1 Wakorintho 4
1 Basi, watu na watuhesabu sisi kuwa tu watumishi wa Kristo na mawakili wa siri za Mungu.
As for us Apostles, let any one take this view of us--we are Christ's officers, and stewards of God's secret truths.
2 Tena, litakiwalo ni mawakili waonekane kuwa waaminifu.
This being so, it follows that fidelity is what is required in stewards.
3 Lakini kwangu mimi ni jambo dogo sana kwamba nihukumiwe na ninyi au na mahakama yoyote ya kibinadamu. Naam, hata mimi mwenyewe sijihukumu.
I however am very little concerned at undergoing your scrutiny, or that of other men; in fact I do not even scrutinize myself.
4 Dhamiri yangu ni safi, lakini hilo halinihesabii kuwa asiye na hatia. Bwana ndiye anihukumuye.
Though I am not conscious of having been in any way unfaithful, yet I do not for that reason stand acquitted; but He whose scrutiny I must undergo is the Lord.
5 Kwa hiyo msihukumu jambo lolote kabla ya wakati wake. Ngojeni mpaka Bwana atakapokuja. Yeye atayaleta nuruni mambo yale yaliyofichwa gizani, na kuweka wazi nia za mioyo ya wanadamu. Wakati huo kila mmoja atapokea sifa anayostahili kutoka kwa Mungu.
Therefore form no premature judgements, but wait until the Lord returns. He will both bring to light the secrets of darkness and will openly disclose the motives that have been in people's hearts; and then the praise which each man deserves will come to him from God.
6 Basi ndugu zangu, mambo haya nimeyafanya kwangu binafsi na Apolo kwa faida yenu, ili mweze kujifunza kutoka kwetu maana ya ule usemi usemao, “Msivuke zaidi ya yale yaliyoandikwa.” Hivyo hamtajivunia mtu fulani na kumdharau mwingine.
In writing this much, brethren, with special reference to Apollos and myself, I have done so for your sakes, in order to teach you by our example what those words mean, which say, "Nothing beyond what is written!" --so that you may cease to take sides in boastful rivalry, for one teacher against another.
7 Kwa maana ni nani aliyewafanya kuwa tofauti na wengine? Ni nini mlicho nacho ambacho hamkupokea? Nanyi kama mlipokea, kwa nini mnajivuna kama vile hamkupokea?
Why, who gives you your superiority, my brother? Or what have you that you did not receive? And if you really did receive it, why boast as if this were not so?
8 Sasa tayari mnayo yale yote mnayohitaji! Tayari mmekwisha kuwa matajiri! Mmekuwa wafalme, tena bila sisi! Laiti mngekuwa wafalme kweli ili na sisi tupate kuwa wafalme pamoja nanyi!
Every one of you already has all that heart can desire; already you have grown rich; without waiting for us, you have ascended your thrones! Yes indeed, would to God that you had ascended your thrones, that we also might reign with you!
9 Kwa maana ninaona kwamba Mungu ametuweka sisi mitume katika nafasi ya mwisho kabisa, kama watu waliohukumiwa kufa kwenye uwanja wa tamasha, kwa sababu tumefanywa kuwa maonyesho kwa ulimwengu wote, kwa malaika na kwa wanadamu pia.
God, it seems to me, has exhibited us Apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; for we have come to be a spectacle to all creation--alike to angels and to men.
10 Kwa ajili ya Kristo sisi ni wajinga, lakini ninyi mna hekima sana ndani ya Kristo. Sisi tu dhaifu, lakini ninyi mna nguvu. Tunadharauliwa, lakini ninyi mnaheshimiwa.
We, for Christ's sake, are labeled as "foolish"; you, as Christians, are men of shrewd intelligence. We are mere weaklings: you are strong. You are in high repute: we are outcasts.
11 Mpaka saa hii tuna njaa na kiu, tu uchi, tumepigwa na hatuna makao.
To this very moment we endure both hunger and thirst, with scanty clothing and many a blow.
12 Tunafanya kazi kwa bidii kwa mikono yetu wenyewe. Tunapolaaniwa, tunabariki, tunapoteswa, tunastahimili,
Homes we have none. Wearily we toil, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we bear it patiently;
13 tunaposingiziwa, tunajibu kwa upole. Mpaka sasa tumekuwa kama takataka ya dunia na uchafu wa ulimwengu.
when slandered, we try to conciliate. We have come to be regarded as the mere dirt and filth of the world--the refuse of the universe, even to this hour.
14 Siwaandikii mambo haya ili kuwaaibisha, bali ili kuwaonya, kama wanangu wapendwa.
I am not writing all this to shame you, but I am offering you advice as my dearly-loved children.
15 Hata kama mnao walimu 10,000 katika Kristo, lakini hamna baba wengi. Mimi nilikuwa baba yenu katika Kristo Yesu kwa kuwaletea Injili.
For even if you were to have ten thousand spiritual instructors--for all that you could not have several fathers. It is I who in Christ Jesus became your father through the Good News.
16 Basi nawasihi igeni mfano wangu.
I entreat you therefore to become like me.
17 Kwa sababu hii ninamtuma Timotheo, mwanangu mpendwa na mwaminifu katika Bwana. Yeye atawakumbusha kuhusu njia za maisha yangu katika Kristo Yesu, ambayo yanakubaliana na mafundisho yangu ninayofundisha katika kila kanisa.
For this reason I have sent Timothy to you. Spiritually he is my dearly-loved and faithful child. He will remind you of my habits as a Christian teacher--the manner in which I teach everywhere in every Church.
18 Baadhi yenu mmekuwa na jeuri mkidhani kuwa sitafika kwenu.
But some of you have been puffed up through getting the idea that I am not coming to Corinth.
19 Lakini kama Bwana akipenda, nitafika kwenu mapema, nami nitapenda kujua, si tu kile wanachosema hawa watu jeuri, bali pia kujua nguvu yao.
But, if the Lord is willing, I shall come to you without delay; and then I shall know not the fine speeches of these conceited people, but their power.
20 Kwa kuwa Ufalme wa Mungu si maneno matupu tu bali ni nguvu.
For Apostolic authority is not a thing of words, but of power.
21 Ninyi amueni. Je, nije kwenu na fimbo, au nije kwa upendo na kwa roho ya upole?
Which shall it be? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in a loving and tender spirit?
