¹Follow after love; yet desire earnestly spiritual [gifts], but rather that ye may prophesy.

¹Jitahidini kuwa na upendo. Vilevile fanyeni bidii ya kupata vipaji vingine vya kiroho, hasa kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu.

²For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth; but in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

²Mwenye kunena lugha ngeni hasemi na watu bali anasema na Mungu. Yeye hunena kwa nguvu ya Roho mambo yaliyofichika.

³But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men edification, and exhortation, and consolation.

³Lakini mwenye kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, husema na watu kwa ajili ya kuwajenga, kuwafariji na kuwatia moyo.

⁴He that speaketh in a tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

⁴Mwenye kunena lugha ngeni anajijenga mwenyewe. Lakini mwenye kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, analijenga kanisa.

⁵Now I would have you all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy: and greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

⁵Basi, ningependa ninyi nyote mseme kwa lugha ngeni lakini ningependelea hasa muwe na kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, maana mtu mwenye kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, ni wa maana zaidi kuliko yule mwenye kusema lugha ngeni, isipokuwa tu kama yupo hapo mtu awezaye kuyafafanua hayo mambo asemayo, ili kanisa lipate kujengwa.

⁶But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?

⁶Hivyo, ndugu zangu, kama nikija kwenu na kusema nanyi kwa lugha ngeni itawafaa nini? Haitawafaa chochote, isipokuwa tu kama nitawaelezeni ufunuo wa Mungu au ujuzi fulani au ujumbe wa Mungu au mafundisho fulani.

⁷Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they give not a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

⁷Ndivyo ilivyo kwa vyombo visivyo na uhai vyenye kutoa sauti kama vile filimbi au kinanda. Je, mtu anawezaje kuutambua wimbo unaochezwa kama vyombo hivyo havitoi sauti waziwazi vinapopigwa?

⁸For if the trumpet give an uncertain voice, who shall prepare himself for war?

⁸La mgambo likilia bila kufuata taratibu zake, nani atajiweka tayari kwa vita?

⁹So also ye, unless ye utter by the tongue speech easy to understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking into the air.

⁹Hali kadhalika na ninyi, kama ulimi wenu hausemi kitu chenye kueleweka, nani ataweza kufahamu mnayosema? Maneno yenu yatapotea hewani.

¹⁰There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and no [kind] is without signification.

¹⁰Zipo lugha mbalimbali ulimwenguni, na hakuna hata mojawapo isiyo na maana.

¹¹If then I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will be a barbarian unto me.

¹¹Lakini ikiwa mimi sifahamu maana ya lugha asemayo mtu fulani, mimi ni mgeni kwake mtu huyo naye pia ni mgeni kwangu.

¹²So also ye, since ye are zealous of spiritual [gifts], seek that ye may abound unto the edifying of the church.

¹²Hali kadhalika na ninyi, maadam mna hamu ya kupata vipaji vya Roho, jitahidini hasa kujipatia vile vinavyosaidia kulijenga kanisa.

¹³Wherefore let him that speaketh in a tongue pray that he may interpret.

¹³Kwa hiyo, mwenye kunena lugha ngeni na aombe apate uwezo wa kuzifafanua.

¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

¹⁴Maana, nikisali kwa lugha ngeni roho yangu ndiyo inayosali, lakini akili yangu hubaki bure.

¹⁵What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

¹⁵Nifanye nini, basi? Nitasali kwa roho yangu, nitasali pia kwa akili yangu; nitaimba kwa roho yangu, nitaimba pia kwa akili yangu.

¹⁶Else if thou bless with the spirit, how shall he that filleth the place of the unlearned say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest?

¹⁶Ukimsifu Mungu kwa roho yako tu, atawezaje mtu wa kawaida aliye katika mkutano kuitikia sala yako ya shukrani kwa kusema: "Amina," kama haelewi unachosema?

¹⁷For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

¹⁷Sala yako ya shukrani yaweza kweli kuwa bora, lakini huyo mwingine haitamfaidia.

¹⁸I thank God, I speak with tongues more than you all:

¹⁸Namshukuru Mungu kwamba mimi nasema kwa lugha ngeni zaidi kuliko ninyi nyote.

¹⁹howbeit in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

¹⁹Lakini katika mikutano ya waumini napendelea zaidi kusema maneno matano yenye kueleweka ili niwafundishe wengine, kuliko kusema maneno elfu ya lugha ngeni.

²⁰Brethren, be not children in mind: yet in malice be ye babes, but in mind be men.

²⁰Ndugu, msiwe kama watoto katika fikira zenu. Kuhusu uovu muwe kama watoto wachanga lakini katika kufikiri ni lazima muwe kama watu waliokomaa.

²¹In the law it is written, By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers will I speak unto this people; and not even thus will they hear me, saith the Lord.

²¹Imeandikwa katika Sheria: "Bwana asema hivi: Kwa njia ya wenye kunena lugha ngeni, na kwa midomo ya wageni, nitasema na watu hawa, hata hivyo, hawatanisikiliza."

²²Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to the unbelieving: but prophesying [is for a sign], not to the unbelieving, but to them that believe.

²²Hivyo basi, kipaji cha kusema lugha ngeni ni ishara, si kwa ajili ya watu wenye imani, bali kwa ajili ya wale wasioamini; lakini kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu ni kwa ajili ya wale wanaoamini na si kwa ajili ya wasioamini.

²³If therefore the whole church be assembled together and all speak with tongues, and there come in men unlearned or unbelieving, will they not say that ye are mad?

²³Basi, kanisa lote linapokutana pamoja, na wote wakaanza kusema kwa lugha ngeni, kama wakija watu wa kawaida au wasioamini, je, hawatasema kwamba ninyi mna wazimu?

²⁴But if all prophesy, and there come in one unbelieving or unlearned, he is reproved by all, he is judged by all;

²⁴Lakini, wote wakiwa wanautangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, akija mtu wa kawaida au asiyeamini, yote atakayosikia yatamhakikishia ubaya wake mwenyewe; yote atakayosikia yatamhukumu.

²⁵the secrets of his heart are made manifest; and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.

²⁵Siri za moyo wake zitafichuliwa, naye atapiga magoti na kumwabudu Mungu akisema: "Kweli Mungu yupo pamoja nanyi."

²⁶What is it then, brethren? When ye come together, each one hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

²⁶Ndugu, tuseme nini, basi? Mnapokutana pamoja, mmoja aimbe wimbo, mwingine atoe mafundisho, mwingine awe na ufunuo kutoka kwa Mungu, mwingine atumie kipaji cha kusema kwa lugha ngeni na mwingine afafanue yanayosemwa. Yote yawe kwa ajili ya kulijenga kanisa.

²⁷If any man speaketh in a tongue, [let it be] by two, or at the most three, and [that] in turn; and let one interpret:

²⁷Wakiwepo watu wenye vipaji vya kusema kwa lugha ngeni, waseme wawili au watatu, si zaidi, tena mmojammoja; na aweko mtu wa kufafanua yanayosemwa.

²⁸but if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

²⁸Lakini kama hakuna awezaye kufafanua, basi, mwenye kusema lugha ngeni anyamaze mkutanoni, aseme na nafsi yake mwenyewe na Mungu.

²⁹And let the prophets speak [by] two or three, and let the others discern.

²⁹Kuhusu wale wenye kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, waseme wawili au watatu, na wengine wayapime maneno yao.

³⁰But if a revelation be made to another sitting by, let the first keep silence.

³⁰Ikiwa mmoja anaposema mwingine wa wasikilizaji amepata ufunuo kutoka kwa Mungu, basi, yule anayesema anyamaze.

³¹For ye all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted;

³¹Maana nyote mwaweza kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu, mmoja baada ya mwingine, ili nyote mpate kujifunza na kutiwa moyo.

³²and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets;

³²Kipaji cha kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu ni lazima kitawaliwe na huyo mwenye hicho kipaji.

³³for God is not [a God] of confusion, but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

³³Maana Mungu si Mungu wa fujo, ila wa amani.

³⁴let the women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as also saith the law.

³⁴Kama ilivyo desturi katika makanisa yote ya watu wa Mungu, wanawake wakae kimya katika mikutano ya waumini. Hawana ruhusa kusema; ila wawe watii kama isemavyo Sheria.

³⁵And if they would learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home: for it is shameful for a woman to speak in the church.

³⁵Ikiwa wanayo maswali ya kuuliza, wawaulize waume zao nyumbani, maana ni aibu kwa mwanamke kusema katika mikutano ya waumini.

³⁶What? was it from you that the word of God went forth? or came it unto you alone?

³⁶Je, mnadhani neno la Mungu limetoka kwenu ninyi au kwamba limewajieni ninyi peke yenu?

³⁷If any man thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of the things which I write unto you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.

³⁷Kama mtu yeyote anadhani kwamba yeye ni mjumbe wa Mungu au kwamba anacho kipaji cha Roho, na ajue kwamba haya ninayowaandikia ninyi ni amri ya Bwana.

³⁸But if any man is ignorant, let him be ignorant.

³⁸Lakini mtu asiyetambua hayo, basi, mtu asimjali mtu huyo.

³⁹Wherefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

³⁹Hivyo basi, ndugu zangu, mnapaswa kuwa na hamu ya kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu; lakini msimkataze mtu kusema kwa lugha ngeni.

⁴⁰But let all things be done decently and in order.

⁴⁰Lakini yote yafanyike kwa heshima na kwa utaratibu.