1 Corinthians 7
1 Now concerning the things of which ye wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
Basi kuhusu mambo yale mliyoyaandika: Ni vyema mwanaume asimguse mwanamke.
2 Nevertheless, to avoid immorality, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own 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 render to the wife her due benevolence: and likewise also the wife to the husband.
Mume atimize wajibu wake wa ndoa kwa mkewe, naye vivyo hivyo mke kwa mumewe.
4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not 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 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan may not tempt you for your lack of self-control.
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 speak this by permission, and not as a commandment.
Nasema haya kama ushauri na si amri.
7 For I would that all men were as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift from God, one after this manner, 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 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they remain even as I.
Kwa wale wasiooa na kwa wajane, nasema hivi, ingekuwa vizuri wasioe.
9 But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
Lakini kama hawawezi kujizuia, basi waoe na kuolewa, kwa maana ni afadhali kuoa au kuolewa kuliko kuwaka tamaa.
10 And to the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
Kwa wale waliooana nawapa amri (si mimi ila ni Bwana): Mke asitengane na mumewe.
11 But if she shall depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to 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 the rest I speak, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she is pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
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 who hath an husband that believeth not, and if he is pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
Naye mwanamke aaminiye kama ameolewa na mwanaume asiyeamini na huyo mume anakubali kuishi naye, basi huyo mwanamke asimwache.
14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
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 unbelieving departeth, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to 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 how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
Wewe mke, unajuaje kama utamwokoa mumeo? Au wewe mume unajuaje kama utamwokoa mkeo?
17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so I ordain 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 become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not become circumcised.
Je, mtu alikuwa tayari ametahiriwa alipoitwa? Asijifanye asiyetahiriwa. Je, mtu alikuwa hajatahiriwa alipoitwa? Asitahiriwe.
19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
Kutahiriwa si kitu, na kutokutahiriwa si kitu. Lakini kuzitii amri za Mungu ndilo jambo muhimu.
20 Let every man remain in the same calling in which he was called.
Basi kila mmoja wenu na abaki katika hali aliyoitwa nayo.
21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use 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 servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.
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 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
Mlinunuliwa kwa gharama; msiwe watumwa wa wanadamu.
24 Brethren, let every man, in the state in which he is called, continue in it with God.
Ndugu zangu, kama kila mtu alivyoitwa, akae katika wito wake alioitiwa na Mungu.
25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy from the Lord to be faithful.
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 therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, 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 bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
Je, umeolewa? Basi usitake talaka. Je, hujaoa? Usitafute mke.
28 But if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have 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 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives 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 weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, 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 use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
nao wale wanaoshughulika na vitu vya dunia hii, kama ambao hawahusiki navyo. Kwa maana dunia hii kama tunavyoiona sasa inapita.
32 But I would have you without care. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
Ningetaka msiwe na masumbufu. Mwanaume ambaye hajaoa anajishughulisha na mambo ya Bwana, jinsi ya kumpendeza Bwana.
33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
Lakini mwanaume aliyeoa anajishughulisha na mambo ya dunia, jinsi ya kumfurahisha mkewe,
34 There is a difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she 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 speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is seemly, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
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 thinketh that he behaveth himself unseemly toward his virgin, if she hath passed the flower of her age, and need so requireth, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.
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 Nevertheless he that standeth steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, 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 he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.
Hivyo basi, mwanaume amwoaye mwanamwali afanya vyema, lakini yeye asiyemwoa afanya vyema zaidi.
39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband is dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only 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 she is happier if she so remain, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.
Lakini kwa maoni yangu, angekuwa na furaha zaidi akibaki alivyo. Nami nadhani pia nina Roho wa Mungu.
