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

¹Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

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

²For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

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

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

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

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

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.

⁵I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

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.

⁶Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

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?

⁷And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

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

⁸For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

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

⁹So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.

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

¹⁰There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.

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

¹¹Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.

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

¹²Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

¹⁶Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?

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

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

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

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

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

¹⁹Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

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

²⁰Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

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."

²¹In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.

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.

²²Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

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?

²³If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

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

²⁴But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:

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

²⁵And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

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.

²⁶How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

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

²⁷If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.

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

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

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

²⁹Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.

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

³⁰If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.

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

³¹For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.

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

³²And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

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

³³For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

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.

³⁴Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law.

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

³⁵And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

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

³⁶What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?

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.

³⁷If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

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

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

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

³⁹Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

⁴⁰Lakini yote yafanyike kwa heshima na kwa utaratibu.

⁴⁰Let all things be done decently and in order.