Romans 13
1 Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God.
Umuntu wonke kumele azithobe kulabo ababusayo, ngoba akukho mbuso ngaphandle kwalowo obekwe nguNkulunkulu. Imibuso ekhona ibekwe nguNkulunkulu.
2 Therefore he who resists the authority withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgement.
Ngakho, lowo ovukela umbuso uvukela okumiswe nguNkulunkulu, njalo labo abenza njalo bazilethela ukwahlulelwa.
3 For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the authority,
Ngoba ababusi kabesabeki kulabo abenza okulungileyo, kodwa kulabo abenza okubi. Liyafuna ukukhululeka ekwesabeni lowo obusayo na? Ngakho yenzani okulungileyo yena uzalincoma.
4 for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn’t bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil.
Ngoba yena uyinceku kaNkulunkulu yokulenzela okuhle. Kodwa nxa lisenza okubi, yesabani, ngoba inkemba kayiphatheli ize. Uyinceku kaNkulunkulu, umeli wentukuthelo ukuba ehlisele isijeziso kowenza okubi.
5 Therefore you need to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.
Ngakho, kuyaswelakala ukuzithoba kubabusi, hatshi kuphela ngenxa yokujeziswa okungenzakala, kodwa langenxa yesazela.
6 For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God’s service, continually doing this very thing.
Ngenxa yalokhu futhi yikho-nje lithela imithelo, ngoba ababusi bazinceku zikaNkulunkulu, ezinikela isikhathi sazo sonke ekubuseni.
7 Therefore give everyone what you owe: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if customs, then customs; if respect, then respect; if honour, then honour.
Phanini abantu bonke okungokwabo: Nxa ungathelanga, thela imithelo, nxa kuyikuqoqwa kwemali, iqoqeni. Nxa kuyikwesaba, yesabani. Nxa kuyikuhlonipha, hloniphani; nxa kuyikudumisa, dumisani.
8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbour has fulfilled the law.
Lingayekeli umlandu ungahlawulwanga, ngaphandle kokuqhubeka komlandu wokuthandana, ngoba lowo othanda umuntu wakibo usewugcwalisile umthetho.
9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”
Imilayo ethi, “Ungafebi, Ungabulali, Ungebi, Ungahawukeli” kanye leminye imilayo engabe ikhona ihlanganiswa ngumthetho lo othi: “Thanda umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda.”
10 Love doesn’t harm a neighbour. Love therefore is the fulfilment of the law.
Uthando kalwenzi ngozi kumakhelwane. Ngakho uthando luyikugcwaliswa komthetho.
11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed.
Njalo yenzani lokhu liqedisisa isikhathi sakhathesi. Isikhathi sesifikile ukuba livuke ebuthongweni benu, ngoba ukusindiswa kwethu khathesi sekuseduze kakhulu kulekuqaleni kwethu ukukholwa.
12 The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the deeds of darkness, and let’s put on the armour of light.
Ubusuku sebuzadlula; ukusa sekusondele. Ngakho kasilahleni imisebenzi yobumnyama sigqoke isivikelo sokukhanya.
13 Let’s walk properly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy.
Kasiziphatheni kuhle, njengasemini, hatshi emadilini okuminza lokudakwa, hatshi ekuhlobongeni lentokozo yobugangi, hatshi ngokuxabana langomona.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.
Kodwa zigqokiseni iNkosi uJesu Khristu, njalo lingacabangi ngokuthokozisa inkanuko yemvelo yenu yokona.
