1 KwabaseKhorinte 4

1 Ngakho abantu kumele basibone njengezisebenzi zikaKhristu lanjengalabo abagciniswe izinto ezifihlakeleyo zikaNkulunkulu.

Let a man so reckon us as officers of Christ, and stewards of the secrets of God,

2 Kuyadingeka ukuthi labo abagcinisiweyo babonakalise ukuthi bathembekile.

and as to the rest, it is required in the stewards that one may be found faithful,

3 Kanginaki kakhulu nxa ngahlulelwe yini loba omunye umthethwandaba wabantu; impela, kangizahluleli lami.

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,

4 Isazela sami simsulwa, kodwa lokho kakungenzi ngingabi lacala. INkosi yiyo engahlulelayo.

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:

5 Ngakho-ke, lingahluleli lutho isikhathi esimisiweyo singakafiki; manini iNkosi ize ifike. Yona izakubeka ekukhanyeni okufihlwe emnyameni, njalo izaziveza obala injongo zezinhliziyo zabantu. Ngalesosikhathi omunye lomunye uzakwamukela ukubongwa kwakhe kuNkulunkulu.

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.

6 Bazalwane, izinto lezi ngizisebenzisile kimi laku-Apholo ngenxa yenu ukuze lifunde kithi okutshiwo yisitsho esithi, “Lingenzi okudlula okulotshiweyo.” Lapho-ke, kaliyikuzigqaja ngomunye umuntu komunye.

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,

7 Kambe ngubani olenza lehluke omunye komunye na? Kuyini elilakho elingakwamukelanga na? Njalo nxa lakwamukela, pho kungani lizincoma kungathi alikwamukelanga?

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?

8 Livele selilakho konke elikufunayo! Selinothile! Selibe ngamakhosi, njalo ngaphandle kwethu! Yeka ukufisa kwami ukuthi ngabe laba ngamakhosi ukuze lathi sibe ngamakhosi kanye lani!

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,

9 Ngoba kini kukhanya angathi thina abapostoli uNkulunkulu usibeke embukisweni ekucineni kodwendwe, njengalabo abagwetshelwe ukufa enkundleni. Senziwe umbukiso emhlabeni wonke, ezingilosini kanye lasebantwini.

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;

10 Thina siyizithutha ngenxa kaKhristu, kodwa lina lihlakaniphe kangaka kuKhristu! Thina sibuthakathaka lina lilamandla! Liyahlonitshwa, thina siyadelelwa.

we [are] fools because of Christ, and you wise in Christ; we [are] ailing, and you strong; you glorious, and we dishonored;

11 Kuze kube yilesisikhathi, siyalamba njalo some, simanikiniki, siyahlukuluzwa ngolunya, kasilamakhaya.

to the present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are battered, and wander,

12 Sisebenza nzima ngezandla zethu. Nxa siqalekiswa, thina siyabusisa; lapho sihlukuluzwa, thina siyaqinisela;

and labor, working with [our] own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

13 lapho sinyeywa, siphendula kuhle. Kuze kube yilesisikhathi sesibe ngamanyala omhlaba, izibi zomhlaba.

being spoken evil of, we plead; we became as filth of the world—of all things an outcast—until now.

14 Kangilobi lokhu ukuba ngiliyangise kodwa ukulixwayisa njengabantwabami abathandekayo.

Not [as] putting you to shame do I write these things, but I admonish as my beloved children,

15 Lanxa lilabondli abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi kuKhristu, kalilabo oyihlo abanengi, ngoba kuJesu Khristu ngaba nguyihlo ngevangeli.

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;

16 Ngakho ngiyalicela ukuba lenze njengami.

I call on you, therefore, become followers of me;

17 Ngenxa yalesisizatho, ngilithumela uThimothi, indodana yami ethandekayo, ethembekileyo eNkosini. Uzalikhumbuza indlela yokuphila kwami kuJesu Khristu, evumelana lalokho engikufundisayo ezindaweni zonke, emabandleni wonke.

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.

18 Abanye benu sebezikhukhumeza, kungazathi kangizi kini.

And some were puffed up as if I were not coming to you;

19 Kodwa ngizakuza kini masinyane, nxa iNkosi ithanda, njalo lapho-ke angizukudinga kuphela ukwazi ukuthi lababantu abazikhukhumezayo bakhulumani, kodwa ukuba balamandla anjani.

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;

20 Ngoba umbuso kaNkulunkulu kawusindaba yokukhuluma kodwa eyamandla.

for not in word is the Kingdom of God, but in power.

21 Likhetha kuphi? Ngize kini lomqwayi wokuliqondisa, kumbe ngothando kanye lomoya othobekileyo na?

What do you wish? Will I come to you with a rod, or in love, also with a spirit of meekness?