1 KwabaseKhorinte 4
1 Ngakho abantu kumele basibone njengezisebenzi zikaKhristu lanjengalabo abagciniswe izinto ezifihlakeleyo zikaNkulunkulu.
Let us be so accounted of by you, as the servants of Messiah, and the stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Kuyadingeka ukuthi labo abagcinisiweyo babonakalise ukuthi bathembekile.
Now it is required of stewards, that each be found faithful.
3 Kanginaki kakhulu nxa ngahlulelwe yini loba omunye umthethwandaba wabantu; impela, kangizahluleli lami.
But to me, it is a light matter to be judged of by you, or by any man whatever; nay, I am no judge of myself.
4 Isazela sami simsulwa, kodwa lokho kakungenzi ngingabi lacala. INkosi yiyo engahlulelayo.
-(For I am not conscious in myself of any thing flagrant; yet I am not by this justified; for the Lord is my judge.)
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.
Therefore pronounce not judgments before the time, or until the Lord come, who will pour light upon the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the thoughts of men's hearts: and then will each one have due praise 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.
These things, my Brethren, I have stated concerning the person of myself and of Apollos, for your sakes; that, in us, ye might learn not to think of men, above what is written; and that no one might exalt himself in comparison with his fellow, on account of any person.
7 Kambe ngubani olenza lehluke omunye komunye na? Kuyini elilakho elingakwamukelanga na? Njalo nxa lakwamukela, pho kungani lizincoma kungathi alikwamukelanga?
For who exploreth thee? Or what hast thou, which thou didst not receive? And if thou receivedst it, why gloriest thou, as if thou didst not receive it?
8 Livele selilakho konke elikufunayo! Selinothile! Selibe ngamakhosi, njalo ngaphandle kwethu! Yeka ukufisa kwami ukuthi ngabe laba ngamakhosi ukuze lathi sibe ngamakhosi kanye lani!
Now ye are yourselves full, and enriched; and, without us, are on thrones! And I wish ye were enthroned; that we also might reign 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.
But I suppose, that God hath placed us legates the last, as for death; since we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men.
10 Thina siyizithutha ngenxa kaKhristu, kodwa lina lihlakaniphe kangaka kuKhristu! Thina sibuthakathaka lina lilamandla! Liyahlonitshwa, thina siyadelelwa.
We are fools, on account of Messiah; but ye are wise in Messiah! We are feeble; but ye are strong! Ye are lauded, we are contemned.
11 Kuze kube yilesisikhathi, siyalamba njalo some, simanikiniki, siyahlukuluzwa ngolunya, kasilamakhaya.
Unto this hour, we hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no permanent home:
12 Sisebenza nzima ngezandla zethu. Nxa siqalekiswa, thina siyabusisa; lapho sihlukuluzwa, thina siyaqinisela;
and we toil, working with our own hands: they defame us, and we bless: they persecute us, and we endure it:
13 lapho sinyeywa, siphendula kuhle. Kuze kube yilesisikhathi sesibe ngamanyala omhlaba, izibi zomhlaba.
they revile us, and we entreat them: we are as the filth of the world, and the expiation for all men, up to this time.
14 Kangilobi lokhu ukuba ngiliyangise kodwa ukulixwayisa njengabantwabami abathandekayo.
I write these things, not to shame you; but I instruct you, as dear children.
15 Lanxa lilabondli abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi kuKhristu, kalilabo oyihlo abanengi, ngoba kuJesu Khristu ngaba nguyihlo ngevangeli.
For though ye have a myriad of teachers in Messiah, yet not many fathers; for in Jesus Messiah, I have begotten you by preaching.
16 Ngakho ngiyalicela ukuba lenze njengami.
I beseech you, therefore, that ye be like me.
17 Ngenxa yalesisizatho, ngilithumela uThimothi, indodana yami ethandekayo, ethembekileyo eNkosini. Uzalikhumbuza indlela yokuphila kwami kuJesu Khristu, evumelana lalokho engikufundisayo ezindaweni zonke, emabandleni wonke.
For this cause have I sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, that he might bring to your recollection my ways in Messiah, agreeably to what I teach in all the churches.
18 Abanye benu sebezikhukhumeza, kungazathi kangizi kini.
Now some of you are inflated, as though I would not dare come 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 to you speedily, if God be willing: and I will know, not the speech of them who exalt themselves, but their power:
20 Ngoba umbuso kaNkulunkulu kawusindaba yokukhuluma kodwa eyamandla.
for the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
21 Likhetha kuphi? Ngize kini lomqwayi wokuliqondisa, kumbe ngothando kanye lomoya othobekileyo na?
What will ye? Shall I come to you with the rod, or with love and a gentle spirit?
