< 2 Wakorintho 7 >
1 Wapenzi, kwa kuwa tunazo ahadi hizi, basi na tujitakase nafsi zetu kutokana na kila kitu kitiacho mwili na roho unajisi, tukitimiza utakatifu kwa kumcha Mungu.
With these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that pollutes either body or spirit, and, in deepest reverence for God, aim at perfect holiness.
2 Tupatieni nafasi mioyoni mwenu. Hatujamkosea mtu yeyote, hatujampotosha mtu yeyote, wala hatujamdhulumu mtu yeyote.
Make room for us in your hearts. In no instance have we ever wronged, or harmed, or taken advantage of, any one.
3 Sisemi haya ili kuwahukumu, kwa kuwa nilisema mwanzo, kwamba ninyi mko mioyoni mwetu hata kwa kufa pamoja au kuishi pamoja.
I am not saying this to condemn you. Indeed, I have already said that you are in our very heart, to live and die together.
4 Mara nyingi najivuna kwa ajili yenu; naona fahari juu yenu. Nimejawa na faraja. Nina furaha kupita kiasi katika mateso yetu yote.
I have the utmost confidence in you; I am always boasting about you. I am full of encouragement and, in spite of all our troubles, my heart is overflowing with happiness.
5 Kwa maana hata tulipoingia Makedonia, miili yetu haikuwa na raha. Tulisumbuliwa kila upande, kwa nje kulikuwa na mapigano na mioyoni mwetu tulikuwa na hofu.
Ever since we reached Macedonia, we have had no rest in body or mind; on every side there have been troubles — conflicts without, anxieties within.
6 Bali Mungu, yeye awafarijie wenye huzuni, alitufariji kwa kufika kwake Tito.
But God, who encourages the downcast, has encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.
7 Lakini si kule kuja kwa Tito tu, bali pia kwa faraja mliyompa. Alitueleza jinsi mlivyonionea shauku, huzuni yenu kubwa na juhudi yenu kwa ajili yangu, ili kwamba furaha yangu ipate kuwa kubwa kuliko wakati wowote.
And it is not only by his arrival that we are encouraged, but also by the encouragement which he received from you; for he tells us of your strong affection, your penitence, and your zeal on my behalf — so that I am happier still.
8 Hata kama niliwahuzunisha kwa barua yangu, sijutii. Ingawa nilijuta kwa muda mfupi, kwa kuwa najua kwamba barua yangu iliwaumiza, lakini ni kwa kitambo tu,
For, though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Even if I were inclined to regret it — for I see that my letter did cause you sorrow though only for a time —
9 lakini sasa nina furaha, si kwa sababu mlihuzunika, bali kwa kuwa huzuni hiyo iliwafanya mtubu. Kwa maana mlihuzunishwa kama Mungu alivyokusudia watu wahuzunike na hivyo sisi hatukuwadhuru kwa njia yoyote.
I am glad now; not because of the sorrow it caused you, but because your sorrow brought you to repentance. For it was God’s will that you should feel sorrow, in order that you should not suffer loss in any way at our hands.
10 Kwa maana huzuni ya kimungu huleta toba iletayo wokovu na wala haina majuto. Lakini huzuni ya kidunia husababisha mauti.
For, when sorrow is in accordance with God’s will, it results in a repentance leading to Salvation, and which will never be regretted. The sure result of the sorrow that the world knows is Death.
11 Tazameni jinsi huzuni hii ya kimungu ilivyoleta faida ndani yenu: bidii mliyo nayo, juhudi mliyofanya kujitetea, uchungu wenu, hofu yenu, upendo wenu, shauku yenu na jinsi mlivyokuwa tayari kutoa adhabu inayostahili. Kwa kila njia mmejithibitisha kuwa safi katika jambo hilo.
For see what results that other sorrow — sorrow in accordance with God’s will — has had in your case. What earnestness it produced! what explanations! what strong feeling! what alarm! what longing! what eagerness! what readiness to punish! You have proved yourselves altogether free from guilt in that matter.
12 Hivyo ingawa niliwaandikia, haikuwa kwa sababu ya huyo aliyekosa au huyo aliyekosewa. Lakini nilitaka ninyi wenyewe mwone, mbele za Mungu, jinsi mlivyojitoa kwa ajili yetu.
So, then, even though I did write to you, it was not for the sake of the wrong-doer, or of the man who was wronged, but to make you conscious, in the sight of God, of your own earnest care for us. And it is this that has encouraged us.
13 Kwa ajili ya haya tumefarijika. Zaidi ya kule sisi kutiwa moyo, tulifurahi sana kumwona Tito alivyo na furaha, kwa sababu roho yake imeburudishwa na ninyi nyote.
In addition to the encouragement that this gave us, we were made far happier still by the happiness of Titus for his heart has been cheered by you all.
14 Nilikuwa nimewasifu ninyi kwake, nanyi hamkuniaibisha. Lakini kila kitu tulichowaambia ninyi, kilikuwa kweli, hivyo kule kujisifu kwetu kwa Tito kuwahusu ninyi kumethibitishwa kuwa kweli pia.
Although I have been boasting a little to him about you, you did not put me to shame; but, just as every thing we had said to you was true, so our boasting to Titus about you has also proved to be the truth.
15 Upendo wake kwenu unaongezeka sana anapokumbuka jinsi mlivyokuwa watiifu, na kumpokea kwa hofu na kutetemeka.
And his affection for you is all the greater, as he remembers the deference that you all showed him, and recalls how you received him with anxious care.
16 Nafurahi kwamba ninaweza kuwatumaini ninyi kabisa.
I am glad that I can feel perfect confidence in you.