1 Wakorintho 14

1 Jitahidini kuwa na upendo. Vilevile fanyeni bidii ya kupata vipaji vingine vya kiroho, hasa kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu.

Hotly pursue this love, yet seek earnestly spiritual gifts, and chiefly that you may prophesy.

2 Mwenye kunena lugha ngeni hasemi na watu bali anasema na Mungu. Yeye hunena kwa nguvu ya Roho mambo yaliyofichika.

For he who speaks in a "tongue" speaks not to man but to God, for no one understands him, but in the Spirit he utters secret truths.

3 Lakini mwenye kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, husema na watu kwa ajili ya kuwajenga, kuwafariji na kuwatia moyo.

But he who prophesies addresses words to men that build up, encourage, and console.

4 Mwenye kunena lugha ngeni anajijenga mwenyewe. Lakini mwenye kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, analijenga kanisa.

He who speaks in a tongue upbuilds himself; but he who prophesies upbuilds the church.

5 Basi, ningependa ninyi nyote mseme kwa lugha ngeni lakini ningependelea hasa muwe na kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, maana mtu mwenye kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, ni wa maana zaidi kuliko yule mwenye kusema lugha ngeni, isipokuwa tu kama yupo hapo mtu awezaye kuyafafanua hayo mambo asemayo, ili kanisa lipate kujengwa.

Now I should like you all to speak with "tongues"; but I should rather that you prophesied, For he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be built up.

6 Hivyo, ndugu zangu, kama nikija kwenu na kusema nanyi kwa lugha ngeni itawafaa nini? Haitawafaa chochote, isipokuwa tu kama nitawaelezeni ufunuo wa Mungu au ujuzi fulani au ujumbe wa Mungu au mafundisho fulani.

Now brothers, if I should come to you speaking with tongues, what should I benefit you, unless I speak to you some revelation, or knowledge, or prophecy, or teaching?

7 Ndivyo ilivyo kwa vyombo visivyo na uhai vyenye kutoa sauti kama vile filimbi au kinanda. Je, mtu anawezaje kuutambua wimbo unaochezwa kama vyombo hivyo havitoi sauti waziwazi vinapopigwa?

For if lifeless instruments such as the flute or the harp give no distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is fluted or harped?

8 La mgambo likilia bila kufuata taratibu zake, nani atajiweka tayari kwa vita?

Or, for example, if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, what soldier will be prepared for battle?

9 Hali kadhalika na ninyi, kama ulimi wenu hausemi kitu chenye kueleweka, nani ataweza kufahamu mnayosema? Maneno yenu yatapotea hewani.

In the same way with you, if you utter unintelligible words with your tongue, how can what you say be understood? You will be speaking to the winds!

10 Zipo lugha mbalimbali ulimwenguni, na hakuna hata mojawapo isiyo na maana.

There are, let us say, so many languages in the world, and none without its meaning.

11 Lakini ikiwa mimi sifahamu maana ya lugha asemayo mtu fulani, mimi ni mgeni kwake mtu huyo naye pia ni mgeni kwangu.

If then I do not know the force of expression, I shall seem a barbarian to the one who uses it, and he will seem a barbarian to me.

12 Hali kadhalika na ninyi, maadam mna hamu ya kupata vipaji vya Roho, jitahidini hasa kujipatia vile vinavyosaidia kulijenga kanisa.

So also in your case, since you are ambitious for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in them for the upbuilding of the church.

13 Kwa hiyo, mwenye kunena lugha ngeni na aombe apate uwezo wa kuzifafanua.

So let him who speaks with tongues pray that he may interpret.

14 Maana, nikisali kwa lugha ngeni roho yangu ndiyo inayosali, lakini akili yangu hubaki bure.

For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is barren.

15 Nifanye nini, basi? Nitasali kwa roho yangu, nitasali pia kwa akili yangu; nitaimba kwa roho yangu, nitaimba pia kwa akili yangu.

What then? I will pray with my spirit, and I will pray also with my mind. I will praise God with my spirit, but I will praise him with my mind, also.

16 Ukimsifu Mungu kwa roho yako tu, atawezaje mtu wa kawaida aliye katika mkutano kuitikia sala yako ya shukrani kwa kusema: “Amina,” kama haelewi unachosema?

For if you in your spirit bless God, how shall he who fills the place of the unlearned say the Amen to your thanksgiving, when he does not know what you are talking about?

17 Sala yako ya shukrani yaweza kweli kuwa bora, lakini huyo mwingine haitamfaidia.

You on the one hand offer a good thanksgiving, but the other is not built up.

18 Namshukuru Mungu kwamba mimi nasema kwa lugha ngeni zaidi kuliko ninyi nyote.

Thank God I speak with tongues more than you all,

19 Lakini katika mikutano ya waumini napendelea zaidi kusema maneno matano yenye kueleweka ili niwafundishe wengine, kuliko kusema maneno elfu ya lugha ngeni.

but in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, so as to instruct others, than ten thousand in an unknown tongue.

20 Ndugu, msiwe kama watoto katika fikira zenu. Kuhusu uovu muwe kama watoto wachanga lakini katika kufikiri ni lazima muwe kama watu waliokomaa.

Brothers, do not become children in understanding; be babes in malice, but in understanding become mature men.

21 Imeandikwa katika Sheria: “Bwana asema hivi: Kwa njia ya wenye kunena lugha ngeni, na kwa midomo ya wageni, nitasema na watu hawa, hata hivyo, hawatanisikiliza.”

In the Law it is written. With men of other tongues, and by the lips of strangers, will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.

22 Hivyo basi, kipaji cha kusema lugha ngeni ni ishara, si kwa ajili ya watu wenye imani, bali kwa ajili ya wale wasioamini; lakini kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu ni kwa ajili ya wale wanaoamini na si kwa ajili ya wasioamini.

So then the gift of tongues is for a sign, not to believers, but to unbelievers; but prophecy is not for unbelievers, but for those who believe.

23 Basi, kanisa lote linapokutana pamoja, na wote wakaanza kusema kwa lugha ngeni, kama wakija watu wa kawaida au wasioamini, je, hawatasema kwamba ninyi mna wazimu?

Accordingly, when the whole church assemblies, and everybody is speaking "with tongues," if there enter men unlearned or unbelieving, will they not say that you are mad?

24 Lakini, wote wakiwa wanautangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, akija mtu wa kawaida au asiyeamini, yote atakayosikia yatamhakikishia ubaya wake mwenyewe; yote atakayosikia yatamhukumu.

But if all are prophesying when an unlearned or unbelieving man enters, he is convicted in conscience by your speaker, he feels himself judged by all,

25 Siri za moyo wake zitafichuliwa, naye atapiga magoti na kumwabudu Mungu akisema: “Kweli Mungu yupo pamoja nanyi.”

and the secret depths of his heart are laid open. So he will fall upon his face and worship God, saying, "Of a truth, God is with you."

26 Ndugu, tuseme nini, basi? Mnapokutana pamoja, mmoja aimbe wimbo, mwingine atoe mafundisho, mwingine awe na ufunuo kutoka kwa Mungu, mwingine atumie kipaji cha kusema kwa lugha ngeni na mwingine afafanue yanayosemwa. Yote yawe kwa ajili ya kulijenga kanisa.

What follows, then, brothers? Whenever you meet together, each contributes something; a psalm, a sermon, a revelation, a tongue, an interpretation. Let all be done for edification.

27 Wakiwepo watu wenye vipaji vya kusema kwa lugha ngeni, waseme wawili au watatu, si zaidi, tena mmojammoja; na aweko mtu wa kufafanua yanayosemwa.

If any one speaks in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that in turn, and let some one interpret.

28 Lakini kama hakuna awezaye kufafanua, basi, mwenye kusema lugha ngeni anyamaze mkutanoni, aseme na nafsi yake mwenyewe na Mungu.

But if there is no one to interpret, let them keep silence in the church, and speak to themselves and to God.

29 Kuhusu wale wenye kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, waseme wawili au watatu, na wengine wayapime maneno yao.

Let the prophets speak by two or three, and let the others exercise their judgment.

30 Ikiwa mmoja anaposema mwingine wa wasikilizaji amepata ufunuo kutoka kwa Mungu, basi, yule anayesema anyamaze.

But if to one as he sits there some revelation is made, let the first be silent.

31 Maana nyote mwaweza kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, mmoja baada ya mwingine, ili nyote mpate kujifunza na kutiwa moyo.

For you can all prophesy one by one; so that all may be learning, and all may be encouraged.

32 Kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu ni lazima kitawaliwe na huyo mwenye hicho kipaji.

The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets,

33 Maana Mungu si Mungu wa fujo, ila wa amani.

for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. This custom prevails in all the churches of the saints.

34 Kama ilivyo desturi katika makanisa yote ya watu wa Mungu, wanawake wakae kimya katika mikutano ya waumini. Hawana ruhusa kusema; ila wawe watii kama isemavyo Sheria.

"In your congregation" you write, "as in all the churches of the saints, let the women keep silence in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak. On the contrary let them be subordinate, as also says the law.

35 Ikiwa wanayo maswali ya kuuliza, wawaulize waume zao nyumbani, maana ni aibu kwa mwanamke kusema katika mikutano ya waumini.

And if they want to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is shameful for a women to speak in church."

36 Je, mnadhani neno la Mungu limetoka kwenu ninyi au kwamba limewajieni ninyi peke yenu?

What, was it from you that the word of God went forth, or to you only did it come?

37 Kama mtu yeyote anadhani kwamba yeye ni mjumbe wa Mungu au kwamba anacho kipaji cha Roho, na ajue kwamba haya ninayowaandikia ninyi ni amri ya Bwana.

If any one thinks himself a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that what I am now writing you is a command of the Lord.

38 Lakini mtu asiyetambua hayo, basi, mtu asimjali mtu huyo.

But if any one disregard it he will be disregarded.

39 Hivyo basi, ndugu zangu, mnapaswa kuwa na hamu ya kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu; lakini msimkataze mtu kusema kwa lugha ngeni.

So, my brothers, be ambitious for the gift of prophecy, and speak not against the gifts of tongues.

40 Lakini yote yafanyike kwa heshima na kwa utaratibu.

Let everything be done decently and in order.