije kwenu na fimbo, ama nije na moyo wa upendo na upole?
