1 Wakorintho 4
1 Basi, watu na watuhesabu sisi kuwa tu watumishi wa Kristo na mawakili wa siri za Mungu.
So let a man think of us as Christ’s servants and stewards of God’s mysteries.
2 Tena, litakiwalo ni mawakili waonekane kuwa waaminifu.
Here, moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
3 Lakini kwangu mimi ni jambo dogo sana kwamba nihukumiwe na ninyi au na mahakama yoyote ya kibinadamu. Naam, hata mimi mwenyewe sijihukumu.
But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by a human court. Yes, I do not even judge my own self.
4 Dhamiri yangu ni safi, lakini hilo halinihesabii kuwa asiye na hatia. Bwana ndiye anihukumuye.
For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.
5 Kwa hiyo msihukumu jambo lolote kabla ya wakati wake. Ngojeni mpaka Bwana atakapokuja. Yeye atayaleta nuruni mambo yale yaliyofichwa gizani, na kuweka wazi nia za mioyo ya wanadamu. Wakati huo kila mmoja atapokea sifa anayostahili kutoka kwa Mungu.
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.
6 Basi ndugu zangu, mambo haya nimeyafanya kwangu binafsi na Apolo kwa faida yenu, ili mweze kujifunza kutoka kwetu maana ya ule usemi usemao, “Msivuke zaidi ya yale yaliyoandikwa.” Hivyo hamtajivunia mtu fulani na kumdharau mwingine.
Now these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.
7 Kwa maana ni nani aliyewafanya kuwa tofauti na wengine? Ni nini mlicho nacho ambacho hamkupokea? Nanyi kama mlipokea, kwa nini mnajivuna kama vile hamkupokea?
For who makes you different? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
8 Sasa tayari mnayo yale yote mnayohitaji! Tayari mmekwisha kuwa matajiri! Mmekuwa wafalme, tena bila sisi! Laiti mngekuwa wafalme kweli ili na sisi tupate kuwa wafalme pamoja nanyi!
You are already filled. You have already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that you did reign, that we also might reign with you!
9 Kwa maana ninaona kwamba Mungu ametuweka sisi mitume katika nafasi ya mwisho kabisa, kama watu waliohukumiwa kufa kwenye uwanja wa tamasha, kwa sababu tumefanywa kuwa maonyesho kwa ulimwengu wote, kwa malaika na kwa wanadamu pia.
For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last of all, like men sentenced to death. For we are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men.
10 Kwa ajili ya Kristo sisi ni wajinga, lakini ninyi mna hekima sana ndani ya Kristo. Sisi tu dhaifu, lakini ninyi mna nguvu. Tunadharauliwa, lakini ninyi mnaheshimiwa.
We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.
11 Mpaka saa hii tuna njaa na kiu, tu uchi, tumepigwa na hatuna makao.
Even to this present hour we hunger, thirst, are naked, are beaten, and have no certain dwelling place.
12 Tunafanya kazi kwa bidii kwa mikono yetu wenyewe. Tunapolaaniwa, tunabariki, tunapoteswa, tunastahimili,
We toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure.
13 tunaposingiziwa, tunajibu kwa upole. Mpaka sasa tumekuwa kama takataka ya dunia na uchafu wa ulimwengu.
Being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now.
14 Siwaandikii mambo haya ili kuwaaibisha, bali ili kuwaonya, kama wanangu wapendwa.
I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.
15 Hata kama mnao walimu 10,000 katika Kristo, lakini hamna baba wengi. Mimi nilikuwa baba yenu katika Kristo Yesu kwa kuwaletea Injili.
For though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the Good News.
16 Basi nawasihi igeni mfano wangu.
I beg you therefore, be imitators of me.
17 Kwa sababu hii ninamtuma Timotheo, mwanangu mpendwa na mwaminifu katika Bwana. Yeye atawakumbusha kuhusu njia za maisha yangu katika Kristo Yesu, ambayo yanakubaliana na mafundisho yangu ninayofundisha katika kila kanisa.
Because of this I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every assembly.
18 Baadhi yenu mmekuwa na jeuri mkidhani kuwa sitafika kwenu.
Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.
19 Lakini kama Bwana akipenda, nitafika kwenu mapema, nami nitapenda kujua, si tu kile wanachosema hawa watu jeuri, bali pia kujua nguvu yao.
But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing. And I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.
20 Kwa kuwa Ufalme wa Mungu si maneno matupu tu bali ni nguvu.
For God’s Kingdom is not in word, but in power.
21 Ninyi amueni. Je, nije kwenu na fimbo, au nije kwa upendo na kwa roho ya upole?
What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
