< 1 Corinthians 7 >
1 Nowe concerning the thinges whereof ye wrote vnto mee, It were good for a man not to touche a woman.
Basi kuhusu mambo yale mliyoyaandika: Ni vyema mwanaume asimguse mwanamke.
2 Neuertheles, to auoide fornication, let euery man haue his wife, and let euery woman haue her owne husband.
Lakini ili kuepuka zinaa, kila mwanaume na awe na mke wake mwenyewe na kila mwanamke awe na mume wake mwenyewe.
3 Let the husband giue vnto the wife due beneuolence, and likewise also the wife vnto the husband.
Mume atimize wajibu wake wa ndoa kwa mkewe, naye vivyo hivyo mke kwa mumewe.
4 The wife hath not the power of her owne bodie, but ye husband: and likewise also the husband hath not ye power of his own body, but the wife.
Mwanamke hana mamlaka juu ya mwili wake bali mumewe, wala mume hana mamlaka juu ya mwili wake bali mkewe.
5 Defraude not one another, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may giue your selues to fasting and praier, and againe come together that Satan tempt you not for your incontinecie.
Msinyimane, isipokuwa mmekubaliana kufanya hivyo kwa muda fulani ili mweze kujitoa kwa maombi, kisha mrudiane tena ili Shetani asije akapata nafasi ya kuwajaribu kwa sababu ya kutokuwa na kiasi.
6 But I speake this by permission, not by commandement.
Nasema haya kama ushauri na si amri.
7 For I woulde that all men were euen as I my selfe am: but euery man hath his proper gift of God, one after this maner, and another after that.
Laiti watu wangekuwa kama mimi nilivyo. Lakini kila mtu amepewa kipawa chake kutoka kwa Mungu, mmoja ana kipawa cha namna hii na mwingine ana cha namna ile.
8 Therefore I say vnto the vnmaried, and vnto the widowes, It is good for them if they abide euen as I doe.
Kwa wale wasiooa na kwa wajane, nasema hivi, ingekuwa vizuri wasioe.
9 But if they cannot abstaine, let them marrie: for it is better to marrie then to burne.
Lakini kama hawawezi kujizuia, basi waoe na kuolewa, kwa maana ni afadhali kuoa au kuolewa kuliko kuwaka tamaa.
10 And vnto ye maried I comand, not I, but ye Lord, Let not ye wife depart from her husband.
Kwa wale waliooana nawapa amri (si mimi ila ni Bwana): Mke asitengane na mumewe.
11 But and if shee depart, let her remaine vnmaried, or be reconciled vnto her husband, and let not the husband put away his wife.
Lakini akitengana, ni lazima akae bila kuolewa, ama sivyo apatane tena na mumewe. Wala mume asimpe mkewe talaka.
12 But to ye remnant I speake, and not ye Lord, If any brother haue a wife, ye beleeueth not, if she be content to dwell with him, let him not forsake her.
Lakini kwa wengine nasema (si Bwana ila ni mimi): Kama ndugu ana mke asiyeamini, naye huyo mke anakubali kuishi pamoja naye, basi asimwache.
13 And the woman which hath an husband that beleeueth not, if he be content to dwell with her, let her not forsake him.
Naye mwanamke aaminiye kama ameolewa na mwanaume asiyeamini na huyo mume anakubali kuishi naye, basi huyo mwanamke asimwache.
14 For the vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified to the wife, and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified to the husband, els were your children vncleane: but nowe are they holie.
Kwa maana huyo mume asiyeamini anatakaswa kupitia mkewe, naye mke asiyeamini anatakaswa kupitia mumewe anayeamini. Kama isingalikuwa hivyo watoto wenu wangalikuwa si safi, lakini ilivyo sasa wao ni watakatifu.
15 But if the vnbeleeuing depart, let him depart: a brother or a sister is not in subiection in such things: but God hath called vs in peace.
Lakini kama yule asiyeamini akijitenga, basi afanye hivyo. Katika hali kama hiyo mwanamke au mwanaume aaminiye hafungwi, kwa sababu Mungu ametuita tuishi kwa amani.
16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt saue thine husband? Or what knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt saue thy wife?
Wewe mke, unajuaje kama utamwokoa mumeo? Au wewe mume unajuaje kama utamwokoa mkeo?
17 But as God hath distributed to euery man, as the Lord hath called euery one, so let him walke: and so ordaine I, in all Churches.
Lakini kila mtu na aishi maisha aliyopangiwa na Bwana, yale Mungu aliyomwitia. Hii ni sheria ninayoiweka kwa makanisa yote.
18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not gather his vncircumcision: is any called vncircumcised? let him not be circumcised.
Je, mtu alikuwa tayari ametahiriwa alipoitwa? Asijifanye asiyetahiriwa. Je, mtu alikuwa hajatahiriwa alipoitwa? Asitahiriwe.
19 Circumcision is nothing, and vncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandements of God.
Kutahiriwa si kitu, na kutokutahiriwa si kitu. Lakini kuzitii amri za Mungu ndilo jambo muhimu.
20 Let euery man abide in the same vocation wherein he was called.
Basi kila mmoja wenu na abaki katika hali aliyoitwa nayo.
21 Art thou called being a seruant? care not for it: but if yet thou maiest be free, vse it rather.
Je, wewe ulipoitwa ulikuwa mtumwa? Jambo hilo lisikusumbue. Ingawaje unaweza kupata uhuru, tumia nafasi uliyo nayo sasa kuliko wakati mwingine wowote.
22 For he that is called in the Lord, being. a seruant, is the Lords freeman: likewise also he that is called being free, is Christes seruant.
Kwa maana yeyote aliyeitwa katika Bwana akiwa mtumwa yeye ni mtu huru kwa Bwana, kama vile yeyote aliyekuwa huru alipoitwa yeye ni mtumwa wa Kristo.
23 Yee are bought with a price: be not the seruants of men.
Mlinunuliwa kwa gharama; msiwe watumwa wa wanadamu.
24 Brethren, let euery man, wherein hee was called, therein abide with God.
Ndugu zangu, kama kila mtu alivyoitwa, akae katika wito wake alioitiwa na Mungu.
25 Nowe concerning virgines, I haue no commandement of the Lord: but I giue mine aduise, as one that hath obtained mercie of the Lord to be faithfull.
Basi, kuhusu wale walio bikira, mimi sina amri kutoka kwa Bwana, lakini mimi natoa shauri kama mtu ambaye ni mwaminifu kwa rehema za Bwana.
26 I suppose then this to bee good for the present necessitie: I meane that it is good for a man so to be.
Kwa sababu ya shida iliyoko kwa sasa, naona ni vyema mkibaki kama mlivyo.
27 Art thou bounde vnto a wife? seeke not to be loosed: art thou loosed from a wife? seeke not a wife.
Je, umeolewa? Basi usitake talaka. Je, hujaoa? Usitafute mke.
28 But if thou takest a wife, thou sinnest not: and if a virgine marrie, shee sinneth not: neuerthelesse, such shall haue trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.
Lakini kama ukioa, hujatenda dhambi; na kama bikira akiolewa, hajatenda dhambi. Lakini wale wanaooa watakabiliana na matatizo mengi katika maisha haya, nami nataka kuwazuilia hayo.
29 And this I say, brethren, because the time is short, hereafter that both they which haue wiues, be as though they had none:
Lakini ndugu zangu, nina maana kwamba muda uliobaki ni mfupi. Tangu sasa wale waliooa waishi kama wasio na wake;
30 And they that weepe, as though they wept not: and they that reioyce, as though they reioyced not: and they that bye, as though they possessed not:
nao wanaoomboleza, kama ambao hawaombolezi; wenye furaha kama wasiokuwa nayo; wale wanaonunua, kama vile vitu walivyonunua si mali yao;
31 And they that vse this worlde, as though they vsed it not: for the fashion of this worlde goeth away.
nao wale wanaoshughulika na vitu vya dunia hii, kama ambao hawahusiki navyo. Kwa maana dunia hii kama tunavyoiona sasa inapita.
32 And I would haue you without care. The vnmaried careth for the things of the Lord, howe he may please the Lord.
Ningetaka msiwe na masumbufu. Mwanaume ambaye hajaoa anajishughulisha na mambo ya Bwana, jinsi ya kumpendeza Bwana.
33 But hee that is maried, careth for the things of the world, how he may please his wife.
Lakini mwanaume aliyeoa anajishughulisha na mambo ya dunia, jinsi ya kumfurahisha mkewe,
34 There is difference also betweene a virgine and a wife: the vnmaried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy, both in body and in spirite: but shee that is maried, careth for the things of the worlde, howe shee may please her husband.
na mawazo yake yamegawanyika. Mwanamke asiyeolewa hujishughulisha na mambo ya Bwana: lengo lake ni awe mtakatifu kimwili na kiroho. Lakini yule aliyeolewa hujishughulisha na mambo ya dunia, jinsi atakavyoweza kumfurahisha mumewe.
35 And this I speake for your owne commoditie, not to tangle you in a snare, but that yee follow that, which is honest, and that yee may cleaue fast vnto the Lord without separation.
Ninasema haya kwa faida yenu wenyewe, sio ili kuwawekea vizuizi bali mpate kuishi kwa jinsi ilivyo vyema bila kuvutwa pengine katika kujitoa kwenu kwa Bwana.
36 But if any man thinke that it is vncomely for his virgine, if shee passe the flower of her age, and neede so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them be maried.
Kama mtu yeyote anadhani kwamba hamtendei ilivyo sawa mwanamwali ambaye amemposa, naye akiwa umri wake unazidi kuendelea na mtu huyo anajisikia kwamba inampasa kuoa, afanye kama atakavyo. Yeye hatendi dhambi. Yawapasa waoane.
37 Neuerthelesse, hee that standeth firme in his heart, that hee hath no neede, but hath power ouer his owne will, and hath so decreed in his heart, that hee will keepe his virgine, hee doeth well.
Lakini mwanaume ambaye ameamua moyoni mwake kutooa bila kulazimishwa na mtu yeyote, bali anaweza kuzitawala tamaa zake kutomwoa huyo mwanamwali, basi anafanya ipasavyo.
38 So then hee that giueth her to mariage, doeth well, but he that giueth her not to mariage, doeth better.
Hivyo basi, mwanaume amwoaye mwanamwali afanya vyema, lakini yeye asiyemwoa afanya vyema zaidi.
39 The wife is bounde by the Lawe, as long as her husband liueth: but if her husband bee dead, shee is at libertie to marie with whome she will, onely in the Lord.
Mwanamke aliyeolewa amefungwa na sheria maadamu mumewe yu hai. Lakini mumewe akifa, basi mwanamke huyo yuko huru kuolewa na mume mwingine ampendaye, lakini lazima awe katika Bwana.
40 But shee is more blessed, if she so abide, in my iudgement: and I thinke that I haue also the Spirite of God.
Lakini kwa maoni yangu, angekuwa na furaha zaidi akibaki alivyo. Nami nadhani pia nina Roho wa Mungu.