¹Follow after love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

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

²For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God; for no one understands; but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries.

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

³But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation.

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

⁴He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly.

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

⁵Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but rather that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up.

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, brothers, The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.” if I come to you speaking with other languages, what would 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 didn’t give a distinction in the sounds, how would 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 gave an uncertain sound, who would prepare himself for war?

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

⁹So also you, unless you uttered by the tongue words easy to understand, how would it be known what is spoken? For you would 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 sounds in the world, and none of them is without meaning.

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

¹¹If then I don’t know the meaning of the sound, I would be to him who speaks a foreigner, and he who speaks would be a foreigner to me.

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

¹²So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly.

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

¹³Therefore let him who speaks in another language pray that he may interpret.

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

¹⁴For if I pray in another language, my spirit prays, 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.

¹⁶Otherwise if you bless with the spirit, how will he who fills the place of the unlearned say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, seeing he doesn’t know what you say?

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 you most certainly give thanks well, but the other person is not built up.

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

¹⁸I thank my God, I speak with other languages more than you all.

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

¹⁹However in the assembly I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in another language.

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

²⁰Brothers, don’t be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature.

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 languages and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people. Not even thus will they hear me, says the Lord.” Isaiah 28:11-12

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."

²²Therefore other languages are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving; but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to those who 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 assembly is assembled together and all speak with other languages, and unlearned or unbelieving people come in, won’t they say that you are crazy?

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 someone unbelieving or unlearned comes in, he is reproved by all, and 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.

²⁵And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed. 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, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, has an interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up.

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 speaks in another language, let it be two, or at the most three, and 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 is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the assembly, 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.

²⁹Let the prophets speak, 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 is made to another sitting by, let the first keep silent.

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

³¹For you 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.

³²The 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 assemblies of the saints,

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

³⁴let your wives keep silent in the assemblies, for it has not been permitted for them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as the law also says.

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.

³⁵If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is shameful for a woman to chatter in the assembly.

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 out? Or did it come to you alone?

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

³⁷If any man thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to 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 anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.

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

³⁹Therefore, brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking with other languages.

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

⁴⁰Let all things be done decently and in order.

⁴⁰Lakini yote yafanyike kwa heshima na kwa utaratibu.