1 Corinthians 9
1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
Je, mimi si mtu huru? Je, mimi si mtume? Je, mimi sikumwona Yesu Bwana wetu? Je, ninyi si matokeo ya kazi yangu kwa ajili ya Bwana?
2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
Hata kama kwa watu wengine mimi si mtume, lakini walau kwenu ninyi mimi ni mtume. Ninyi ni uthibitisho wa mtume wangu kwa sababu ya kuungana kwenu na Bwana.
3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
Hoja yangu kwa wale wanaonipinga ndiyo hii:
4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?
Je, hatuna haki ya kula na kunywa?
5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and [as] the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
Je, hatuna ruhusa kumchukua mke Mkristo katika ziara zetu, kama vile wafanyavyo mitume wengine, ndugu zake Bwana, na pia Kefa?
6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
Au ni mimi tu na Barnaba ambao tunapaswa kujipatia maslahi yetu kwa kufanya kazi?
7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
Je, mwanajeshi gani anayelipia utumishi wake jeshini? Mkulima gani asiyekula matunda ya shamba lake la mizabibu? Mchungaji gani asiyekunywa maziwa ya mifugo yake?
8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
Je, nasema mambo haya kibinadamu tu? Je, Sheria nayo haisemi hivyo?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
Imeandikwa katika Sheria ya Mose: “Usimfunge kinywa ng'ombe anapoliwata nafaka.” Je, ndio kusema Mungu anajishughulisha na ng'ombe?
10 Or saith he [it] altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, [this] is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
Je, hakuwa anatufikiria sisi aliposema hivyo? Naam, haya yaliandikwa kwa ajili yetu; kwani yule anayelima na yule anayevuna, wote wawili wana haki ya kutumaini kupata sehemu ya mavuno.
11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, [is it] a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
Ikiwa sisi tumepanda mbegu ya kiroho kati yenu, je, ni jambo kubwa tukichuma kwenu faida ya kidunia?
12 If others be partakers of [this] power over you, [are] not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
Ikiwa wengine wanayo haki ya kutazamia hayo kutoka kwenu, je, sisi hatuna haki zaidi kuliko hao? Lakini, sisi hatukuitumia haki hiyo, Badala yake, tumestahimili kila kitu ili tusiiwekee kizuizi chochote Habari Njema ya Kristo.
13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live [of the things] of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
Je, hamjui kwamba wanaotumikia Hekaluni hupata chakula chao Hekaluni, na kwamba wanaotolea sadaka madhabahuni hupata sehemu ya hiyo sadaka?
14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
Bwana aliagiza vivyo hivyo; wahubiri wa Habari Njema wapate riziki zao kutokana nayo.
15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for [it were] better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
Lakini, mimi sikutumia hata mojawapo ya haki hizo. Na wala siandiki nijipatie haki hizo; kwangu mimi ni afadhali kufa kuliko kumfanya yeyote aone kwamba najisifu bure.
16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
Ikiwa ninaihubiri Habari Njema, hilo si jambo la kujivunia; hilo ni jukumu nililopewa. Na, ole wangu kama sitaihubiri Habari Njema!
17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation [of the gospel] is committed unto me.
Ningekuwa nimeichagua kazi hii kwa hiari, basi, ningetazamia malipo; lakini maadam naifanya ikiwa ni wajibu, hiyo ina maana kwamba ni jukumu nililopewa nitekeleze.
18 What is my reward then? [Verily] that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
Mshahara wangu ni kitu gani, basi? Mshahara wangu ni fursa ya kuihubiri Habari Njema bure, bila kudai haki ninazostahili kwa kuihubiri.
19 For though I be free from all [men], yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
Kwa hiyo, ingawa mimi si mtumwa wa mtu yeyote, nimejifanya mtumwa wa kila mtu ili nimpatie Kristo watu wengi iwezekanavyo.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
Kwa Wayahudi nimeishi kama Myahudi ili niwapate Wayahudi; yaani, ingawa mimi siko chini ya Sheria, nimejiweka chini ya Sheria kwao, ili niwapate hao walio chini ya Sheria.
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ, ) that I might gain them that are without law.
Na kwa wale walio nje ya Sheria, naishi kama wao, nje ya Sheria, ili niwapate hao walio nje ya Sheria. Hii haimaanishi kwamba mimi niko nje ya sheria ya Mungu, maana nabanwa na sheria ya Kristo.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all [men], that I might by all means save some.
Kwao walio dhaifu nimejifanya dhaifu ili niwapate hao walio dhaifu. Nimejifanya kila kitu kwa wote ili nipate kuwaokoa baadhi yao kwa kila njia.
23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with [you].
Nafanya haya yote kwa ajili ya Habari Njema, nipate kushiriki baraka zake.
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
Je, hamjui kwamba katika uwanja wa michezo, ingawa wapiga mbio wote hukimbia, ni mmoja tu anayejinyakulia zawadi?
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they [do it] to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
Wanariadha hujipa mazoezi na nidhamu kali; hufanya hivyo ili wajipatie taji iharibikayo! Lakini sisi twafanya hivyo tupate taji ya kudumu daima.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
Ndivyo basi, ninavyopiga mbio nikiwa na nia ya kushinda; ndivyo ninavyopigana, na si kama bondia anayetupa ngumi zake hewani.
27 But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
Naupa mwili wangu mazoezi magumu na kuutia katika nidhamu kamili, nisije mimi mwenyewe nikakataliwa baada ya kuwahubiria wengine.
