2 Wakorintho 8
1 Tunawataka ninyi mjue, kaka na dada, kuhusu neema ya Mungu ambayo imetolewa kwa makanisa ya Makedonia.
Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God which hath been bestowed in the churches of Macedonia;
2 Wakati wa jaribu kubwa la mateso, wingi wa furaha yao na ongezeko la umaskini wao umezaa utjiri mkubwa wa ukarimu.
that under a great trial of distress the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty increased the riches of their liberality;
3 Kwa maana nashuhudia kwamba walitoa kwa kadiri ya walivyoweza, na hata zaidi ya walivyoweza.
for according to their power, I bear witness, and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord,
4 Na kwa hiari yao wenyewe kwa kutusihi kwingi, walituomba kwa ajili ya kushiriki katika huduma hii kwa waumini.
begging of us with much entreaty the favor of sharing in the ministration to the saints;
5 Hii haikutokea kama tulivyokuwa tunatarajia. Badala yake, kwanza walijitoa wao wenyewe kwa Bwana. Kisha wakajitoa wao wenyewe kwetu kwa mapenzi ya Mungu.
and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God;
6 Hivyo tulimsihi Tito, aliyekuwa tayari ameanzisha kazi hii, kuleta katika utimilifu tendo hili la ukarimu juu yenu.
so that we urged Titus, that, as he had already made a beginning, so he would also finish among you this bounty also.
7 Lakini ninyi mna wingi katika kila kitu- katika imani, katika usemi, katika maarifa, katika bidii, na katika upendo wenu kwa ajili yetu. Hivyo hakikisheni kwamba ninyi mnakuwa na wingi pia katika tendo hili la ukarimu.
But as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and all earnestness, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this exercise of liberality also.
8 Nasema hili si kama amri. Badala yake, nasema hili ili kupima uhalisi wa upendo wenu kwa kuulinganisha na shauku ya watu wengine.
I speak not by way of command, but by reason of the earnestness of others, and to prove the genuineness of your love.
9 Kwa maana mnajua neema ya Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo. Hata kama alikuwa tajiri, kwa ajili yenu alikuwa maskini. Ili kwamba kupitia umaskini wake mweze kuwa tajiri.
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
10 Katika jambo hili nitawapa ushauri ambao utawasaidia. Mwaka mmoja uliopita, hamkuanza tuu kufanya jambo. Lakini mlitamani kulifanya.
And I only give an opinion in this matter. For this is expedient for you, who began before others, not only to do, but also to be willing, a year ago.
11 Sasa likamilisheni. Kama tu kulivyokuwa na shauku na nia ya kulifanya, kisha, je, mngeweza pia kulileta katika ukamilifu, kwa kadri ya mnavyoweza.
Now therefore perform the doing of it, that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
12 Kwa kuwa mnashauku ya kufanya tendo hili, ni jambo zuri na linakubalika. Lazima lisimame juu ya kile alichonacho mtu, siyo juu ya asichokuwa nacho mtu.
For if there be first the willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man hath, not according to what he hath not.
13 Kwa kuwa kazi hii siyo kwa ajili kwamba wengine waweze kupata nafuu na ninyi mweze kulemewa. Badala yake, kuwe na usawa.
For it is not that others may be eased, and you burdened,
14 Wingi wenu wa wakati wa sasa utasaidia kwa kile wanachohitaji. Hii ni hivyo pia ili kwamba wingi wao uweze kusaidia mahitaji yenu, na kwamba kuwe na usawa.
but to make an equality; at the present season your abundance meeting their deficiency, that their abundance may at another time meet your deficiency; that there may be equality;
15 Hii ni kama ilivyoandikwa; “Yeye aliye na vingi hakuwa na kitu chochote kilichobaki na yeye aliyekuwa na kidogo hakuwa na uhitaji wowote.”
as it is written: “He that gathered much, had nothing over; and he that gathered little, had no lack.”
16 Lakini ashukuriwe Mungu, aliyeweka ndani ya moyo wa Tito moyo uleule wa bidii ya kujali ambyo ninayo kwa ajili yenu.
But thanks be to God, who put the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus;
17 Kwa kuwa si tu alipokea maombi yetu, bali pia alikuwa na bidii kuhusiana na maombi hayo. Alikuja kwenu kwa hiari yake mwenyewe.
for he accepted indeed the exhortation; but being very earnest, he went of his own accord to you.
18 Tumemtuma pamoja naye ndugu ambaye anasifiwa miongoni mwa makanisa kwa ajili ya kazi yake katika kutangaza injili.
And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise in the gospel is throughout all the churches;
19 Si hivi tu, lakini pia alichaguliwa na makanisa kusafiri nasisi katika kulibeba sehemu mbalimbali tendo hili la ukarimu. Hii ni kwa utukufu wa Bwana mwenyewe na kwa shauku yetu ya kusaidia.
and not that only, but who was also appointed by the churches as our fellow-traveler in the matter of this bounty, which is administered by us to the honor of the Lord himself, and of our ready mind;
20 Tunaepuka uwezekano kwamba yeyote napaswa kulalamika kuhusiana na sisi kuhusiana na ukarimu huu ambao tunaubeba.
since we are careful of this, that no one should blame us in our management of this abundant liberality;
21 Tunachukua uangalifu kufanya kilicho cha heshima, sio tu mbele za Bwana, lakini pia mbele za watu.
for we take forethought for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
22 Pia tunamtuma ndugu mwingine pamoja nao. Tumempima mara nyingi, na tumemwona ni mwenye shauku for ajili ya kazi nyingi. Hata sasa ana bidii zaidi kwa sababu ya ujasiri mkubwa alionao ndani yenu.
And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often in many things proved to be zealous, but now much more zealous through the great confidence which he hath in you.
23 Kwa habari ya Tito, yeye ni mshirika mwenza wangu na mtendakazi mwenzangu kwa ajili yenu. Kama kwa ndugu zetu, wanatumwa na makanisa. Ni waheshima kwa Kristo.
As to Titus, he is my partner and fellow-laborer for you; as to our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.
24 Hivyo, waonesheni upendo wenu, na muoneshe kwa makanisa sababu ya majivuno yetu kwa ajili yenu.
Display to them, therefore, before the churches, the proof of your love, and of what we have boasted on your behalf.
