Romans 9
1 Truth I say in Christ, I do not lie, my conscience bearing testimony with me in the Holy Spirit,
Ngikhuluma iqiniso kuKristu, kangiqambi manga, isazela sami sifakazelana lami ngoMoya oNgcwele,
2 that I have great grief and unceasing pain in my heart—
ukuthi ngilokudabuka okukhulu, lobuhlungu obungapheliyo enhliziyweni yami.
3 for I was wishing, I myself, to be accursed from the Christ—for my brothers, my relatives, according to the flesh,
Ngoba ngingafisa ukuthi mina uqobo ngiqalekiswe kuKristu ngenxa yabazalwane bami, izihlobo zami ngokwenyama;
4 who are Israelites, whose [is] the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the lawgiving, and the service, and the promises,
abangamaIsrayeli, okungokwabo ukuma kwabantwana, lenkazimulo, lezivumelwano, lokunikwa komlayo, lenkonzo kaNkulunkulu, lezithembiso,
5 whose [are] the fathers, and of whom [is] the Christ, according to the flesh, who is God over all, blessed for all ages. Amen. (aiōn g165)
abangababo obaba, njalo avela kubo uKristu ngokwenyama, ophezu kwakho konke, uNkulunkulu obongekayo kuze kube nininini. Ameni. (aiōn g165)
6 And it is not possible that the word of God has failed; for not all who [are] of Israel are these of Israel;
Kodwa kakunjengokuthi ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lehlulekile. Ngoba kakusibo bonke abavela kuIsrayeli, abanguIsrayeli;
7 nor because they are seed of Abraham [are] all children, but, “in Isaac will a seed be called to you”;
njalo kungesikuthi ngoba bayinzalo kaAbrahama, bonke bangabantwana; kodwa: NgoIsaka inzalo izabizelwa kuwe.
8 that is, the children of the flesh—these [are] not children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for seed;
Lokhu kutsho ukuthi, kakusibo abantwana benyama, bona bangabantwana bakaNkulunkulu; kodwa abantwana besithembiso bathiwa yinzalo.
9 for the word of promise [is] this: “According to this time I will come, and there will be to Sarah a son.”
Ngoba ilizwi lesithembiso yileli elokuthi: Ngalesisikhathi ngizafika, njalo uSara uzakuba lendodana.
10 And not only [so], but also Rebecca, having conceived by one—our father Isaac
Kakusikho lokhu kuphela, kodwa loRebeka esekhulelwe ngomunye, ubaba wethu uIsaka;
11 (for they being not yet born, neither having done anything good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to [divine] selection, might remain; not of works, but of Him who is calling),
ngoba abantwana bengakazalwa, bengakenzi okuhle loba okubi, ukuze icebo likaNkulunkulu elingokokukhetha lime, kungaveli emisebenzini, kodwa kuvele kobizayo,
12 it was said to her, “The greater will serve the less”;
kwatshiwo kuye ukuthi: Omkhulu uzakhonza omncinyane,
13 according as it has been written: “Jacob I loved, and Esau I hated.”
njengokulotshiweyo ukuthi: UJakobe ngamthanda, kodwa uEsawu ngamzonda.
14 What, then, will we say? Unrighteousness [is] with God? Let it not be!
Pho-ke sizakuthini? Kukhona ukungalungi kuNkulunkulu yini? Phinde!
15 For to Moses He says, “I will do kindness to whom I do kindness, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion”;
Ngoba uthi kuMozisi: Ngizakuba lomusa kwengilomusa kuye, njalo ngimhawukele engimhawukelayo.
16 so then—not of him who is willing, nor of him who is running, but of God who is doing kindness;
Ngakho kakusikho kothandayo, njalo kakusikho kogijimayo, kodwa ngokukaNkulunkulu olesihawu.
17 for the Writing says to Pharaoh, “For this very thing I raised you up, that I might show in you My power, and that My Name might be declared in all the land”;
Ngoba umbhalo uthi kuFaro: Ngakuphakamisela khona lokho, ukuze ngibonakalise amandla ami ngawe, njalo ukuze ibizo lami litshunyayelwe emhlabeni wonke.
18 so then, to whom He wills, He does kindness, and to whom He wills, He hardens.
Ngakho uhawukela lowo athanda ukumhawukela; njalo amenze abe lukhuni lowo athanda ukumenza lukhuni.
19 You will say, then, to me, “Why does He yet find fault? For who has resisted His counsel?”
Ngakho uzakuthi kimi: Usasolelani? Ngoba ngubani ongamelana lentando yakhe?
20 No, but, O man, who are you that are answering again to God? Will the thing formed say to Him who formed [it], Why did you make me thus?
Hatshi bo, wena muntu, ungubani wena ophikisana loNkulunkulu? Okubunjiweyo kungatsho yini kowakubumbayo ukuthi: Wangenzelani ngabanje?
21 Does the potter not have authority over the clay, out of the same lump to make one vessel to honor and one to dishonor?
Kumbe umbumbi kalagunya yini phezu kwebumba, ukuthi ngesigaqa sisinye enze isitsha esinye esihloniphekayo, lesinye esingahloniphekiyo?
22 And if God, willing to show the wrath and to make known His power, endured, in much long suffering, vessels of wrath fitted for destruction,
Njalo uba uNkulunkulu ethanda ukubonakalisa ulaka lwakhe, lokwazisa amandla akhe, wathwala ngokubekezela okukhulu izitsha zolaka ezilungiselwe ukubhujiswa;
23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on vessels of kindness, that He before prepared for glory, whom also He called—us—
njalo ukuze azise inotho yenkazimulo yakhe phezu kwezitsha zomusa, ayezilungisele ngaphambili inkazimulo,
24 not only out of Jews, but also out of nations,
ngitsho thina, asibizileyo, kungeyisikho kumaJuda kuphela, kodwa lakwabezizwe?
25 as also in Hosea He says, “I will call what [is] not My people—My people; and her not beloved—Beloved,
Njengalokhu akutsho lakuHoseya: Abangeyisibo abantu bami ngizababiza ngokuthi ngabantu bami; lowayengathandwa ngokuthi ngothandekayo;
26 and it will be—in the place where it was said to them, You [are] not My people; there they will be called sons of the living God.”
njalo kuzakuthi, endaweni lapho okwathiwa khona kubo: Kalisibo abantu bami, khona lapho bazabizwa ngokuthi ngabantwana bakaNkulunkulu ophilayo.
27 And Isaiah cries concerning Israel, “If the number of the sons of Israel may be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved;
LoIsaya umemeza ngoIsrayeli esithi: Lanxa inani labantwana bakoIsrayeli lingangetshebetshebe lolwandle, insali izasindiswa;
28 for a matter He is finishing, and is cutting short in righteousness, because a matter cut short will the LORD do on the land.”
ngoba uzaqeda isenzo asiqume ngokulunga; ngoba iNkosi izakwenza isenzo siqunywe ngokuphangisa emhlabeni.
29 And according as Isaiah says before, “Except the LORD of Hosts left to us a seed, we had become as Sodom, and we had been made like Gomorrah.”
Njalo njengoba uIsaya watsho ngaphambili ukuthi: Uba iNkosi yamabandla ibingasitshiyelanga inzalo, besizakuba njengeSodoma, njalo besizakwenziwa sifanane leGomora.
30 What, then, will we say? That nations who are not pursuing righteousness attained to righteousness, and righteousness that [is] of faith,
Pho sizakuthini? Ukuthi abezizwe abangadingisisi ukulunga, bakubambile ukulunga, ukulunga-ke okungokholo;
31 and Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at a law of righteousness;
kodwa uIsrayeli, edingisisa umlayo wokulunga, kawufinyelelanga umlayo wokulunga.
32 why? Because—not by faith, but as by works of law; for they stumbled at the stone of stumbling,
Ngani? Ngoba kabadingisisanga ngokholo, kodwa ngokungathi ngemisebenzi yomlayo; ngoba bakhubeka elitsheni lokukhubekisa,
33 according as it has been written: “Behold, I place in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and everyone who is believing thereon will not be ashamed.”
njengokulotshiweyo ukuthi: Khangela ngibeka eSiyoni ilitshe lokukhubekisa ledwala lokuwisa; laye wonke okholwa kuye kayikuyangeka.
