1 KwabaseKhorinte 7
1 Mayelana lezindaba elaloba ngazo: “Kuhle ukuba indoda ingabi lobudlelwano bemacansini lowesifazane.”
And concerning the things of which ye wrote to me: good [it is] for a man not to touch a woman,
2 Kodwa njengoba kulokuhlobonga okungaka, indoda yinye kumele ibe lobudlelwano bemacansini lomkayo, lomfazi munye abe lendoda yakhe.
and because of the whoredom let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her proper husband;
3 Indoda kumele igcwalise umlandu wayo wokuthathana kumkayo, kube njalo lomfazi endodeni yakhe.
to the wife let the husband the due benevolence render, and in like manner also the wife to the husband;
4 Umfazi kalamandla ngomzimba wakhe kodwa uwunikela kumkakhe. Ngokufanayo, lendoda kayilamandla ngomzimba wayo kodwa iwunikela kumkayo.
the wife over her own body hath not authority, but the husband; and, in like manner also, the husband over his own body hath not authority, but the wife.
5 Lingancitshani ngaphandle kokuba kungokokuvumelana njalo okwesikhatshana, ukuze lizinikele ekukhulekeni. Libuye lihlangane futhi ukuze uSathane angalilingi ngenxa yokusilela kokuzithiba kwenu.
Defraud not one another, except by consent for a time, that ye may be free for fasting and prayer, and again may come together, that the Adversary may not tempt you because of your incontinence;
6 Lokhu ngikutsho njengokuvumela, hatshi njengomlayo.
and this I say by way of concurrence — not of command,
7 Sengathi ngabe lonke linjengami. Kodwa umuntu ngamunye ulesipho sakhe esivela kuNkulunkulu, omunye ulalesi isipho, omunye laye ulalesiyana.
for I wish all men to be even as I myself [am]; but each his own gift hath of God, one indeed thus, and one thus.
8 Kwabangendanga labafelokazi ngithi: Kuhle kubo ukuba bahlale bengendanga, njengami.
And I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they may remain even as I [am];
9 Kodwa nxa bengeke bazithiba, kabende, ngoba ukwenda kungcono kulokutshiseka ngokufisa.
and if they have not continence — let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn;
10 Abathatheneyo ngibapha umlayo lo (hatshi mina, kodwa iNkosi): Umfazi akumelanga ehlukane lendoda yakhe.
and to the married I announce — not I, but the Lord — let not a wife separate from a husband:
11 Kodwa nxa ekwenzile, kahlale engendanga loba abuyisane lendoda yakhe. Lendoda akumelanga imlahle umkayo.
but and if she may separate, let her remain unmarried, or to the husband let her be reconciled, and let not a husband send away a wife.
12 Kwabanye ngithi (mina, hatshi iNkosi): Nxa umzalwane elomfazi ongasilokholwa kodwa evuma ukuhlala laye, akumelanga amlahle.
And to the rest I speak — not the Lord — if any brother hath a wife unbelieving, and she is pleased to dwell with him, let him not send her away;
13 Njalo nxa owesifazane elendoda engakholwayo ivuma ukuhlala laye, akumelanga ayilahle.
and a woman who hath a husband unbelieving, and he is pleased to dwell with her, let her not send him away;
14 Ngoba indoda engakholwayo isingcweliswe ngomkayo, lomfazi ongakholwayo usengcweliswe ngendoda yakhe ekholwayo. Kungenjalo ngabe abantwana benu bangcolile, kodwa okwamanje bangcwele.
for the unbelieving husband hath been sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife hath been sanctified in the husband; otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.
15 Kodwa nxa ongakholwayo etshiya, myekeleni enze njalo. Owesilisa kumbe owesifazane okholwayo phakathi kabotshelwanga phakathi komumo onje; uNkulunkulu usibizele ukuhlala ngokuthula.
And, if the unbelieving doth separate himself — let him separate himself: the brother or the sister is not under servitude in such [cases], and in peace hath God called us;
16 Wazi njani, mfazi, mhlawumbe uzasindisa indoda yakho? Loba, wazi njani ndoda, mhlawumbe uzasindisa umkakho?
for what, hast thou known, O wife, whether the husband thou shalt save? or what, hast thou known, O husband, whether the wife thou shalt save?
17 Lanxa kunjalo, lowo lalowo ekuphileni kumele agcine leyondawo iNkosi emuphe yona njalo abizelwe kuyo nguNkulunkulu. Lo ngumlayo engiwubeka emabandleni wonke.
if not, as God did distribute to each, as the Lord hath called each — so let him walk; and thus in all the assemblies do I direct:
18 Indoda yayivele isisokile ekubizweni kwayo na? Kayingabi ngengasokanga. Indoda yayingasokanga ekubizweni kwayo na? Akumelanga isokwe.
being circumcised — was any one called? let him not become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision was any one called? let him not be circumcised;
19 Ukusoka lokungasoki konke kuyize. Ukugcina imilayo kaNkulunkulu yikho okuqakathekileyo.
the circumcision is nothing, and the uncircumcision is nothing — but a keeping of the commands of God.
20 Lowo lalowo kahlale kulesosimo ayekuso ekubizweni kwakhe nguNkulunkulu.
Each in the calling in which he was called — in this let him remain;
21 Wawuyisigqili na ekubizweni kwakho? Kakungakukhathazi, lanxa ungathola ukukhululeka kwakho, yenza njalo.
a servant — wast thou called? be not anxious; but if also thou art able to become free — use [it] rather;
22 Ngoba lowo owayeyisigqili ekubizweni kwakhe yiNkosi, ungokhululekileyo weNkosi; ngokufanayo, lowo owayekhululekile ekubizweni kwakhe uyisigqili sikaKhristu.
for he who [is] in the Lord — having been called a servant — is the Lord's freedman: in like manner also he the freeman, having been called, is servant of Christ:
23 Lathengwa ngentengo; kalingabi yizigqili zabantu.
with a price ye were bought, become not servants of men;
24 Bazalwane, umuntu munye ngamunye, njengolomlandu kuNkulunkulu, kumele ahlale ekulesosimo uNkulunkulu ambizela kuso.
each, in that in which he was called, brethren, in this let him remain with God.
25 Mayelana lezintombi ezigcweleyo: Kangilamlayo ovela eNkosini, kodwa ngahlulela njengothembekileyo ngomusa weNkosi.
And concerning the virgins, a command of the Lord I have not; and I give judgment as having obtained kindness from the Lord to be faithful:
26 Ngenxa yokukhathazeka kwakhathesi, ngicabanga ukuthi kuhle kini ukuba lihlale linjengoba linjalo.
I suppose, therefore, this to be good because of the present necessity, that [it is] good for a man that the matter be thus: —
27 Uthethe na? Ungadingi ukwehlukana. Kawuthathanga na? Ungathathi.
Hast thou been bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed; hast thou been loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
28 Kodwa nxa uthatha, kawenzanga sono njalo nxa intombi egcweleyo isenda kayonanga. Kodwa labo abathathanayo bazabona inhlupho ezinengi kulokhukuphila, njalo ngifuna ukuliphephisa kulokhu.
But and if thou mayest marry, thou didst not sin; and if the virgin may marry, she did not sin; and such shall have tribulation in the flesh: and I spare you.
29 Engikutshoyo, bazalwane, yikuthi isikhathi sifitshane. Kusukela khathesi kusiya phambili labo abalabafazi kabaphile kungathi kabalabo:
And this I say, brethren, the time henceforth is having been shortened — that both those having wives may be as not having;
30 labo abakhalayo, kube sengathi kabakhali; labathokozayo babe njengabangathokoziyo; labo abathenga ulutho, kube sengathi kalusilo lwabo ukuba balugcine;
and those weeping, as not weeping; and those rejoicing, as not rejoicing; and those buying, as not possessing;
31 labo abasebenzisa izinto zasemhlabeni, kube sengathi kabathathekanga kuzo. Ngoba umhlaba lo kulesisimo sawo sakhathesi uyedlula.
and those using this world, as not using [it] up; for passing away is the fashion of this world.
32 Ngifuna ukuba linganqineki. Umuntu ongathathanga unqinekela izindaba zeNkosi, ukuba angayithokozisa kanjani iNkosi.
And I wish you to be without anxiety; the unmarried is anxious for the things of the Lord, how he shall please the Lord;
33 Kodwa umuntu othetheyo unqinekela izindaba zalo umhlaba, ukuba angamthokozisa kanjani umkakhe,
and the married is anxious for the things of the world, how he shall please the wife.
34 lezifiso zakhe zehlukene phakathi. Umfazi ongendanga loba intombi egcweleyo inqinekela izindaba zeNkosi: Isifiso sayo yikuzinikela eNkosini ngakho kokubili umzimba lomoya. Kodwa umfazi owendileyo unqinekela izindaba zalo umhlaba, ukuba angamthokozisa kanjani umkakhe.
The wife and the virgin have been distinguished: the unmarried is anxious for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit, and the married is anxious for the things of the world, how she shall please the husband.
35 Ngitsho lokhu ukuba kube lusizo kini, hatshi ukulivimbela. Ngifuna ukuba liphile ngendlela eqondileyo ngokuzinikela okupheleleyo eNkosini.
And this for your own profit I say: not that I may cast a noose upon you, but for the seemliness and devotedness to the Lord, undistractedly,
36 Nxa umuntu ecabanga ukuthi uziphatha ngokungafanelanga entombini egcweleyo athandana layo, esilokhu isiba ndala, njalo esizwa kusithi kufanele athathe, kenze njengokuthanda kwakhe. Kenzi sono. Kumele bathathane.
and if any one doth think [it] to be unseemly to his virgin, if she may be beyond the bloom of age, and it ought so to be, what he willeth let him do; he doth not sin — let him marry.
37 Kodwa umuntu osenze isinqumo engqondweni yakhe engancindezelwanga kodwa elamandla okuzibamba esifisweni sakhe, njalo osemise engqondweni yakhe ukungayithathi intombi leyo, umuntu lo laye wenza into eqondileyo.
And he who hath stood stedfast in the heart — not having necessity — and hath authority over his own will, and this he hath determined in his heart — to keep his own virgin — doth well;
38 Ngakho-ke, lowo othatha intombi egcweleyo wenza okuqondileyo, kodwa lowo ongayithathiyo wenza okungcono kakhulu.
so that both he who is giving in marriage doth well, and he who is not giving in marriage doth better.
39 Owesifazane ubotshelwe endodeni yakhe nxa isaphila. Kodwa indoda yakhe ingafa, ukhululekile ukwendela kwenye ayithandayo, kodwa kumele ibe seNkosini.
A wife hath been bound by law as long time as her husband may live, and if her husband may sleep, she is free to be married to whom she will — only in the Lord;
40 Ngokubona kwami, uyathokoza kakhulu nxa ehlala enjalo, njalo ngiyakholwa ukuthi ngiloMoya kaNkulunkulu.
and she is happier if she may so remain — according to my judgment; and I think I also have the Spirit of God.
