¹Nitajivuna basi, ingawa haifai! Lakini sasa nitasema juu ya maono na ufunuo alivyonijalia Bwana.

¹To boast, really, is not profitable for me, for I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

²Namjua mtu mmoja Mkristo, ambaye miaka kumi na minne iliyopita alinyakuliwa mpaka katika mbingu ya tatu. (Sijui kama alikuwa huko kwa mwili au kwa roho; Mungu ajua.)

²I have known a man in Christ, fourteen years ago — whether in the body I have not known, whether out of the body I have not known, God hath known — such an one being caught away unto the third heaven;

³Narudia: najua kwamba mtu huyo alinyakuliwa mpaka peponi. (Lakini sijui kama alikuwa huko kwa mwili au kwa roho; Mungu ajua.)

³and I have known such a man — whether in the body, whether out of the body, I have not known, God hath known, —

⁴Huko akasikia mambo ya siri ambayo binadamu hastahili kuyatamka.

⁴that he was caught away to the paradise, and heard unutterable sayings, that it is not possible for man to speak.

⁵Basi, nitajivunia juu ya mtu wa namna hiyo, na si juu yangu mimi binafsi, isipokuwa tu juu ya udhaifu wangu.

⁵Of such an one I will boast, and of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities,

⁶Kama ningetaka kujivuna singekuwa mpumbavu hata kidogo, maana ningekuwa nasema ukweli mtupu. Lakini sitajivuna; sipendi mtu anifikirie zaidi ya vile anavyoona na kusikia kutoka kwangu.

⁶for if I may wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for truth I will say; but I forebear, lest any one in regard to me may think anything above what he doth see me, or doth hear anything of me;

⁷Lakini, kusudi mambo haya makuu niliyofunuliwa yasinifanye nilewe majivuno, nilipewa maumivu mwilini kama mwiba, mjumbe wa Shetani mwenye kunipiga nisijivune kupita kiasi.

⁷and that by the exceeding greatness of the revelations I might not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of the Adversary, that he might buffet me, that I might not be exalted overmuch.

⁸Nilimsihi Bwana mara tatu kuhusu jambo hili ili linitoke.

⁸Concerning this thing thrice the Lord did I call upon, that it might depart from me,

⁹Lakini akaniambia: "Neema yangu inatosha kwa ajili yako; maana uwezo wangu hukamilishwa zaidi katika udhaifu." Basi, ni radhi kabisa kujivunia udhaifu wangu ili uwezo wake Kristo ukae juu yangu.

⁹and He said to me, `Sufficient for thee is My grace, for My power in infirmity is perfected;` most gladly, therefore, will I rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of the Christ may rest on me:

¹⁰Kwa hiyo nakubali kwa radhi udhaifu, madharau, taabu, udhalimu na mateso, kwa ajili ya Kristo; maana ninapokuwa dhaifu, ndipo ninapokuwa na nguvu.

¹⁰wherefore I am well pleased in infirmities, in damages, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses — for Christ; for whenever I am infirm, then I am powerful;

¹¹Nimekuwa kama mpumbavu, lakini, ninyi mmenilazimisha kuwa hivyo. Ninyi ndio mngalipaswa kunisifu. Maana, ingawa mimi si kitu, kwa vyovyote, mimi si mdogo zaidi kuliko hao "mitume wakuu."

¹¹I have become a fool — boasting; ye — ye did compel me; for I ought by you to have been commended, for in nothing was I behind the very chiefest apostles — even if I am nothing.

¹²Miujiza na maajabu yaonyeshayo wazi kwamba mimi ni mtume yalifanyika miongoni mwenu kwa uvumilivu wote.

¹²The signs, indeed, of the apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds,

¹³Je, mlipungukiwa nini zaidi kuliko makanisa mengine, isipokuwa tu kwamba mimi kwa upande wangu sikuwasumbueni kupata msaada wenu? Samahani kwa kuwakoseeni haki hiyo!

¹³for what is there in which ye were inferior to the rest of the assemblies, except that I myself was not a burden to you? forgive me this injustice!

¹⁴Sasa niko tayari kabisa kuja kwenu mara ya tatu, na sitawasumbua. Maana ninachotafuta si mali zenu, bali ni ninyi wenyewe. Ni kawaida ya wazazi kuwawekea watoto wao akiba, na si watoto kuwawekea wazazi wao.

¹⁴Lo, a third time I am ready to come unto you, and I will not be a burden to you, for I seek not yours, but you, for the children ought not for the parents to lay up, but the parents for the children,

¹⁵Mimi ni radhi kabisa kutumia nilicho nacho, na hata kujitolea mimi mwenyewe kabisa, kwa faida ya roho zenu. Je, mtanipenda kidogo ati kwa kuwa mimi nawapenda ninyi mno?

¹⁵and I most gladly will spend and be entirely spent for your souls, even if, more abundantly loving you, less I am loved.

¹⁶Basi, mtakubali kwamba sikuwa mzigo kwenu. Lakini labda mtu mwingine atasema: "Kwa vile Paulo ni mwerevu, amewafanyieni ulaghai."

¹⁶And be it [so], I — I did not burden you, but being crafty, with guile I did take you;

¹⁷Je, mimi niliwanyonyeni kwa njia ya mjumbe yeyote niliyemtuma kwenu?

¹⁷any one of those whom I have sent unto you — by him did I take advantage of you?

¹⁸Mimi nilimwita Tito, nikamtuma kwenu na ndugu yetu mwingine. Je, Tito aliwanyonyeni? Je, hamjui kwamba sisi tumekuwa tukiongozwa na roho yuleyule, na mwenendo wetu ni mmoja?

¹⁸I entreated Titus, and did send with [him] the brother; did Titus take advantage of you? in the same spirit did we not walk? — did we not in the same steps?

¹⁹Labda mnafikiri kwamba mpaka sasa tumekuwa tukijitetea wenyewe mbele yenu! Lakini, tunasema mambo haya mbele ya Mungu, tukiwa tumeungana na Kristo. Mambo hayo, yote, wapenzi wangu, ni kwa ajili ya kuwajenga ninyi.

¹⁹Again, think ye that to you we are making defence? before God in Christ do we speak; and the all things, beloved, [are] for your up-building,

²⁰Naogopa, huenda nitakapokuja kwenu nitawakuta katika hali nisiyopenda, nami itanilazimu kuwa katika hali msiyoipenda. Naogopa huenda kukawa na ugomvi, wivu, uhasama, ubishi, masengenyano, kunong'ona, majivuno na fujo kati yenu.

²⁰for I fear lest, having come, not such as I wish I may find you, and I — I may be found by you such as ye do not wish, lest there be strifes, envyings, wraths, revelries, evil-speakings, whisperings, puffings up, insurrections,

²¹Naogopa huenda hapo nitakapokuja safari ijayo Mungu wangu atanifanya niaibike mbele yenu, nami nitaomboleza kwa ajili ya wengi wa wale waliotenda dhambi lakini hawakujutia huo uchafu, tamaa zao mbaya na uzinzi waliokuwa wamefanya.

²¹lest again having come, my God may humble me in regard to you, and I may bewail many of those having sinned before, and not having reformed concerning the uncleanness, and whoredom, and lasciviousness, that they did practise.