1 Abhakorintho 14
1 Uwanze ulugano na tamani tee ekarama zwa rohoni, zaidi tee mpata afumye ulukuwo.
Seek this love earnestly, and strive for spiritual gifts, above all for the gift of preaching.
2 Maana umwahale yayanga kuvahulugha sayanga na bhantu ayanga no Ngolobhe. Afwanaje nomo yahwelewa afwanaje ayanga amambo gagafisishe katika Roho.
The person who, when speaking, uses the gift of ‘tongues’ is speaking, not to people, but to God, for no one understands them; yet in spirit they are speaking of hidden truths.
3 Lelo umwahale yafumya ukuwa, ayanga na bhantu na abhazenje abhapele umwoyo na abhafaliji.
But those who preach are speaking to their fellow men and women words that will build up faith, and give them comfort and encouragement.
4 Umwahale yayanga lugha ahwizenga yoyo, nantele umwahale yafumya ukuwa ashizenga eshibhanza.
Those who, when speaking, use the gift of ‘tongues’ builds up their own faith, while those who preach build up the faith of the church.
5 Eshi etamani aje amwe mwenti myanje lulugha lelo zaidi yego etamani aje mfumyaie ukuwa. Umwahale yafumya ukuwe gosi ashile umwahale yayanga hu lugha (au abhaje uwafafanule), ili aje eshibhanza shipate azengwe.
Now I want you all to speak in ‘tongues,’ but much more I wish that you should preach. A preacher is worth more than one who speaks in ‘tongues,’ unless they interprets their words, so that the faith of the church may be built up.
6 Lelo eshi, kolu ni yilombo bhane nkenenze hwilimwe na ayanje hu lugha, embabhavzwe yenu amwe? Sebwezizwe, esipokuwa eyanga namwe hwidala elye ufunuo, au hwidala elye enjele au ukuwa au hwidala elye isambelezwo.
This being so, friends, what good will I do you, if I come to you and speak in ‘tongues,’ unless my words convey some revelation, or knowledge, or take the form of preaching or teaching?
7 Nkashile evintu vyasevino womo nkashele efilimbi au eshinubi nkashele sezifumya izu zwazili payo, ibhamanyishewele aje huntushi hahahwanga?
Even with inanimate things, such as a flute or a harp, though they produce sounds, yet unless the notes are quite distinct, how can the tune played on the flute or the harp be recognized?
8 Eshi nkashile ebhe endundwe ibhafumya izu lyaselimanyiha ni shanamna wele umntu abhamanye aje muda wele ungwa hwilenganye ungwa hwibho?
If the bugle sounds a doubtful call, who will prepare for battle?
9 Shesho na mwe. Nkamfumye humele izu lyasaliliwazi ni kwa namna wele aelewe yamyanga? Mwabha myanga, na nomo yabhabhelewe.
And so with you; unless, in using the gift of ‘tongues,’ you utter intelligible words, how can what you say be understood? You will be speaking to the winds!
10 Nemo ewasiwasi aje elugha nyinji aziminji munsi, na nemo hata emo yaselinemana.
There are, for instance, a certain number of different languages in the world, and not one of them fails to convey meaning.
11 Antele nkebhe semenye imana eyelugha, ambabhe jenyi hwamwahale mwene yayanga wape yayanga abhabhe jenyi hwiline.
If, however, I do not happen to know the language, I will be a foreigner to those who speak it, and they will be foreigners to me.
12 Shesho na mwe. Afwatanaje mtamani tee alole ahavisye kikisye wa Roho, anzi aje mzidi tee alizenje ibhanza.
And so with you; since you are striving for spiritual gifts, be eager to excel in such as will build up the faith of the church.
13 Eshe, umwahale yayanga hu lugha na alabhe apewe afanule.
Therefore anyone who, when speaking, uses the gift of ‘tongues’ should pray for ability to interpret them.
14 Nkashele nkendabha hu lugha eroho yane elabha lelo enjele zwane sezinamadondo.
If, when praying, I use the gift of ‘tongues,’ my spirit indeed prays, but my mind is a blank.
15 Embombe yenu? Embalabhe huroho yane, antele embalabhe hunjele zwane. Imbatele huroho yane na mbatele hunjele zwane antele.
What, then, is my conclusion? Simply this – I will pray with my spirit, but with my mind as well; I will sing with my spirit, but with my mind as well.
16 Antele nkalombe Ongolobhe huroho mwene yalijenyi abhahweteshewele “Amina” nofumya emwasalipa, wakoti sazimenye zwoyanda?
If you bless God with your spirit only, how can people in the congregation who are without your gift say ‘Amen’ to your thanksgiving? They do not know what you are saying!
17 Antele lyoli awe usalifwa shinza, antele ula uwenje sazengwa.
Your thanksgiving may be excellent, but the other is not helped by it.
18 Ehusalifwa Ungolobhe afwatanaje eyanga hu lugha zaidi yamwene mwenti.
Thank God, I use the gift of ‘tongues’ more than any of you.
19 Lelo mwibhanza ni heri enjanje amanzu ngasanu hunjele zwane ili embamanyezwe abhaje, zaidi eyayanje enongwa kumi elfu hu lugha.
But at a meeting of the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, and so teach others, than ten thousand words when using the gift of ‘tongues.’
20 Nkolo no yilombo bhane, mgajebhe bhana katika asebhe hwenyu. Badala yakwe, mhwa vwanu nembibhi, bhanji neshi abhana abhela. Lelo katika asebhe hwenyu mubhe bhantu bhagosi.
My friends, do not show yourselves children in understanding. In wickedness be infants, but in understanding show yourselves adults.
21 Isibwilwe katika sheria hwabhantu abhe lugha ezwamwao na humalomu agajenyi embayanje na bhantu ebha. Wala antele sebhanza novwe ayanga uGosi.
It is said in the Law – ‘In strange tongues and by the lips of strangers will I speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.’
22 Esho enjango mbonesyo sio hwabhalinalyeteho hwa bhala bha sebhamolyeteho lelo afumye ukuwe mboneseyo hwabhelyeteho elelo hwabhala bhabhali no lyeteho.
Therefore the gift of the ‘tongues’ is intended as a sign, not for those who believe in Christ, but for those who do not, while the gift of preaching is intended as a sign, not for those who do not believe in Christ, but for those who do.
23 Eshi, nkebhe eshibhanza shonti shitangene pandwemo na bhonti bhayanga enjango na unjenyi na bhasebhali nolyeteho bhinjie, je sebhanzayanje aje namna azimu?
So, when the whole church meets, if all present use the gift of ‘tongues,’ and some people who are without the gift, or who are unbelievers, come in, will not they say that you are mad?
24 Lelo nkebhe mwenti mfumya ukuwe yasali nolyeteho au unjenyi winjila abhavutwe nagonti gabhahovwe abhalongwe na gonti gagayangwa.
While, if all those present use the gift of preaching, and an unbeliever, or someone without the gift, comes in, they are convinced of their sinfulness by them all, they are called to account by them all;
25 Esiri ezwe mwoyo wakwe nkazifunuliwa. Amantikeo yakwe, wenzagagwa ahwina mehwinama na hupute Ongolobhe. Wenzaga humweteshe aje Ungolobhe alipamoja namwe.
the secrets of their heart are revealed, and then, throwing themselves on their face, they will worship God, and declare ‘God is indeed among you!’
26 Henu hahafwata eshi nkolo no yilombo bhane? Namtangana pandwemo shila muntu ane Zaburi, ana sembelezwo ane mbonezwo ane njango au afasiri. Bhombi kila hantu ili mlizenje ibhanza.
What do I suggest, then, friends? Whenever you meet for worship, each of you comes, either with a hymn, or a lesson, or a revelation, or the gift of ‘tongues,’ or the interpretation of them; let everything be directed to the building up of faith.
27 Nkashile kila muntu ayanga hunjango, bhabhaje bhabhele au bhatatu na shila mntu shatanilane na umuntu lazima atafasiri haha ya ngwilye.
If any of you use the gift of ‘tongues,’ not more than two, or at the most three, should do so – each speaking in his turn – and someone should interpret them.
28 Lelo nkashile nomo umntu wa tafsiri, basi kila muntu akhale kati mhati mshibhanza. Basi kila muntu ayaje mwene hwa Ngolobhe.
If there is no one able to interpret what is said, they should remain silent at the meeting of the church, and speak to themselves and to God.
29 Na akuwabhabhele au bhatatu bhayanje bhamwa bhatejelezwaje ili bhafasiri shashiyangwilwe.
Of preachers two or three should speak, and the rest should weigh well what is said.
30 Lelo yakheye nkawafunuliwa ijambo katika huduma ulayayangaga apomaje kati.
But, if some revelation is made to another person as he sits there, the first speaker should stop.
31 Afwatanaje shila muntu awezizwe afumye ukuwa amo baada ya wamwao ili aje shila muntu awezwe asambelele na bhonti bhawezwe apati omwoyo.
For you can all preach in turn, so that all may learn some lesson and all receive encouragement.
32 Afatanaje roho eya kuwazili pansi ya bhenyelezi bhabha kuwa.
(The spirit that moves the preachers is within the preachers’ control;
33 Afwanaje Ungolobhe se Ngolobhe uwemabhibhi, bali we amani. Neshe sheli katika amabhanza gonti age bhelyeteho,
for God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.) This custom prevails in all the churches of Christ’s people.
34 Mhwanziwa abhashe bhakhala je kati mwibhanza afwanaje sebhahwanziwa ayanje. Baada yakwe bhawaziwa abhe bhanyekevu neshe esheria seyanga.
At the meetings of the church married women should remain silent, for they are not allowed to speak in public; they should take a subordinate place, as the Law itself directs.
35 Nkashile hahweli hahonti bhatamani asambele, basi bhabhabhoziwaje alume bhabho amwabho afwanaje soni hwa she ayaje mshibhanza.
If they want information on any point, they should ask their husbands about it at home; for it is unbecoming for a married woman to speak at a meeting of the church.
36 Je izu elya Ngolobhe lyafumile hwilimwe? Je libhafishe amwe tu?
What! Did God’s message to the world originate with you? Or did it find its way to none but you?
37 Nkashele omuntu ahwilola aje wakuwe au wa rohoni iwanziwa agamanya amambo gembasimbila agaje ndajizwo ezwa Gosi.
If anyone thinks that he has the gift of preaching or any other spiritual gift, he should recognize that what I am now saying to you is a command from the Lord.
38 Lelo nkasagamenye ega hayaleshi agajetambuliwe.
Anyone who ignores it may be ignored.
39 Esho basi kolo na yilombo bhane, anzi tee afumye ukuwa wala mgaje huzubhile umuntu yoyonti ayanje unjango.
Therefore, my friends, strive for the gift of preaching, and yet do not forbid speaking in ‘tongues.’
40 Lelo amambo gonti gabhombehaje huwinza na hutaratibu.
Let everything be done in a proper and orderly manner.
