2 Wakorintho 10
1 Mimi Paulo mwenyewe ambaye naonekana kuwa mpole nikiwa pamoja nanyi, lakini mkali wakati nikiwa mbali nanyi, nawasihini kwa huruma na wema wake Kristo.
Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.
2 Nawaombeni msinisababishe kuwa mkali wakati nitakapokuja, maana nina hakika naweza kuwa mkali kwa wote wale wanaotudhania kwamba tunaishi kidunia.
Yes, I beg you that I may not, when present, show courage with the confidence with which I intend to be bold against some, who consider us to be walking according to the flesh.
3 Kweli tunaishi duniani, lakini hatupigani vita kidunia.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh;
4 Maana, silaha tunazotumia katika vita vyetu si silaha za kidunia, ila ni nguvu za Mungu zenye kuharibu ngome zote. Tunaharibu hoja zote za uongo,
for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds,
5 na kubomoa kila kizuizi cha majivuno kilichowekwa kuipinga elimu ya Mungu; tunaziteka fikira zote na kuzifanya zimtii Kristo.
throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
6 Mkisha kuwa wakamilifu katika kutii, sisi tuko tayari kuadhibu kila namna ya kutotii.
and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience when your obedience is made full.
7 Ninyi hutazama mambo kwa nje tu. Je, yupo mtu yeyote anayedhani kwamba yeye ni wa Kristo? Sawa! Basi, afikirie vilevile kwamba sisi pia ni wa Kristo kama yeye alivyo wa Kristo.
Do you look at things only as they appear in front of your face? If anyone trusts in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again with himself, that even as he is Christ’s, so we also are Christ’s.
8 Hata kama nimezidi katika kujivuna kwangu juu ya ule uwezo aliotupa—uwezo wa kuwajenga na sio wa kubomoa—hata hivyo sijutii hata kidogo.
For even if I boast somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for casting you down, I will not be ashamed,
9 Sipendi mfikiri kwamba nataka kuwatisha ninyi kwa barua zangu.
that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.
10 Mtu anaweza kusema: “Barua za Paulo ni kali na zenye maneno mazito, lakini yeye mwenyewe anapokuwa pamoja nasi ni mtu dhaifu, na hata anapoongea maneno yake ni kama si kitu.”
For, “His letters”, they say, “are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised.”
11 Mtu asemaye hivyo heri akumbuke kwamba hakuna tofauti ya yale tunayoandika katika barua wakati tuko mbali, na yale tutakayofanya wakati tutakapokuwa nanyi.
Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present.
12 Kwa vyovyote hatungethubutu kujiweka au kujilinganisha na wale watu wanaojisifia wenyewe. Watu wenye kujifanya wao kuwa kipimo cha kujipimia, na watu wanaojilinganisha wenyewe kwa wenyewe, ni wapumbavu.
For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.
13 Lakini sisi hatutajivuna kupita kiasi; kujivuna huko kutabaki katika kile kipimo cha kazi aliyotukabidhi Mungu, kazi ambayo tunaifanya pia kwenu.
But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but within the boundaries with which God appointed to us, which reach even to you.
14 Na kwa vile ninyi mu katika mipaka hiyo, hatukuipita tulipokuja kwenu, tukiwaleteeni Habari Njema juu ya Kristo.
For we do not stretch ourselves too much, as though we did not reach to you. For we came even as far as to you with the Good News of Christ,
15 Basi, hatujivunii kazi waliyofanya wengine zaidi ya kipimo tulichopewa; ila tunatumaini kwamba imani yenu itazidi miongoni mwenu kufuatana na kipimo alichotuwekea Mungu.
not boasting beyond proper limits in other men’s labors, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be abundantly enlarged by you in our sphere of influence,
16 Hapo tutaweza kuihubiri Habari Njema katika nchi nyingine, mbali nanyi; na haitakuwa shauri la kujivunia kazi waliyofanya watu wengine mahali pengine.
so as to preach the Good News even to the parts beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done.
17 Lakini kama yasemavyo Maandiko: “Mwenye kuona fahari na aone fahari juu ya alichofanya Bwana.”
But “he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”
18 Anayekubaliwa si yule anayejisifu mwenyewe, bali yule anayesifiwa na Bwana.
For it is not he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
