< 1 Corinthians 4 >

1 Let a man so reckon us as officers of Christ, and stewards of the secrets of God,
Umuntu kanakane ngathi ngokunje, njengezisebenzi zikaKristu labaphathi bezimfihlo zikaNkulunkulu.
2 and as to the rest, it is required in the stewards that one may be found faithful,
Futhi-ke, kuyadingeka ebaphathini, ukuthi umuntu aficwe ethembekile.
3 and to me it is for a very little thing that by you I may be judged, or by man’s Day, but I do not even judge myself,
Kodwa kimi kuyinto encinyane kakhulu ukuthi ngithonisiswe yini, kumbe ngokwahlulela kwabantu; kodwa lami kangizithonisisi.
4 for I have been conscious of nothing for myself, but I have not been declared right in this—and He who is discerning me is the LORD:
Ngoba kanginanzeleli lutho kimi, kanti kangilungisiswanga ngalokho; kodwa ongahlulelayo yiNkosi.
5 so, then, judge nothing before the time, until the LORD may come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of the darkness, and will reveal the counsels of the hearts, and then the praise will come to each from God.
Ngakho lingahluleli lutho isikhathi singakafiki, ize ifike iNkosi, ezaveza futhi ekukhanyeni izinto ezifihlakeleyo emnyameni, njalo iveze obala amacebo ezinhliziyo; njalo khona ngulowo lalowo ezakuba lokubongwa okuvela kuNkulunkulu.
6 And these things, brothers, I transferred to myself and to Apollos because of you, that in us you may learn not to think above that which has been written, that you may not be puffed up one for one against the other,
Njalo lezizinto, bazalwane, ngiziqondanise lami loApolosi ngenxa yenu, ukuze lifunde kithi ukuthi lingakhumbuli phezu kokulotshiweyo, ukuze lingakhukhunyezwa omunye ngomunye limelane lomunye.
7 for who makes you to differ? And what do you have, that you did not receive? And if you also received, why do you glory as not having received?
Ngoba ngubani okwenza ukuthi wehluke? Njalo kuyini olakho ongakwemukelanga? Njalo uba lawe wemukele, uzincomelani ngokungathi kawemukelanga?
8 Already you are having been filled, already you were rich, apart from us you reigned, and I also wish you reigned, that we also may reign together with you,
Selisuthi, selinothile, libusile ngaphandle kwethu; yebo-ke kungathi ngabe liyabusa, ukuze lathi sibuse kanye lani.
9 for I think that God set forth us the apostles last—as appointed to death, because we became a spectacle to the world, and messengers, and men;
Ngoba ngithi uNkulunkulu usimisile thina abaphostoli bokucina, sibe njengabamiselwe ukufa; ngoba senziwe umbukiso emhlabeni, lakuzo ingilosi, lebantwini.
10 we [are] fools because of Christ, and you wise in Christ; we [are] ailing, and you strong; you glorious, and we dishonored;
Thina siyizithutha ngenxa kaKristu, kodwa lina lihlakaniphile kuKristu; thina sibuthakathaka, kodwa lina lilamandla; lina liyahlonitshwa, kodwa thina siyadelelwa.
11 to the present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are battered, and wander,
Kuze kube lihola lakhathesi silambile, somile, sihambaze, siyatshaywa ngenqindi, siyimihambuma,
12 and labor, working with [our] own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;
siyatshikatshika sisebenza ngezethu izandla; sithi sithukwa sibusise; sithi sizingelwa sibekezele;
13 being spoken evil of, we plead; we became as filth of the world—of all things an outcast—until now.
sithi sinyeywa sincenge; senziwa njengamanyala omhlaba, imfucuza yezinto zonke, kuze kube khathesi.
14 Not [as] putting you to shame do I write these things, but I admonish as my beloved children,
Kangilibhaleli lezizinto ukuthi ngilithele inhloni, kodwa ngileluleka njengabantwana bami abathandekayo.
15 for if a myriad of child-conductors you may have in Christ, yet not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus, through the good news, I begot you;
Ngoba lanxa lilabeluleki abayizinkulungwane ezilitshumi kuKristu, kodwa kalilaboyihlo abanengi; ngoba mina ngalizala kuKristu Jesu ngevangeli.
16 I call on you, therefore, become followers of me;
Ngakho ngiyalincenga: Banini ngabalingisi bami.
17 because of this I sent to you Timotheus, who is my child, beloved and faithful in the LORD, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, according as everywhere in every assembly I teach.
Ngalokho ngithume kini uTimothi, ongumntanami othandekayo lothembekileyo eNkosini, ozalikhumbuza ngenhambo zami ezikuKristu, njengoba ngifundisa endaweni zonke kulo lonke ibandla.
18 And some were puffed up as if I were not coming to you;
Kodwa abanye bazikhukhumezile ngokungathi kangiyikuza kini.
19 but I will come quickly to you, if the LORD may will, and I will not know the word of those puffed up, but the power;
Kanti ngizakuza kini masinyane, uba iNkosi ivuma, njalo ngizakwazi, hatshi ilizwi lalabo abazikhukhumezayo, kodwa amandla.
20 for not in word is the Kingdom of God, but in power.
Ngoba umbuso kaNkulunkulu kawungelizwi kodwa ngamandla.
21 What do you wish? Will I come to you with a rod, or in love, also with a spirit of meekness?
Lifunani? Ngize kini ngenduku yini, kumbe ngothando lomoya ochumileyo?

< 1 Corinthians 4 >