1 Corinthians 13
1 Though I speak in the ‘tongues’ of people, or even of angels, yet have not love, I have become mere echoing brass, or a clanging cymbal!
Hata kama nikinena lugha za watu na hata za malaika, lakini kama sina upendo mimi nimekuwa tu kama sauti ya debe tupu au kengele.
2 Even though I have the gift of preaching, and fathom all hidden truths and all the depths of knowledge; even though I have such faith as might move mountains, yet have not love, I am nothing!
Tena, naweza kuwa na kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, nikafahamu siri zote na kujua kila kitu; naweza kuwa na imani yote hata nikaweza kuihamisha milima, lakini kama sina upendo mimi si kitu.
3 Even though I dole my substance to the poor, even though I sacrifice my body in order to boast, yet have not love, it avails me nothing!
Nikitoa mali yangu yote na kuwapa maskini, na tena nikiutoa mwili wangu uchomwe, kama sina upendo hiyo hainifai chochote.
4 Love is long-suffering, and kind; love is never envious, never boastful, never conceited, never behaves unbecomingly;
Mwenye upendo huvumilia, hufadhili; mwenye upendo hana wivu, hajidai, wala hajivuni.
5 love is never self-seeking, never provoked, never reckons up her wrongs;
Mwenye upendo hakosi adabu, hatafuti faida yake binafsi, wala hana wepesi wa hasira; haweki kumbukumbu ya mabaya,
6 love never rejoices at evil, but rejoices in the triumph of truth;
hafurahii uovu, bali hufurahia ukweli.
7 love bears with all things, ever trustful, ever hopeful, ever patient.
Mwenye upendo huvumilia yote, huamini yote, na hustahimili yote.
8 Love never fails. But, whether it be the gift of preaching, it will end; whether it be the gift of ‘tongues,’ it will cease; whether it be knowledge, it, too, will vanish.
Upendo hauna kikomo kamwe. Kama kuna vipaji vya kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, hivyo vitatoweka siku moja; kama ni vipaji vya kusema lugha ngeni, vitakoma; kama kuna elimu, nayo itapita.
9 For our knowledge is incomplete, and our preaching is incomplete,
Maana ujuzi wetu si kamili, na kipaji chetu cha kutangaza neno la Mungu si kamili.
10 but, when the perfect has come, that which is incomplete will end.
Lakini kile kilicho kikamilifu kitakapofika, vyote visivyo vikamilifu vitatoweka.
11 When I was a child, I talked as a child, I felt as a child, I reasoned as a child; now that I am a man, I have done with childish ways.
Nilipokuwa mtoto mchanga nilisema kitoto, nilifahamu kitoto, nilifikiri kitoto. Lakini sasa, maadam mimi ni mtu mzima, mambo ya kitoto nimeyaacha.
12 As yet we see, in a mirror, dimly, but then – face to face! As yet my knowledge is incomplete, but then I will know in full, as I have been fully known.
Tunachoona sasa ni kama tu sura hafifu katika kioo, lakini hapo baadaye tutaona uso kwa uso. Sasa ninajua kiasi fulani tu, lakini hapo baadaye nitajua yote kikamilifu, kama vile Mungu anavyonijua mimi.
13 Meanwhile faith, hope, and love endure – these three, but the greatest of these is love.
Sasa yanadumu haya matatu: imani, tumaini na upendo; lakini lililo kuu kupita yote ni upendo.
