< 1 Wakorintho 13 >

1 Hata kama nikinena lugha za watu na hata za malaika, lakini kama sina upendo mimi nimekuwa tu kama sauti ya debe tupu au kengele.
If I could speak in every tongue of men, and in that of angels, and there should be no love in me, I should be like brass that resoundeth, or the cymbal that maketh a noise.
2 Tena, naweza kuwa na kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, nikafahamu siri zote na kujua kila kitu; naweza kuwa na imani yote hata nikaweza kuihamisha milima, lakini kama sina upendo mimi si kitu.
And if there should be in me the gift of prophecy, and I should understand all the mysteries, and every science; and if there should be in me all faith, so that I could move mountains, and love should not be in me, I should be nothing.
3 Nikitoa mali yangu yote na kuwapa maskini, na tena nikiutoa mwili wangu uchomwe, kama sina upendo hiyo hainifai chochote.
And if I should feed out to the destitute all I possess; and if I should give my body to be burned; and there should be no love in me, I gain nothing.
4 Mwenye upendo huvumilia, hufadhili; mwenye upendo hana wivu, hajidai, wala hajivuni.
Love is long-suffering, and is kind; love is not envious; love is not boisterous; and is not inflated;
5 Mwenye upendo hakosi adabu, hatafuti faida yake binafsi, wala hana wepesi wa hasira; haweki kumbukumbu ya mabaya,
and doth nothing that causeth shame; and seeketh not her own; is not passionate; and thinketh no evil;
6 hafurahii uovu, bali hufurahia ukweli.
rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Mwenye upendo huvumilia yote, huamini yote, na hustahimili yote.
beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all, and endureth all.
8 Upendo hauna kikomo kamwe. Kama kuna vipaji vya kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, hivyo vitatoweka siku moja; kama ni vipaji vya kusema lugha ngeni, vitakoma; kama kuna elimu, nayo itapita.
Love will never cease. But prophesyings will end; and tongues will be silent; and knowledge will vanish.
9 Maana ujuzi wetu si kamili, na kipaji chetu cha kutangaza neno la Mungu si kamili.
For we know but partially; and we prophesy but partially.
10 Lakini kile kilicho kikamilifu kitakapofika, vyote visivyo vikamilifu vitatoweka.
But when completeness shall come, then that which is partial will vanish away.
11 Nilipokuwa mtoto mchanga nilisema kitoto, nilifahamu kitoto, nilifikiri kitoto. Lakini sasa, maadam mimi ni mtu mzima, mambo ya kitoto nimeyaacha.
When I was a child, I talked as a child, and I reasoned as a child, and I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I laid aside the things of childhood.
12 Tunachoona sasa ni kama tu sura hafifu katika kioo, lakini hapo baadaye tutaona uso kwa uso. Sasa ninajua kiasi fulani tu, lakini hapo baadaye nitajua yote kikamilifu, kama vile Mungu anavyonijua mimi.
And now we see, as by a mirror, in similitude; but then face to face: now I know partially; but then shall I know, just as I am known.
13 Sasa yanadumu haya matatu: imani, tumaini na upendo; lakini lililo kuu kupita yote ni upendo.
For these three things are abiding, faith, and hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.

< 1 Wakorintho 13 >