1 Corinthians 4
1 Let men look upon us as Christ’s servants, and as stewards of the hidden truths of God.
lokA asmAn khrIShTasya parichArakAn Ishvarasya nigUThavAkyadhanasyAdhyakShAMshcha manyantAM|
2 Now what we look for in stewards is that they should be trustworthy.
ki ncha dhanAdhyakSheNa vishvasanIyena bhavitavyametadeva lokai ryAchyate|
3 But it weighs very little with me that I am judged by you or by any human tribunal. No, I do not even judge myself;
ato vichArayadbhi ryuShmAbhiranyaiH kaishchin manujai rvA mama parIkShaNaM mayAtIva laghu manyate. ahamapyAtmAnaM na vichArayAmi|
4 for, though I am conscious of nothing against myself, that does not prove me innocent. It is the Lord who is my judge.
mayA kimapyaparAddhamityahaM na vedmi kintvetena mama niraparAdhatvaM na nishchIyate prabhureva mama vichArayitAsti|
5 Therefore do not pass judgment before the time, but wait till the Lord comes. He will throw light upon what is now dark and obscure, and will reveal the motives in men’s minds; and then every one will receive due praise from God.
ata upayuktasamayAt pUrvvam arthataH prabhorAgamanAt pUrvvaM yuShmAbhi rvichAro na kriyatAM| prabhurAgatya timireNa prachChannAni sarvvANi dIpayiShyati manasAM mantraNAshcha prakAshayiShyati tasmin samaya IshvarAd ekaikasya prashaMsA bhaviShyati|
6 All this, Brothers, I have, for your sakes, applied to Apollos and myself, so that, from our example, you may learn to observe the precept — ‘Keep to what is written,’ that none of you may speak boastfully of one teacher to the disparagement of another.
he bhrAtaraH sarvvANyetAni mayAtmAnam Apallava nchoddishya kathitAni tasyaitat kAraNaM yuyaM yathA shAstrIyavidhimatikramya mAnavam atIva nAdariShyadhba Ittha nchaikena vaiparItyAd apareNa na shlAghiShyadhba etAdR^ishIM shikShAmAvayordR^iShTAntAt lapsyadhve|
7 For who makes any one of you superior to others? And what have you that was not given you? But if you received it as a gift, why do you boast as if you had not?
aparAt kastvAM visheShayati? tubhyaM yanna datta tAdR^ishaM kiM dhArayasi? adatteneva dattena vastunA kutaH shlAghase?
8 Are you all so soon satisfied? Are you so soon rich? Have you begun to reign without us? Would indeed that you had, so that we also might reign with you!
idAnImeva yUyaM kiM tR^iptA labdhadhanA vA? asmAsvavidyamAneShu yUyaM kiM rAjatvapadaM prAptAH? yuShmAkaM rAjatvaM mayAbhilaShitaM yatastena yuShmAbhiH saha vayamapi rAjyAMshino bhaviShyAmaH|
9 For, as it seems to me, God has exhibited us, the Apostles, last of all, as men doomed to death. We are made a spectacle to the universe, both to angels and to men!
preritA vayaM sheShA hantavyAshcheveshvareNa nidarshitAH| yato vayaM sarvvalokAnAm arthataH svargIyadUtAnAM mAnavAnA ncha kautukAspadAni jAtAH|
10 We, for Christ’s sake, are ‘fools,’ but you, by your union with Christ, are men of discernment. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honoured, but we are despised.
khrIShTasya kR^ite vayaM mUDhAH kintu yUyaM khrIShTena j nAninaH, vayaM durbbalA yUya ncha sabalAH, yUyaM sammAnitA vaya nchApamAnitAH|
11 To this very hour we go hungry, thirsty, and naked; we are beaten; we are homeless;
vayamadyApi kShudhArttAstR^iShNArttA vastrahInAstADitA AshramarahitAshcha santaH
12 we work hard, toiling with our own hands. We meet abuse with blessings, we meet persecution with endurance,
karmmaNi svakarAn vyApArayantashcha duHkhaiH kAlaM yApayAmaH| garhitairasmAbhirAshIH kathyate dUrIkR^itaiH sahyate ninditaiH prasAdyate|
13 we meet slander with gentle appeals. We have been treated as the scum of the earth, the vilest of the vile, to this very hour.
vayamadyApi jagataH sammArjanIyogyA avakarA iva sarvvai rmanyAmahe|
14 It is with no wish to shame you that I am writing like this; but to warn you as my own dear children.
yuShmAn trapayitumahametAni likhAmIti nahi kintu priyAtmajAniva yuShmAn prabodhayAmi|
15 Though you may have thousands of instructors in the Faith of Christ, yet you have not many fathers. It was I who, through union with Christ Jesus, became your father by means of the Good News.
yataH khrIShTadharmme yadyapi yuShmAkaM dashasahasrANi vinetAro bhavanti tathApi bahavo janakA na bhavanti yato. ahameva susaMvAdena yIshukhrIShTe yuShmAn ajanayaM|
16 Therefore I entreat you — Follow my example.
ato yuShmAn vinaye. ahaM yUyaM madanugAmino bhavata|
17 This is my reason for sending Timothy to you. He is my own dear faithful child in the Master’s service, and he will remind you of my methods of teaching the Faith of Christ Jesus — methods which I follow everywhere in every Church.
ityarthaM sarvveShu dharmmasamAjeShu sarvvatra khrIShTadharmmayogyA ye vidhayo mayopadishyante tAn yo yuShmAn smArayiShyatyevambhUtaM prabhoH kR^ite priyaM vishvAsina ncha madIyatanayaM tImathiyaM yuShmAkaM samIpaM preShitavAnahaM|
18 Some, I hear, are puffed up with pride, thinking that I am not coming to you.
aparamahaM yuShmAkaM samIpaM na gamiShyAmIti buddhvA yuShmAkaM kiyanto lokA garvvanti|
19 But come to you I will, and that soon, if it please the Lord; and then I shall find out, not what words these men use who are so puffed up, but what power they possess;
kintu yadi prabherichChA bhavati tarhyahamavilambaM yuShmatsamIpamupasthAya teShAM darpadhmAtAnAM lokAnAM vAchaM j nAsyAmIti nahi sAmarthyameva j nAsyAmi|
20 for the Kingdom of God is based, not on words, but on power.
yasmAdIshvarasya rAjatvaM vAgyuktaM nahi kintu sAmarthyayuktaM|
21 What do you wish? Am I to come to you with a rod, or in a loving and gentle spirit?
yuShmAkaM kA vA nChA? yuShmatsamIpe mayA kiM daNDapANinA gantavyamuta premanamratAtmayuktena vA?
