1 Wakorintho 7

1 Basi kuhusu mambo yale mliyoyaandika: Ni vyema mwanaume asimguse mwanamke.

Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman.

2 Lakini ili kuepuka zinaa, kila mwanaume na awe na mke wake mwenyewe na kila mwanamke awe na mume wake mwenyewe.

But, because of sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

3 Mume atimize wajibu wake wa ndoa kwa mkewe, naye vivyo hivyo mke kwa mumewe.

Let the husband give his wife the affection owed her, and likewise also the wife her husband.

4 Mwanamke hana mamlaka juu ya mwili wake bali mumewe, wala mume hana mamlaka juu ya mwili wake bali mkewe.

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

5 Msinyimane, isipokuwa mmekubaliana kufanya hivyo kwa muda fulani ili mweze kujitoa kwa maombi, kisha mrudiane tena ili Shetani asije akapata nafasi ya kuwajaribu kwa sababu ya kutokuwa na kiasi.

Do not deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and may be together again, that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6 Nasema haya kama ushauri na si amri.

But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment.

7 Laiti watu wangekuwa kama mimi nilivyo. Lakini kila mtu amepewa kipawa chake kutoka kwa Mungu, mmoja ana kipawa cha namna hii na mwingine ana cha namna ile.

Yet I wish that all men were like me. However, each man has his own gift from God, one of this kind, and another of that kind.

8 Kwa wale wasiooa na kwa wajane, nasema hivi, ingekuwa vizuri wasioe.

But I say to the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am.

9 Lakini kama hawawezi kujizuia, basi waoe na kuolewa, kwa maana ni afadhali kuoa au kuolewa kuliko kuwaka tamaa.

But if they do not have self-control, let them marry. For it’s better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 Kwa wale waliooana nawapa amri (si mimi ila ni Bwana): Mke asitengane na mumewe.

But to the married I command—not I, but the Lord—that the wife not leave her husband

11 Lakini akitengana, ni lazima akae bila kuolewa, ama sivyo apatane tena na mumewe. Wala mume asimpe mkewe talaka.

(but if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband not leave his wife.

12 Lakini kwa wengine nasema (si Bwana ila ni mimi): Kama ndugu ana mke asiyeamini, naye huyo mke anakubali kuishi pamoja naye, basi asimwache.

But to the rest I—not the Lord—say, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave her.

13 Naye mwanamke aaminiye kama ameolewa na mwanaume asiyeamini na huyo mume anakubali kuishi naye, basi huyo mwanamke asimwache.

The woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is content to live with her, let her not leave her husband.

14 Kwa maana huyo mume asiyeamini anatakaswa kupitia mkewe, naye mke asiyeamini anatakaswa kupitia mumewe anayeamini. Kama isingalikuwa hivyo watoto wenu wangalikuwa si safi, lakini ilivyo sasa wao ni watakatifu.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

15 Lakini kama yule asiyeamini akijitenga, basi afanye hivyo. Katika hali kama hiyo mwanamke au mwanaume aaminiye hafungwi, kwa sababu Mungu ametuita tuishi kwa amani.

Yet if the unbeliever departs, let there be separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace.

16 Wewe mke, unajuaje kama utamwokoa mumeo? Au wewe mume unajuaje kama utamwokoa mkeo?

For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

17 Lakini kila mtu na aishi maisha aliyopangiwa na Bwana, yale Mungu aliyomwitia. Hii ni sheria ninayoiweka kwa makanisa yote.

Only, as the Lord has distributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the assemblies.

18 Je, mtu alikuwa tayari ametahiriwa alipoitwa? Asijifanye asiyetahiriwa. Je, mtu alikuwa hajatahiriwa alipoitwa? Asitahiriwe.

Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised.

19 Kutahiriwa si kitu, na kutokutahiriwa si kitu. Lakini kuzitii amri za Mungu ndilo jambo muhimu.

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is keeping God’s commandments.

20 Basi kila mmoja wenu na abaki katika hali aliyoitwa nayo.

Let each man stay in that calling in which he was called.

21 Je, wewe ulipoitwa ulikuwa mtumwa? Jambo hilo lisikusumbue. Ingawaje unaweza kupata uhuru, tumia nafasi uliyo nayo sasa kuliko wakati mwingine wowote.

Were you called being a bondservant? Do not let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it.

22 Kwa maana yeyote aliyeitwa katika Bwana akiwa mtumwa yeye ni mtu huru kwa Bwana, kama vile yeyote aliyekuwa huru alipoitwa yeye ni mtumwa wa Kristo.

For he who was called in the Lord being a bondservant is the Lord’s free man. Likewise he who was called being free is Christ’s bondservant.

23 Mlinunuliwa kwa gharama; msiwe watumwa wa wanadamu.

You were bought with a price. Do not become bondservants of men.

24 Ndugu zangu, kama kila mtu alivyoitwa, akae katika wito wake alioitiwa na Mungu.

Brothers, let each man, in whatever condition he was called, stay in that condition with God.

25 Basi, kuhusu wale walio bikira, mimi sina amri kutoka kwa Bwana, lakini mimi natoa shauri kama mtu ambaye ni mwaminifu kwa rehema za Bwana.

Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy.

26 Kwa sababu ya shida iliyoko kwa sasa, naona ni vyema mkibaki kama mlivyo.

Therefore I think that because of the distress that is on us, it’s good for a man to remain as he is.

27 Je, umeolewa? Basi usitake talaka. Je, hujaoa? Usitafute mke.

Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be freed. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

28 Lakini kama ukioa, hujatenda dhambi; na kama bikira akiolewa, hajatenda dhambi. Lakini wale wanaooa watakabiliana na matatizo mengi katika maisha haya, nami nataka kuwazuilia hayo.

But if you marry, you have not sinned. If a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have oppression in the flesh, and I want to spare you.

29 Lakini ndugu zangu, nina maana kwamba muda uliobaki ni mfupi. Tangu sasa wale waliooa waishi kama wasio na wake;

But I say this, brothers: the time is short. From now on, both those who have wives may be as though they had none;

30 nao wanaoomboleza, kama ambao hawaombolezi; wenye furaha kama wasiokuwa nayo; wale wanaonunua, kama vile vitu walivyonunua si mali yao;

and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess;

31 nao wale wanaoshughulika na vitu vya dunia hii, kama ambao hawahusiki navyo. Kwa maana dunia hii kama tunavyoiona sasa inapita.

and those who use the world, as not using it to the fullest. For the mode of this world passes away.

32 Ningetaka msiwe na masumbufu. Mwanaume ambaye hajaoa anajishughulisha na mambo ya Bwana, jinsi ya kumpendeza Bwana.

But I desire to have you to be free from cares. He who is unmarried is concerned for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;

33 Lakini mwanaume aliyeoa anajishughulisha na mambo ya dunia, jinsi ya kumfurahisha mkewe,

but he who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife.

34 na mawazo yake yamegawanyika. Mwanamke asiyeolewa hujishughulisha na mambo ya Bwana: lengo lake ni awe mtakatifu kimwili na kiroho. Lakini yule aliyeolewa hujishughulisha na mambo ya dunia, jinsi atakavyoweza kumfurahisha mumewe.

There is also a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband.

35 Ninasema haya kwa faida yenu wenyewe, sio ili kuwawekea vizuizi bali mpate kuishi kwa jinsi ilivyo vyema bila kuvutwa pengine katika kujitoa kwenu kwa Bwana.

This I say for your own benefit, not that I may ensnare you, but for that which is appropriate, and that you may attend to the Lord without distraction.

36 Kama mtu yeyote anadhani kwamba hamtendei ilivyo sawa mwanamwali ambaye amemposa, naye akiwa umri wake unazidi kuendelea na mtu huyo anajisikia kwamba inampasa kuoa, afanye kama atakavyo. Yeye hatendi dhambi. Yawapasa waoane.

But if any man thinks that he is behaving inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of her age, and if need so requires, let him do what he desires. He does not sin. Let them marry.

37 Lakini mwanaume ambaye ameamua moyoni mwake kutooa bila kulazimishwa na mtu yeyote, bali anaweza kuzitawala tamaa zake kutomwoa huyo mwanamwali, basi anafanya ipasavyo.

But he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no urgency, but has power over his own will, and has determined in his own heart to keep his own virgin, does well.

38 Hivyo basi, mwanaume amwoaye mwanamwali afanya vyema, lakini yeye asiyemwoa afanya vyema zaidi.

So then both he who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage does better.

39 Mwanamke aliyeolewa amefungwa na sheria maadamu mumewe yu hai. Lakini mumewe akifa, basi mwanamke huyo yuko huru kuolewa na mume mwingine ampendaye, lakini lazima awe katika Bwana.

A wife is bound by law for as long as her husband lives; but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whomever she desires, only in the Lord.

40 Lakini kwa maoni yangu, angekuwa na furaha zaidi akibaki alivyo. Nami nadhani pia nina Roho wa Mungu.

But she is happier if she stays as she is, in my judgment, and I think that I also have God’s Spirit.