2 Wakorintho 10
1 Basi, mimi Paulo ninawasihi kwa unyenyekevu na upole wa Kristo, mimi niliye “mwoga” ninapokuwa pamoja nanyi ana kwa ana, lakini mwenye ujasiri nikiwa mbali nanyi!
Now I Paul, myself, appeal to you by the humble-heartedness and selflessness of Christ - Paul who "in your presence is humble, but bold enough when he is absent" -
2 Nawaomba nitakapokuja kwenu nisiwe na ujasiri dhidi ya watu fulani, kama ninavyotazamia kwa wale wanaodhani kwamba tunaishi kwa kufuata namna ya ulimwengu huu.
I beseech you, and I say, do not make me show my boldness, when I come in the boldness with which I think I shall show my courage against some who think that I am walking on the low level of the flesh.
3 Ingawa tunaishi duniani, hatupigani vita kama ulimwengu ufanyavyo.
Though I do walk on the low level of the flesh, I do not make war as the flesh does;
4 Silaha za vita vyetu si za mwili, bali zina uwezo katika Mungu hata kuangusha ngome,
for the weapons of my warfare are not weapons of the flesh, but mighty for God, in pulling down all fortresses.
5 tukiangusha mawazo na kila kitu kilichoinuka, kijiinuacho juu ya elimu ya Mungu, na tukiteka nyara kila fikira ipate kumtii Kristo,
For I pull down imaginations and every crag that lifts itself against the knowledge of God. And I carry every thought away into captivity and subjection to Christ;
6 tena tukiwa tayari kuadhibu kila tendo la kutotii, kutii kwenu kutakapokamilika.
and I am fully prepared to punish every act of disobedience, when once your submission has been put beyond question.
7 Angalieni yale yaliyo machoni penu. Kama mtu yeyote anaamini kuwa yeye ni mali ya Kristo, basi kumbuka kuwa kama ulivyo wa Kristo, vivyo hivyo na sisi ndivyo tulivyo.
Look these facts in the face. If any man is fully persuaded as regards himself that he belongs to Christ, let him consider again with himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also am I.
8 Basi hata kama nikijisifu zaidi kidogo kuhusu mamlaka tuliyo nayo, ambayo Bwana alitupa ili kuwajenga wala si kuwabomoa, mimi sitaionea haya.
If, however, I were to boast more loudly concerning the authority which the Lord gave me (not to cast you down, but to build you up), I should have no cause for shame.
9 Sitaki nionekane kama ninayejaribu kuwatisha kwa nyaraka zangu.
Let it not seem as if I were overawing you with my letters.
10 Kwa maana wanasema, “Nyaraka zake ni nzito na zenye nguvu, lakini ana kwa ana ni dhaifu na kuzungumza kwake ni kwa kudharauliwa.”
"His letters indeed," says one, "are mighty and forcible, but his personality is weak, and his speech contemptible."
11 Watu kama hao wajue ya kuwa, yale tusemayo kwa barua tukiwa hatupo pamoja nanyi, ndivyo tulivyo na ndivyo tutakavyofanya tutakapokuwa pamoja nanyi.
Let such a man assure himself that my actions, when I am present, will be just like my words in my letters when I am absent.
12 Hatuthubutu kujiweka kwenye kundi moja au kujilinganisha na hao wanaojitukuza wenyewe kuwa wao ni wa maana sana. Wanapojipima na kujilinganisha wenyewe kwa wenyewe, wanaonyesha ya kuwa hawana busara.
I have not indeed the audacity to class myself among, or compare myself with, certain of the self-commenders; yet they are not wise in measuring themselves by one another and in comparing themselves with one another.
13 Lakini sisi hatujajivuna kupita kiasi, bali majivuno yetu yatakuwa katika mipaka ile Mungu aliyotuwekea, mipaka ambayo inawafikia hata ninyi.
I, however, will not indulge in undue boasting, but will confine it within the limits of the sphere to which God has assigned me - a sphere which reaches even to you.
14 Kwa maana hatukuwa tunavuka mipaka katika kujisifu kwetu, kama vile ambavyo ingekuwa kama hatukuwa tumekuja kwenu. Kwa maana sisi ndio tuliokuwa wa kwanza kuja kwenu na Injili ya Kristo.
For I am not overstepping the limits of my authority, as though I reached you not; since I have already come even as far as Corinth to proclaim the gospel of Christ.
15 Wala hatuvuki mipaka kwa kujisifu kwetu kwa ajili ya kazi iliyofanywa na watu wengine. Tumaini letu ni kwamba imani yenu inavyozidi kukua, eneo letu la utendaji miongoni mwenu litapanuka zaidi,
I am not "boasting beyond measure in the labors of others," but it is my hope that, as your faith goes on increasing among yourselves, by the enlargement of my appointed limits,
16 ili tuweze kuhubiri Injili sehemu zilizo mbali na maeneo yenu. Kwa maana hatutaki kujisifu kwa ajili ya kazi ambayo imekwisha kufanyika tayari katika eneo la mtu mwingine.
I may carry the gospel to countries beyond you; and not be boasting of work made ready to my hand within another man’s limit.
17 Lakini, “Yeye ajisifuye na ajisifu katika Bwana.”
Meanwhile. Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.
18 Kwa maana si yeye ajisifuye mwenyewe akubaliwaye, bali yeye ambaye Bwana humsifu.
For a man is proved worthy, not by his self-commendation, but when he is commended by the Lord.
