1 Wakorintho 13
1 Tuseme kwamba ninanena kwa lugha za wanadamu na za malaika. Lakini kama sina upendo, nimekuwa shaba iliayo au upatu uvumao.
If I were to have eloquence in human languages—even the language of angels—but have no love, then I would only be an echoing gong or a clashing cymbal.
2 Na kwamba nina karama ya unabii na ufahamu wa kweli zilizofichika na maarifa, na kwamba ninayo imani ya kuhamisha milima. Lakini ikiwa sina upendo, mimi si kitu.
If I were to speak prophecies, to know every secret mystery and be completely knowledgeable, and if I were able to have so much faith I could move mountains, but have no love, then I am nothing.
3 Na tuseme kwamba ninatoa milki yangu yote na kuwalisha masikini, na kwamba ninautoa mwili wangu ili nichomwe moto. Lakini kama sina upendo, hainifaidii kitu.
If I were to donate everything I own to the poor, or if I were to sacrifice myself to be burned as a martyr, and have no love, then I gain nothing.
4 Upendo huvumilia na hufadhili. Upendo haujisifu au kujivuna. Hauna kiburi
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous. Love is not boastful. Love is not proud.
5 au ukorofi. Hautafuti mambo yake, hauoni uchungu haraka, wala hauhesabu mabaya.
Love does not act improperly, or insist on having its own way. Love is not argumentative and doesn't keep a record of wrongs.
6 Haufurahii udhalimu. Badala yake, hufurahi katika kweli.
Love takes no delight in evil but celebrates the truth.
7 Upendo huvumilia mambo yote; huamini mambo yote, una ujasiri katika mambo yote, na hustahimili mambo yote.
Love never gives up, keeps on trusting, stays confident, and remains patient whatever happens.
8 Upendo haukomi. Ikiwa kuna unabii, wote utapita. Ikiwa kuna lugha, zitakoma. Ikiwa kuna maarifa, yatapita.
Love never fails. Prophecies will come to an end. Tongues will become silent. Knowledge will become useless.
9 Kwa kuwa tunajua kwa sehemu na tunafanya unabii kwa sehemu.
For our knowledge and our prophetic understanding are incomplete.
10 Lakini ijapo ile iliyo kamili, ile isiyo kamili itapita.
But when completeness comes, then what is incomplete disappears.
11 Nilipokuwa mtoto, nilisema kama mtoto, nilifikiri kama mtoto, niliamua kama mtoto. Nilipokuwa mtu mzima, niliweka mbali nami mambo ya kitoto.
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I grew up I left behind such child-like ways.
12 Kwa kuwa sasa tunaona kama kwa kioo, kama sura gizani, lakini wakati ule tutaona uso kwa uso. Sasa ninajua kwa sehemu, lakini wakati ule nitajua sana kama na mimi ninavyojulikana sana.
At the moment we peer into a mirror's dim reflection, but then we shall see face to face. For now I only have partial knowledge, but then I shall know completely, just as I am completely known.
13 Lakini sasa mambo haya matatu yanadumu: imani, tumaini lijalo, na upendo. Lakini lililo kuu zaidi ya haya ni upendo.
Trust, hope, and love last forever—but the most important is love.
