Second Corinthians
« Chapter 11 »
1
I wish you would bear with a few silly words from me, since you really do bear with me.
لَيْتَكُمْ تَتَحَمَّلُونَ قَلِيلًا مِنَ الْكَلَامِ السَّخِيفِ مِنِّي، وَأَنْتُمْ تَتَحَمَّلُونَنِي فِعْلًا.
2
I am jealous for you with the jealousy of Allah, because I caused you to be engaged to one man, Al-Masih, so I could marry you to him as a pure virgin to her husband.
إِنَّنِي أَغَارُ عَلَيْكُمْ بِغَيْرَةِ اللهِ، لِأَنَّنِي قَدْ خَطَبْتُكُمْ لِرَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ، لِأَزُفَّكُمْ لَهُ كَعَذْرَاءَ طَاهِرَةٍ لِزَوْجِهَا،
3
But I am afraid that Al-Shaitan might deceive you as the sly serpent deceived Hawa', and lead your thinking astray from pure, sincere devotion to Al-Masih.
وَلَكِنَّنِي أَخْشَى أَنْ يُغْوِيَكُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ كَمَا أَغْوَتِ الْحَيَّةُ الْمَكَّارَةُ حَوَّاءَ، فَيُضَلَّلُ تَفْكِيرُكُمْ عَنِ الْوَلَاءِ الْخَالِصِ الطَّاهِرِ لِلْمَسِيحِ،
4
If someone comes to you and announces that Isa is a different person than what we announced to you, or if you accept a different spirit from what you received, or good news that is different from what you accepted, you bear with that matter.
فَإِنْ أَتَاكُمْ أَحَدٌ وَأَعْلَنَ عِيسَى كَشَخْصٍ مُخْتَلِفٍ عَمَّا أَعْلَنَّاهُ لَكُمْ، أَوْ إِنْ قَبِلْتُمْ رُوحًا مُخْتَلِفَةً عَمَّا نِلْتُمُوهُ، أَوْ بُشْرَى مُخْتَلِفَةً عَمَّا قَبِلْتُمُوهَا، فَذَاكَ أَمْرٌ تَتَحَمَّلُونَهُ.
5
I do not consider that I am less important than those superlative messengers.
وَلَا أَحْسَبُ أَنَّنِي أَقَلُّ شَأْنًا مِنْ أُولَئِكَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ الْمُتَفَوِّقِينَ.
6
If I am not gifted in eloquence, I am gifted in knowledge, as we have shown you completely in everything.
فَإِنْ كُنْتُ غَيْرَ مَوْهُوبٍ بِالْفَصَاحَةِ، فَأَنَا مَوْهُوبٌ بِالْمَعْرِفَةِ، كَمَا أَظْهَرْنَا لَكُمْ ذَلِكَ بِالْكَامِلِ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ.
7
Did I make a mistake against you when I lowered myself so you can be raised while I announced to you the good news of Allah without charge?
هَلْ أَخْطَأْتُ إِلَيْكُمْ عِنْدَمَا خَفَضْتُ نَفْسِي حَتَّى تَرْتَفِعُوا أَنْتُمْ، حِينَمَا أعْلَنْتُ لَكُمْ بُشْرَى اللهِ مَجَّانًا؟
8
In doing that, I stole money from the other jama'as of the chosen people, since they paid for my expenses so that I could serve you!
وَبِذَلِكَ أَكُونُ كَأَنَّنِي سَرَقْتُ مَالَ جَمَاعَاتِ مُصْطَفَيْنَ أُخْرَى إِذْ تَكَفَّلُوا بِنَفَقَاتِي حَتَّى أَخْدِمَكُمْ أَنْتُمْ!
9
وَعِنْدَمَا شَعَرْتُ بِالْحَاجَةِ بَيْنَكُمْ، لَمْ أُلْقِ الْعِبْءَ عَلَى أَحَدِكُمْ، بَلِ الْإِخْوَةُ الَّذِينَ أَتَوْا مِنْ مَقِدُونِيَّا سَدُّوا حَاجَتِي، وَتَجَنَّبْتُ التَّثْقِيلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، وَسَأَسْتَمِرُّ فِي ذَلِكَ.
11
Why? Because I do not love you? Allah knows what is in our hearts.
لِمَاذَا؟ هَلْ لِأَنَّنِي لَا أُحِبُّكُمْ؟ اَللهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ.
12
I will continue to do this work so that I can discredit the argument of those who look for an argument for boasting that they are equal to us.
وَسَأُوَاصِلُ عَمَلِي هَذَا، حَتَّى أُسْقِطَ حُجَّةَ الَّذِينَ يَلْتَمِسُونَ حُجَّةً لِلِافْتِخَارِ بِأَنَّهُمْ يُسَاوُونَنَا.
13
They are false messengers, deceptive workers masquerading as messengers of Al-Masih.
هُمْ مُرْسَلُونَ دَجَّالُونَ، وَعَامِلُونَ خَادِعُونَ يَتَنَكَّرُونَ كَمُرْسَلِي الْمَسِيحِ،
14
This is not strange, for Al-Shaitan himself masquerades as a light-giving angel.
وَلَا عَجَبَ، لِأَنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ نَفْسَهُ يَتَنَكَّرُ كَمَلَاكٍ مُنِيرٍ،
15
So it is not strange that his slaves masquerade as slaves of righteousness. Their destiny will be according to their deeds.
فَلَيْسَ مِنَ الْغَرِيبِ أَنْ يَتَنَكَّرَ عَبِيدُهُ كَعَبِيدِ الصَّلَاحِ. إِنَّ مَصِيرَهُمْ سَيَكُونُ حَسَبَ أَعْمَالِهِمْ.
16
I repeat my saying to you: Let no one think that I am silly. But even if you think that I am silly, accept me as a silly person so that I can boast a little.
وَأُكَرِّرُ قَوْلِي، لَا يَظُنَّ أَحَدٌ أَنَّنِي سَخِيفٌ، وَحَتَّى لَوِ اسْتَسْخَفْتُمُونِي، اِقْبَلُونِي سَخِيفًا حَتَّى أَفْتَخِرَ قَلِيلًا،
17
I do not say what I say here with the method of our mawla, but rather as a silly person who boasts boldly.
لَا أَقُولُ مَا أَقُولُهُ هُنَا بِأُسْلُوبِ مَوْلَانَا، بَلْ كَسَخِيفٍ يَفْتَخِرُ بِجُرْأَةٍ ،
18
As many have boasted according to their human nature, I will boast also.
وَكَمَا يَفْتَخِرُ كَثِيرُونَ حَسَبَ طَبِيعَتِهِمِ الْبَشَرِيَّةِ، فَسَأَفْتَخِرُ أَنَا أَيْضًا،
19
Because you are sensible, you bear silly people happily.
لِأَنَّكُمْ عُقَلَاءُ فَإِنَّكُمْ تَتَحَمَّلُونَ السُّخَفَاءَ بِسُرُورٍ،
20
You really bear with a person who makes you slaves, devours you, exploits you, is arrogant towards you, and slaps you in your faces.
وَبِالْفِعْلِ تَتَحَمَّلُونَ مَنْ يَسْتَعْبِدُكُمْ وَيَأْكُلُكُمْ وَيَسْتَغِلُّكُمْ وَيَتَعَجْرَفُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَيَصْفَعُكُمْ عَلَى وُجُوهِكُمْ.
21
Shame on you! I admit that we were weak by comparison. But if anyone is bold enough to boast, I will be bold toward him also. These words are silly.
يَا لِلْخَجَلِ! أَعْتَرِفُ بِأَنَّنَا كُنَّا ضُعَفَاءَ بِالْمُقَارَنَةِ. لَكِنْ إِنْ تَجَرَّأَ أَحَدٌ عَلَى الِافْتِخَارِ فَسَأَتَجَّرَأُ عَلَيْهِ أَنَا أَيْضًا، وَهَذَا الْكَلَامُ سَخَافَةٌ.
22
Are they Hebrews? I am too. Are them from Bani Israil? I am too. Are they of the seed of Ibrahim? I am too.
هَلْ هُمْ عِبْرِيُّونَ؟ وَأَنَا كَذَلِكَ. هَلْ هُمْ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ؟ وَأَنَا كَذَلِكَ. هَلْ هُمْ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّةِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ؟ وَأَنَا كَذَلِكَ.
23
Are they servants of Al-Masih? I am speaking as a fool -- I am better than they are. I have worked harder than they have. I have gone to prison more. I have been beaten more severely. I have faced death many times.
هَلْ هُمْ خُدَّامُ الْمَسِيحِ؟ أَقُولُ كَمَخْبُولٍ إِنَّنِي أَحْسَنُ مِنْهُمْ. أَنَا تَعِبْتُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْهُمْ، وَقَاسَيْتُ السَّجْنَ أَكْثَرَ، وَتَعَرَّضْتُ لِلضَّرْبَاتِ الْأَشَدَّ، وَوَاجَهْتُ الْمَوْتَ مِرَارًا،
25
The Romans punished me three times by beating me with sticks. One time, people stoned me. Three times I was in a shipwreck. I spent a night and a day floating on the sea.
كَمَا عَاقَبَنِي الرُّومَانُ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ بِالضَّرْبِ بِالْعِصِيِّ، وَمَرَّةً رَجَمَنِي النَّاسُ، وَقَاسَيْتُ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ غَرَقَ السُّفُنِ، وَقَضَيْتُ لَيْلَةً وَنَهَارًا فِي عَرْضِ الْبَحْرِ،
26
I travelled a lot in the midst of dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my people, dangers from nations of polytheists, dangers in the city, dangers in the desert, dangers on the sea, and dangers from brothers who are traitors.
وَسَافَرْتُ كَثِيرًا وَسْطَ مَخَاطِرِ الْأَنْهَارِ وَمَخَاطِرِ قُطَّاعِ الطُّرُقِ وَمَخَاطِرِ شَعْبِي وَمَخَاطِرِ أُمَمِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَمَخَاطِرِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَمَخَاطِرِ الصَّحْرَاءِ وَمَخَاطِرِ الْبَحْرِ وَمَخَاطِرِ الْإِخْوَةِ الْخَوَنَةِ،
27
This happened in the midst of tiredness, struggle, much wakefulness, hunger, thirst, much fasting, cold, and nakedness.
وَذَلِكَ بِالتَّعَبِ وَالْجُهْدِ وَالسَّهَرِ الْكَثِيرِ وَالْجُوعِ وَالظَّمَإِ وَالصِّيَامِ الْكَثِيرِ وَالْبَرْدِ وَالْعُرْيِ.
28
In addition to all that, every day, I suffer the burden of caring for all the jama'as of chosen people.
وَبِصَرْفِ النَّظَرِ عَنْ كُلِّ ذَلِكَ، أُعَانِي الْعِبْءَ يَوْمِيًّا عَلَى رِعَايَةِ كُلِّ جَمَاعَاتِ الْمُصْطَفَيْنَ.
29
Does anyone become weak without my becoming weak? Does anyone stumble without my burning up?
هَلْ يَضْعُفُ أَحَدٌ وَلَا أَضْعُفُ أَنَا؟ هَلْ يُزَلُّ أَحَدٌ، وَلَا أَحْتَرِقُ أَنَا؟
30
If I have to boast, I will boast about what shows my weakness.
إِنْ كَانَ لَا بُدَّ مِنَ الِافْتِخَارِ، فَسَوْفَ أَفْتَخِرُ بِمَا يُظْهِرُ ضَعْفِي.
32
In Damascus, the governor of King Al-Harith guarded the gates of the city of Damascus to arrest me.
وَفِي دِمَشْقَ، قَامَ وَالِي الْمَلِكِ الْحَارِثِ بِحِرَاسَةِ أَبْوَابِ مَدِينَةِ دِمَشْقَ لِيَقْبِضَ عَلَيَّ،
33
But they let me down in a basket from a window in the city wall, and I was able to escape from his hand.
لَكِنَّهُمْ نَزَّلُونِي فِي قُفَّةٍ مِنْ نَافِذَةٍ بِالسُّورِ فَاسْتَطَعْتُ الْفِرَارَ مِنْ يَدِهِ.