1 Wakorintho 4
1 Basi, watu na watuhesabu sisi kuwa tu watumishi wa Kristo na mawakili wa siri za Mungu.
Let any man look upon us as servants of Christ, and stewards of the secret truths of God.
2 Tena, litakiwalo ni mawakili waonekane kuwa waaminifu.
Now it is required of stewards, that a man 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 to me it matters very little that I am judged by you, or by any earthly court.
4 Dhamiri yangu ni safi, lakini hilo halinihesabii kuwa asiye na hatia. Bwana ndiye anihukumuye.
Indeed I do not even judge myself; for though I know nothing against myself, yet that does not vindicate me; for 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.
So make no hasty judgment until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make plain the purpose of men’s hearts. Then each man’s due praise will come to him 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 applied in a figure to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that in us you might learn not to go beyond what is written; that none of you be puffed up for the one, against the other.
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 a differ, brother? Or what have you that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why are you boasting 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!
But you, forsooth, are already full, are you? You are already rich? Without us you are already reigning? Yes, and I would that you did reign, so 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.
But it seems to me that God has exhibited us apostles, last of all, like men doomed to death; for we are made a spectacle to the whole world, both to men and to angels.
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.
For Christ’s sake we are fools, but you are quite philosophic in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong; you are honorable, but we are outcast.
11 Mpaka saa hii tuna njaa na kiu, tu uchi, tumepigwa na hatuna makao.
Even to his very hour we are enduring hunger and thirst and nakedness and blows.
12 Tunafanya kazi kwa bidii kwa mikono yetu wenyewe. Tunapolaaniwa, tunabariki, tunapoteswa, tunastahimili,
Homeless men, we toil, working with our own hands.
13 tunaposingiziwa, tunajibu kwa upole. Mpaka sasa tumekuwa kama takataka ya dunia na uchafu wa ulimwengu.
When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when defamed, we conciliate. We have been made, as it were, scum-o’-the-earth, the very refuse of the world, to this very hour!
14 Siwaandikii mambo haya ili kuwaaibisha, bali ili kuwaonya, kama wanangu wapendwa.
I am not writing this 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 Jesus, you can have but one father. For in Christ Jesus I begot you through the gospel.
16 Basi nawasihi igeni mfano wangu.
I beg you then to imitate my example.
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.
With this in mind I have sent Timothy to you. He is my dear and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ; the manner in which I ever teach everywhere in every church.
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 come to you I will, and that soon, if it please the Lord, and then I shall learn not the talk of these boasters, but their power.
20 Kwa kuwa Ufalme wa Mungu si maneno matupu tu bali ni nguvu.
For the kingdom of God is not in talk, but in power.
21 Ninyi amueni. Je, nije kwenu na fimbo, au nije kwa upendo na kwa roho ya upole?
Which do you want? Am I to come to you with a rod, or in a loving and tender spirit?
