1 Akorinitho 14

1 Rũmagĩrĩrai mĩthiĩre ya wendani, na mwĩrirĩrie mũno iheo cia kĩĩroho, na makĩria mwĩriragĩrie kĩheo kĩa ũheani ũhoro wa Ngai.

Hotly pursue this love, yet seek earnestly spiritual gifts, and chiefly that you may prophesy.

2 Nĩgũkorwo mũndũ ũrĩa wothe waragia na rũthiomi-rĩ, ti andũ aaragĩria no nĩ Ngai aaragĩria. Ti-itherũ, gũtirĩ mũndũ ũtaũkagĩrwo nĩ ũrĩa aroiga; no nĩ maũndũ ma hitho aaragia na roho wake.

For he who speaks in a "tongue" speaks not to man but to God, for no one understands him, but in the Spirit he utters secret truths.

3 No mũndũ ũrĩa ũheanaga ũhoro wa Ngai aaragĩria andũ akamekĩra hinya, na akamomĩrĩria, na akamahooreria.

But he who prophesies addresses words to men that build up, encourage, and console.

4 Mũndũ ũrĩa waragia na rũthiomi nĩ we mwene wĩongagĩrĩra hinya, no ũrĩa ũheanaga ũhoro wa Ngai nĩ kanitha ongagĩrĩra hinya.

He who speaks in a tongue upbuilds himself; but he who prophesies upbuilds the church.

5 No nyende inyuothe mwaragie na thiomi, no makĩria ingĩenda inyuothe mũrathage mohoro. Mũndũ ũrĩa ũrathaga ũhoro nĩakĩrĩte ũrĩa waragia na thiomi, tiga no akorirwo nĩegũtaũra thiomi icio, nĩguo kanitha wongererwo hinya.

Now I should like you all to speak with "tongues"; but I should rather that you prophesied, For he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be built up.

6 No rĩu, ariũ na aarĩ a Ithe witũ, ingĩũka kũrĩ inyuĩ na njarie na thiomi-rĩ, ingĩmũguna nakĩ, tiga no ndĩmũreheire ũguũrio, kana ũmenyo, kana ũrathi, o na kana kiugo kĩa ũrutani?

Now brothers, if I should come to you speaking with tongues, what should I benefit you, unless I speak to you some revelation, or knowledge, or prophecy, or teaching?

7 O na ha ũhoro ũkoniĩ indo iria itarĩ muoyo iria igambaga, indo ta mũtũrirũ kana kĩnanda kĩa mũgeeto-rĩ, mũndũ angĩgĩkũũrana atĩa rwĩmbo rũrĩa rũrenda kũinwo, tiga hakorirwo na ngũũrani njega ya mĩgambo?

For if lifeless instruments such as the flute or the harp give no distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is fluted or harped?

8 Ningĩ-rĩ, angĩkorwo karumbeta gatikũruta mũgambo ũgũkũũrĩkana ũrĩa ũkuuga-rĩ, nũũ ũngĩkĩhaarĩria gũthiĩ mbaara-inĩ?

Or, for example, if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, what soldier will be prepared for battle?

9 Ũguo noguo ũhoro wanyu ũtariĩ. Tiga mwaririe na ciugo ikũmenyeka na rũthiomi rwanyu-rĩ, nĩ mũndũ ũrĩkũ ũngĩmenya ũrĩa mũroiga? Mũngĩkorwo o mũkĩarĩria rĩera.

In the same way with you, if you utter unintelligible words with your tongue, how can what you say be understood? You will be speaking to the winds!

10 Ti-itherũ nĩ kũrĩ mĩthemba mĩingĩ ya thiomi gũkũ thĩ, no gũtirĩ rũthiomi o na rũmwe rũtarĩ ũrĩa ruugaga.

There are, let us say, so many languages in the world, and none without its meaning.

11 No angĩkorwo ndingĩmenya ũrĩa mũndũ aroiga-rĩ, niĩ ngĩrĩ mũrũrĩrĩ harĩ mũndũ ũcio ũraaria, nake nĩ mũrũrĩrĩ harĩ niĩ.

If then I do not know the force of expression, I shall seem a barbarian to the one who uses it, and he will seem a barbarian to me.

12 Ũguo noguo o na inyuĩ mũtariĩ. Kuona atĩ nĩmwĩrirĩirie mũno iheo cia kĩĩroho-rĩ, kĩgeragiei kuongerera iheo iria ciakaga kanitha ũkagĩa na hinya.

So also in your case, since you are ambitious for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in them for the upbuilding of the church.

13 Na tondũ ũcio-rĩ, mũndũ ũrĩa waragia na rũthiomi rũgeni nĩahooyage nĩguo ahote gũtaũra ũrĩa aroiga.

So let him who speaks with tongues pray that he may interpret.

14 Nĩ ũndũ-rĩ, ingĩkorwo ndĩrahooya ngĩthiomaga-rĩ, roho wakwa nĩguo ũrahooya, no meciiria makwa matirĩ na maciaro.

For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is barren.

15 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio-rĩ, ngũgĩĩka atĩa? Niĩ ndĩrĩhooyaga Ngai na roho wakwa, na ningĩ hooyage na meciiria makwa; o na kũina ndĩrĩinaga na roho wakwa, na ningĩ nyinage na meciiria makwa o namo.

What then? I will pray with my spirit, and I will pray also with my mind. I will praise God with my spirit, but I will praise him with my mind, also.

16 Ningĩ-rĩ, ũngĩkorwo ũkĩgooca Ngai na roho waku tu-rĩ, mũndũ wa arĩa marĩ gatagatĩ kanyu ũtarataũkĩrwo, angĩkiuga “Ameni” atĩa mahooya-inĩ maku ma gũcookia ngaatho, kuona atĩ ndaramenya ũrĩa ũroiga?

For if you in your spirit bless God, how shall he who fills the place of the unlearned say the Amen to your thanksgiving, when he does not know what you are talking about?

17 No ũkorwo ũgĩcookia ngaatho wega mũno, no mũndũ ũcio ũngĩ ndanongererwo hinya nĩ ũhoro ũcio.

You on the one hand offer a good thanksgiving, but the other is not built up.

18 Nĩngũcookeria Ngai ngaatho nĩgũkorwo niĩ nĩnjaragia na thiomi makĩria manyu inyuothe.

Thank God I speak with tongues more than you all,

19 No kanitha-inĩ-rĩ, nĩ kaba njarie ciugo ithano ndĩramenya wega nĩguo ngĩrute andũ arĩa angĩ ũhoro nacio, gũkĩra njarie ciugo ngiri ikũmi cia gũthioma.

but in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, so as to instruct others, than ten thousand in an unknown tongue.

20 Ariũ na aarĩ a Ithe witũ, tigagai gwĩciiragia ta ciana. Harĩ ũhoro wa maũndũ marĩa mooru-rĩ, tuĩkai tũkenge, no mwĩciirĩrie-inĩ wanyu mũtuĩke andũ agima.

Brothers, do not become children in understanding; be babes in malice, but in understanding become mature men.

21 Thĩinĩ wa Watho nĩ kwandĩkĩtwo atĩrĩ: “Nĩngaarĩria andũ aya na tũnua twa andũ maaragia na thiomi ngʼeni, ndĩmaarĩrie na tũnua twa andũ maaragia na mwarĩrie wa kũngĩ, no o na ndeeka ũguo matikanjigua,”

In the Law it is written. With men of other tongues, and by the lips of strangers, will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.

22 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, kwaria na thiomi nĩ kĩmenyithia kũrĩ andũ arĩa matetĩkĩtie no ti kĩmenyithia kũrĩ arĩa metĩkĩtie; no kũratha ũhoro nĩ kwa arĩa metĩkĩtie, ti kwa arĩa matetĩkĩtie.

So then the gift of tongues is for a sign, not to believers, but to unbelievers; but prophecy is not for unbelievers, but for those who believe.

23 Tondũ ũcio kanitha wothe ũngĩũngana na andũ othe maarie na thiomi-rĩ, na hacooke hatoonye andũ matooĩ ũhoro wa thiomi, kana andũ matetĩkĩtie-rĩ, githĩ matingiuga atĩ mũrĩ agũrũki?

Accordingly, when the whole church assemblies, and everybody is speaking "with tongues," if there enter men unlearned or unbelieving, will they not say that you are mad?

24 No mũndũ ũtarĩ mwĩtĩkia kana mũndũ ũtarĩ mũtaũkĩre nĩ ũhoro ũcio angĩtoonya rĩrĩa andũ othe mararatha mohoro-rĩ, mũndũ ũcio nĩekũiguithio nĩ andũ othe atĩ nĩ mwĩhia na aciirithio nĩo othe,

But if all are prophesying when an unlearned or unbelieving man enters, he is convicted in conscience by your speaker, he feels himself judged by all,

25 na maũndũ marĩa atũire ahithĩte ngoro-inĩ nĩmakoimbũka. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio egũithie thĩ ahooe Ngai, akiugaga atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ Ngai arĩ gatagatĩ-inĩ kanyu!”

and the secret depths of his heart are laid open. So he will fall upon his face and worship God, saying, "Of a truth, God is with you."

26 Tũgũkiuga atĩa, ariũ na aarĩ a Ithe witũ? Rĩrĩa muongana hamwe-rĩ, o mũndũ ahota gũkorwo arĩ na rwĩmbo, kana arĩ na ũndũ arenda kũrutana, kana arĩ na ũndũ aguũrĩirio, kana arĩ na thiomi, kana arĩ na ũtaũri wa thiomi. Maũndũ macio mothe no nginya mekagwo nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩkĩra kanitha hinya.

What follows, then, brothers? Whenever you meet together, each contributes something; a psalm, a sermon, a revelation, a tongue, an interpretation. Let all be done for edification.

27 Angĩkorwo nĩ gũkwario na rũthiomi-rĩ, nĩ kwario nĩ andũ eerĩ, na makĩingĩha atatũ, na o mũndũ aarie riita rĩake, na no nginya hagĩe na mũndũ ũngĩ wa gũtaũra.

If any one speaks in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that in turn, and let some one interpret.

28 Angĩkorwo gũtirĩ mũtaũri-rĩ, mwaria ũcio nĩagĩkire arĩ kũu kanitha-inĩ, na akĩĩarĩrie we mwene, na aarĩrie Ngai.

But if there is no one to interpret, let them keep silence in the church, and speak to themselves and to God.

29 Aheani ũhoro eerĩ kana atatũ magĩrĩirwo maarie, nao andũ arĩa angĩ makũũrane wega ũrĩa kũreerwo.

Let the prophets speak by two or three, and let the others exercise their judgment.

30 Na mũndũ ũikarĩte thĩ ho angĩgĩa na ũguũrio-rĩ, mwaria ũcio wa mbere nĩakire.

But if to one as he sits there some revelation is made, let the first be silent.

31 Nĩgũkorwo inyuothe no mũrathe ũhoro o mũndũ riita rĩake nĩguo andũ othe marutwo maũndũ na momĩrĩrio.

For you can all prophesy one by one; so that all may be learning, and all may be encouraged.

32 Namo maroho ma anabii nĩmathĩkagĩra anabii o ene.

The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets,

33 Nĩgũkorwo Ngai ti Ngai wa kĩrigiicano no nĩ wa thayũ. Ta ũrĩa kũrĩ thĩinĩ wa ciũngano ciothe cia andũ arĩa aamũre,

for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. This custom prevails in all the churches of the saints.

34 atumia magĩrĩirwo nĩgũikaraga makirĩte ki marĩ thĩinĩ wa kanitha. Matiĩtĩkĩrĩtio kwaria, no nĩmaikarage menyiihĩtie, o ta ũrĩa Watho uugĩte.

"In your congregation" you write, "as in all the churches of the saints, let the women keep silence in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak. On the contrary let them be subordinate, as also says the law.

35 Angĩkorwo marĩ na ũndũ mangĩenda kũmenya-rĩ, nĩmoragie athuuri ao ene kwao mũciĩ; nĩgũkorwo nĩ ũndũ ũrĩ thoni atumia kwaragia thĩinĩ wa kanitha.

And if they want to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is shameful for a women to speak in church."

36 Hĩ! Anga kiugo kĩa Ngai kĩambĩrĩirie na inyuĩ? Kana hihi no inyuĩ inyuiki gĩakinyĩire?

What, was it from you that the word of God went forth, or to you only did it come?

37 Mũndũ o na ũ angĩĩciiria atĩ nĩ mũnabii, kana arĩ na iheo cia kĩĩroho-rĩ, nĩagĩtĩkĩre atĩ maũndũ maya ndĩramwandĩkĩra nĩ maũndũ marĩa maathanĩtwo nĩ Mwathani.

If any one thinks himself a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that what I am now writing you is a command of the Lord.

38 No angĩagĩra ũndũ ũcio kĩene-rĩ, o nake we mwene nĩakagĩrwo kĩene.

But if any one disregard it he will be disregarded.

39 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, ariũ na aarĩ a Ithe witũ, mwĩrirĩriei kũrathaga mohoro, na mũtikagiragie ũhoro wa kwaria na thiomi.

So, my brothers, be ambitious for the gift of prophecy, and speak not against the gifts of tongues.

40 No maũndũ mothe nĩmekagwo na mũtaratara ũrĩa wagĩrĩire, na mekagwo na kĩhaarĩro.

Let everything be done decently and in order.