1 Wakorintho 4
1 Mtu na atuone sisi kuwa ni watumishi wa Kristo tuliokabidhiwa siri za mungu.
So think of us as Christ's servants given the responsibility for “the mysteries of God.”
2 Kinachotakiwa kwa yeyote yule aliyekabidhiwa kazi ni kuwa mwaminifu.
More than this, those who have such responsibilities are required to be trustworthy.
3 Kwangu mimi si kitu nikihukumiwa na ninyi, au na mahakama ya kibinadamu; wala sijihukumu.
Personally it hardly matters to me if you or anyone else judges me—in fact I don't even judge myself.
4 Dhamiri yangu hainishtaki kwa jambo lolote, lakini hiyo haionyeshi kwamba sina lawama. Bwana ndiye anayenihukumu.
I don't know of anything I've done wrong, but that doesn't make me morally right. It's the Lord who judges me.
5 Basi, msihukumu kabla ya wakati wake acheni mpaka Bwana atakapokuja. Yeye atayafichua mambo ya giza yaliyofichika, na kuonyesha wazi nia za mioyo ya watu. Ndipo kila mmoja atapata sifa anayostahili kutoka kwa Mungu.
So don't judge anything before the right time—when the Lord comes. He will bring to light all the darkest secrets that are hidden, and he will reveal people's motives. God will give everyone whatever praise they deserve.
6 Ndugu, hayo yote niliyosema juu ya Apolo na juu yangu, ni kielelezo kwenu: kutokana na mfano wangu mimi na Apolo nataka mwelewe maana ya msemo huu: “Zingatieni yaliyoandikwa.” Kati yenu pasiwe na mtu yeyote anayejivunia mtu mmoja na kumdharau mwingine.
Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied this to Apollos and myself as an example for you. That way you will learn not to go beyond what has been written, and not in arrogance prefer one over the other.
7 Nani amekupendelea wewe? Una kitu gani wewe ambacho hukupewa? Na ikiwa umepewa, ya nini kujivunia kana kwamba hukukipewa?
Who made you so special? What do you have that you weren't given? Since you were given it, why do you proudly claim you weren't?
8 Haya, mmekwisha shiba! Mmekwisha kuwa matajiri! Mmekuwa wafalme bila ya sisi! Naam, laiti mngekuwa kweli watawala, ili nasi pia tuweze kutawala pamoja nanyi.
You think you have all you need. You think you're so wealthy. You think you're kings already, and don't need us. I wish you were really ruling as kings, so we could rule with you!
9 Nafikiri Mungu ametufanya sisi mitume tuwe watu wa mwisho kabisa, kama watu waliohukumiwa kuuawa, maana tumekuwa tamasha mbele ya ulimwengu wote, mbele ya malaika na watu.
The way I see it, God has put us apostles on display as the last in the line, condemned to die. We have been made a public show before the entire universe, to angels and to human beings.
10 Sisi ni wapumbavu kwa ajili ya Kristo, lakini ninyi ni wenye busara katika kuungana na Kristo! Sisi ni dhaifu, ninyi ni wenye nguvu. Ninyi mnaheshimika, sisi tunadharauliwa.
We're Christ's fools, but you are so wise in Christ! We're the weak ones, but you are so strong! You have the glory, but we are despised!
11 Mpaka dakika hii, sisi tuna njaa na kiu, hatuna nguo, twapigwa makofi, hatuna malazi.
Right up till now we're hungry and thirsty. We have no clothes. We're badly beaten up, and we have no place to call home.
12 Tena twataabika na kufanya kazi kwa mikono yetu wenyewe. Tukitukanwa, tunawatakia baraka; tukidhulumiwa, tunavumilia;
We struggle on doing manual work. When people curse us, we bless them. When they persecute us, we put up with it.
13 tukisingiziwa, tunajibu kwa adabu. Mpaka sasa tumetendewa kama uchafu wa dunia; na kwa kila mtu sisi ni takataka!
When they insult us, we respond with kindness. Even now we are treated like dirt, the worst trash in the whole world.
14 Siandiki mambo haya kwa ajili ya kuwaaibisha ninyi, bali kwa ajili ya kuwafundisheni watoto wangu wapenzi.
I'm not writing like this to make you feel ashamed, but to caution you as my children whom I love so much.
15 Maana hata kama mnao maelfu ya walezi katika maisha yenu ya Kikristo, baba yenu ni mmoja tu, kwani katika maisha ya Kikristo mimi ndiye niliyewazaeni kwa kuihubiri Habari Njema.
Even though you may have thousands of Christian instructors, you don't have many fathers—it was in Christ Jesus that I became your father when I shared the good news with you.
16 Kwa hiyo, nawasihi: fuateni mfano wangu.
So I'm pleading with you to imitate me!
17 Ndiyo maana nimemtuma Timetheo kwenu. Yeye ni mtoto wangu mpenzi na mwaminifu katika Bwana. Atawakumbusheni njia ninayofuata katika kuishi maisha ya Kikristo; njia ninayofundisha kila mahali katika makanisa yote.
That's why I sent Timothy to you, my trustworthy son in the Lord who I love so much. He will remind you about the way I follow Christ, just as I always teach in every church I visit.
18 Baadhi yenu wameanza kuwa na majivuno wakidhani kwamba sitakuja tena kwenu.
Some among you have become arrogant, thinking I wouldn't bother coming to see you.
19 Lakini, Bwana akipenda, nitakuja kwenu upesi; na hapo ndipo nitakapojionea mwenyewe, sio tu kile wanachoweza kusema hao wenye majivuno, bali pia kila wanachoweza kufanya.
But I am coming to visit you soon, if that's what the Lord wants. Then I'll find out what these arrogant people are saying, and what kind of power they have.
20 Maana Utawala wa Mungu si shauri la maneno matupu, bali ni nguvu.
For the kingdom of God is not about mere words, but about power.
21 Mnapendelea lipi? Nije kwenu na fimbo, ama nije na moyo wa upendo na upole?
So what do you want? Shall I come with a stick to beat you, or in love and a gentle spirit?
