Romans 9
1 I say the truth in Christ, I do not lie, my conscience testifying to me in the Holy Spirit,
Ngikhuluma iqiniso ngikuKhristu, kangiqambi manga, isazela sami siyakufakaza lokhu ngoMoya oNgcwele,
2 that great distress is in me, and unceasing sorrow in my heart.
Ngilosizi olukhulu lobuhlungu obungapheliyo enhliziyweni yami.
3 For I wished I myself to be accursed from the Christ, for my brothers, my kinsmen according to flesh,
Ngoba ngangifisa ukuba ngabe mina uqobo ngiyaqalekiswa ngisuswe kuKhristu ngenxa yabazalwane bami, labo abohlanga lwami ngokwenyama,
4 who are Israelites, of whom is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the lawgiving, and the divine service, and the promises,
abantu bako-Israyeli. Okwabo yikwamukelwa njengamadodana, ngeyabo inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, lesivumelwano, lokwamukela umthetho, lenkonzo yasethempelini kanye lezithembiso.
5 of whom are the fathers, and from whom (according to flesh) is the Christ, God who is over all is blessed into the ages. Truly. (aiōn g165)
Okhokho ngababo, njalo lusukela kubo usendo lwenyama lukaKhristu, onguNkulunkulu ophezu kwakho konke, odunyiswa kokuphela! Ameni. (aiōn g165)
6 But it is not as that the word of God has failed. For all those from Israel, these are not Israel,
Akunjengokuthi ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lehluleka. Ngoba akusibo bonke abayinzalo ka-Israyeli abangama-Israyeli.
7 nor, because they are Abraham's seed, are they all children, rather, In Isaac a seed will be called for thee.
Njalo ngoba yinzalo yakhe akusibo bonke abangabantwana baka-Abhrahama. Kodwa-ke, “Isizukulwane sakho sizabalwa ngo-Isaka.”
8 That is, the children of the flesh, these are not children of God, instead, the children of the promise are reckoned for seed.
Ngamanye amazwi, akusibantwana benyama abangabantwana bakaNkulunkulu, kodwa ngabantwana besithembiso ababalwa njengenzalo ka-Abhrahama.
9 For this is the word of promise: At this time I will come, and there will be a son by Sarah.
Ngoba isithembiso satshiwo kanje: “Ngesikhathi esimisiweyo ngizaphenduka, njalo uSara uzakuba lendodana.”
10 And not only so, but also Rebecca having bed from one man, our father Isaac
Akusilokho kuphela, kodwa abantwana bakaRabheka bazalwa sikhathi sinye ngubaba wethu u-Isaka.
11 (for not yet having been born, nor having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to selection might remain, not from works, but from him who calls),
Kodwa amaphahla engakazalwa loba ukwenza ulutho oluhle kumbe olubi, ukuba inhloso kaNkulunkulu yokukhetha iqhubeke;
12 it was said to her, The older will serve the younger.
hatshi ngemisebenzi kodwa ngaye obizayo, watshelwa ukuthi, “Omdala uzakhonza omncinyane.”
13 As it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I regarded inferior.
Njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi, “UJakhobe ngamthanda, kodwa u-Esawu ngamzonda.”
14 What will we say then? Is there injustice from God? May it not happen!
Pho sizakuthini na? UNkulunkulu kalunganga na? Akunjalo!
15 For he says to Moses, I will be merciful to whom I may be merciful, and I will be compassionate to whomever I may be compassionate.
Ngoba uthi kuMosi: “Ngizakuba lesihawu kulowo engilesihawu kuye, njalo ngizakuba lozwelo kulowo engilozwelo kuye.”
16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who is merciful.
Ngakho-ke, akuyi ngesifiso somuntu loba umzamo wakhe, kodwa ngesihawu sikaNkulunkulu.
17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh, For this same thing I raised thee up, that I might display in thee my power, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
Ngoba umbhalo uthi kuFaro, “Ngakuphakamisela injongo yonale kanye, ukuze ngibonakalise amandla ami kuwe lokuthi ibizo lami litshunyayelwe emhlabeni wonke.”
18 So then he is merciful to whom he will, and whom he will he hardens.
Ngakho uNkulunkulu ulesihawu kulowo athanda ukuba lesihawu kuye, njalo umenza abe lukhuni lowo athanda ukumenza abe lukhuni.
19 Thou will say to me therefore, Why does he still find fault? For who has resisted his purpose?
Omunye wenu uzakuthi kimi: “Pho kungani uNkulunkulu esisola? Ngoba ngubani ongamelana lentando yakhe na?”
20 Rather, O man, who are thou answering back to God? No, will the thing formed say to him who formed it, Why did thou make me this way?
Kodwa ungubani wena, ungumuntu, ukuba uphendule uNkulunkulu na? Kambe okubunjiweyo kungatsho yini kulowo owakubumbayo kuthi, “Kungani wangenza ngabanje na?”
21 Or has the potter no right over the clay, from the same lump certainly to make this vessel for esteem, and that for disesteem?
Umbumbi kalalo yini ilungelo lokuba ngengxenye yebumba efanayo enze okunye okubunjiweyo okomsebenzi omuhle lokomsebenzi ojayelekileyo na?
22 And if God, wanting to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
Kwakungaba njani-ke nxa uNkulunkulu wakhetha ukutshengisa ukubekezela okukhulu ezidalweni zentukuthelo yakhe ezazimiselwe ukubhujiswa etshengisa ulaka lwakhe lokwenza amandla akhe aziwe.
23 even that he might make known the wealth of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he previously prepared for glory,
Kube kunjani nxa wenza lokhu ukuze enze ubuhle benkazimulo yakhe bazakale ezintweni zesihawu sakhe, azilungisela inkazimulo ngaphambilini,
24 namely us whom he called, not only from Jews but also from Gentiles.
kanye lathi asibizayo, hatshi kumaJuda kuphela, kodwa lakwabeZizweni?
25 As also he says in Hosea, I will call those not my people, my people, and her who was not beloved, beloved.
Njengoba esitsho kuHosiya ukuthi: “Ngizababiza ngokuthi ‘ngabantu bami,’ labo Abangasibantu bami; njalo ngizambiza ‘sithandwa sami,’ lowo ongasiso isithandwa sami,”
26 And it will be in the place where it was said to them, Ye are not my people, there they will be called, sons of the living God.
njalo, “Kuzakwenzakala ukuba kuyo kanye indawo lapho okwathiwa kubo, ‘Kalisibo bantu bami,’ bazabizwa ngokuthi ‘ngabantwana bakaNkulunkulu ophilayo.’”
27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, If the number of the sons of Israel may be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved.
U-Isaya uyamemezela ngo-Israyeli esithi: “Lanxa inani labako-Israyeli linjengetshebetshebe ngasolwandle, kuzasindiswa insalela kuphela.
28 Since he is completing and finishing quickly a matter in righteousness, because a matter that has been cut short upon the earth, the Lord will perform.
Ngoba iNkosi izasifeza isigwebo sayo emhlabeni ngesiqubu langokuphelelisa.”
29 And just as Isaiah has foretold, Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a seed, we would have become as Sodom, and would have been made like Gomorrah.
Kunjengoba u-Isaya watsho mandulo ukuthi: “Aluba iNkosi uSomandla wayengasitshiyelanga inzalo, sasizakuba njengeSodoma, sasizafana leGomora.”
30 What will we say then? That the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness from faith.
Pho sizakuthini na? Sithi abeZizweni abangakudinganga ukulunga, sebekutholile, ukulunga okungokukholwa;
31 But Israel who pursued a law of righteousness, did not arrive to a law of righteousness.
kodwa u-Israyeli owalandela umthetho wokulunga, kakutholanga.
32 Why? Because it was not from faith but as from works of law. For they stumbled at the stone of stumbling,
Kungani na? Ngoba kabawulandelanga ngokukholwa, kodwa kwakungemisebenzi. Bakhubeka elitsheni elikhubayo.
33 just as it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. And every man who believes in him will not be shamed.
Njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Khangelani, ngibeka eZiyoni ilitshe elikhubekisa abantu ledwala elibenza bawe, njalo lowo okholwa kuye kazukuyangiswa.”
