¹Mimi Paulo, mfungwa kwa ajili ya Kristo Yesu, na ndugu Timotheo, ninakuandikia wewe Filemoni mpendwa, mfanyakazi mwenzetu

¹Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow-worker,

²na kanisa linalokutana nyumbani kwako, na wewe dada Afia, na askari mwenzetu Arkupo.

²and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house:

³Tunawatakieni neema na amani kutoka kwa Mungu Baba yetu, na kwa Bwana yesu Kristo.

³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴Kila wakati ninaposali nakukumbuka wewe Filemoni, na kumshukuru Mungu

⁴I thank my God always, making mention of thee in my prayers,

⁵maana nasikia habari za imani yako kwa Bwana wetu Yesu na upendo wako kwa watu wote wa Mungu.

⁵hearing of thy love, and of the faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;

⁶Naomba ili imani hiyo unayoshiriki pamoja nasi ikuwezeshe kuwa na ujuzi mkamilifu zaidi wa baraka zote tunazopata katika kuungana kwetu na Kristo.

⁶that the fellowship of thy faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in you, unto Christ.

⁷Ndugu, upendo wako yameniletea furaha kubwa na kunipa moyo sana! Nawe umeichangamsha mioyo ya watu wa Mungu.

⁷For I had much joy and comfort in thy love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through thee, brother.

⁸Kwa sababu hiyo, ningeweza, kwa uhodari kabisa, nikiwa ndugu yako katika Kristo, kukuamuru ufanye unachopaswa kufanya.

⁸Wherefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to enjoin thee that which is befitting,

⁹Lakini kwa sababu ya upendo, ni afadhali zaidi nikuombe. Nafanya hivi ingawa mimi ni Paulo, balozi wa Kristo Yesu, na sasa pia mfungwa kwa ajili yake.

⁹yet for love's sake I rather beseech, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus:

¹⁰Basi, ninalo ombi moja kwako kuhusu mwanangu Onesimo, ambaye ni mwanangu katika Kristo kwani nimekuwa baba yake nikiwa kifungoni.

¹⁰I beseech thee for my child, whom I have begotten in my bonds, Onesimus,

¹¹Ni Onesimo yuleyule ambaye wakati mmoja alikuwa hakufai kitu, lakini sasa ananifaa mimi na wewe pia.

¹¹who once was unprofitable to thee, but now is profitable to thee and to me:

¹²Sasa namrudisha kwako, naye ni kama moyo wangu mimi mwenyewe.

¹²whom I have sent back to thee in his own person, that is, my very heart:

¹³Ningependa akae nami hapa anisaidie badala yako wakati niwapo kifungoni kwa sababu ya Habari Njema.

¹³whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of the gospel:

¹⁴Lakini sitafanya chochote bila kibali chako. Sipendi kukulazimisha unisaidie, kwani wema wako unapaswa kutokana na hiari yako wewe mwenyewe na si kwa kulazimika.

¹⁴but without thy mind I would do nothing; that thy goodness should not be as of necessity, but of free will.

¹⁵Labda Onesimo aliondoka kwako kwa kitambo tu, kusudi uweze tena kuwa naye daima.

¹⁵For perhaps he was therefore parted [from thee] for a season, that thou shouldest have him for ever;

¹⁶Na sasa yeye si mtumwa tu, ila ni bora zaidi ya mtumwa: yeye ni ndugu yetu mpenzi. Na wa maana sana kwangu mimi, na kwako atakuwa wa maana zaidi kama mtumwa na kama ndugu katika Bwana.

¹⁶no longer as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much rather to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

¹⁷Basi, ikiwa wanitambua mimi kuwa mwenzako, mpokee tena kama vile ungenipokea mimi mwenyewe.

¹⁷If then thou countest me a partner, receive him as myself.

¹⁸Kama alikuwa amekukosea kitu, au alikuwa na deni lako, basi, unidai mimi.

¹⁸But if he hath wronged the at all, or oweth [thee] aught, put that to mine account;

¹⁹Naandika jambo hili kwa mkono wangu mwenyewe: Mimi Paulo nitalipa! (Tena sina haja ya kusema kwamba wewe unalo deni kwangu la nafsi yako.)

¹⁹I Paul write it with mine own hand, I will repay it: that I say not unto thee that thou owest to me even thine own self besides.

²⁰Haya, basi, ndugu yangu, nifanyie jambo hilo kwa ajili ya jina la Bwana; burudisha moyo wangu kama ndugu katika Kristo.

²⁰Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my heart in Christ.

²¹Naandika nikitumaini kwamba utanikubalia ombi langu; tena najua kwamba utafanya hata zaidi ya haya ninayokuomba.

²¹Having confidence in thine obedience I write unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do even beyond what I say.

²²Pamoja na hayo, nitayarishie chumba kwani natumaini kwamba kwa sala zenu, Mungu atanijalia niwatembeleeni.

²²But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted unto you.

²³Epafra, mfungwa mwenzangu kwa ajili ya Kristo Yesu, anakusalimu.

²³Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus, saluteth thee;

²⁴Nao akina Marko, Aristarko, Dema na Luka, wafanyakazi wenzangu, wanakusalimu.

²⁴[and so do] Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workers.

²⁵Nawatakieni ninyi nyote neema ya Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo.

²⁵The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.