1 KwabaseKhorinte 9
1 Kangikhululekanga na? Kangisumpostoli na? Kanje kangimbonanga uJesu iNkosi yethu na? Kalisizithelo zomsebenzi wami eNkosini na?
Am not I an apostle? am not I free? Jesus Christ our Lord have I not seen? my work are not ye in the Lord?
2 Lanxa ngingasuye umpostoli kwabanye, impela nginguye kini! Ngoba lina liluphawu lobupostoli bami eNkosini.
if to others I am not an apostle — yet doubtless to you I am; for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord.
3 Lokhu kuyisivikelo sami kulabo abazangahlulela.
My defence to those who examine me in this;
4 Kasilalungelo lokudla lokunatha na?
have we not authority to eat and to drink?
5 Kambe silelungelo bani lokuthatha owesifazane okholwayo owendileyo sihambe laye njengokwenziwa ngabanye abapostoli labafowabo beNkosi kanye loKhefasi na?
have we not authority a sister — a wife — to lead about, as also the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
6 Kumbe yimi loBhanabhasi kuphela esingelalo ilungelo lokusebenzela impilo?
or only I and Barnabas, have we not authority — not to work?
7 Ngubani osebenza njengebutho ngendleko zakhe na? Ngubani olima isivini angadli izithelo zaso na? Ngubani owelusa umhlambi anganathi uchago lwawo na?
who doth serve as a soldier at his own charges at any time? who doth plant a vineyard, and of its fruit doth not eat? or who doth feed a flock, and of the milk of the flock doth not eat?
8 Lokhu ngikutsho ngokwengqondo yabantu na? Umthetho kawutsho okufanayo na?
According to man do I speak these things? or doth not also the law say these things?
9 Ngoba kulotshiwe emthethweni kaMosi ukuthi: “Inkabi ungayifaki isayeke nxa ibhula amabele.” UNkulunkulu ukhathazeka ngenkabi na?
for in the law of Moses it hath been written, 'thou shalt not muzzle an ox treading out corn;' for the oxen doth God care?
10 Impela uyasikhulumela lokhu; akunjalo na? Yebo, lokhu kwalotshelwa thina, ngoba nxa umlimi elima lobhulayo ebhula kumele benzenjalo belethemba lokwabelana isivuno.
or because of us by all means doth He say [it]? yes, because of us it was written, because in hope ought the plower to plow, and he who is treading [ought] of his hope to partake in hope.
11 Nxa sahlanyela inhlanyelo yakomoya kini, kambe kunengi kakhulu yini nxa sivuna isivuno sempahla kini na?
If we to you the spiritual things did sow — great [is it] if we your fleshly things do reap?
12 Nxa abanye belaleli ilungelo losizo oluvela kini, thina akumelanga sibe lalo kakhulu na? Kodwa thina kasilisebenzisanga ilungelo leli. Esikhundleni salokho sibekezelele konke kulokuthi sivimbele ivangeli likaKhristu.
if others do partake of the authority over you — not we more? but we did not use this authority, but all things we bear, that we may give no hindrance to the good news of the Christ.
13 Kalazi yini ukuthi abasebenza ethempelini bathola ukudla kwabo ethempelini, lokuthi labo abakhonza e-alithareni babelana lokho okunikelwe e-alithareni na?
Have ye not known that those working about the things of the temple — of the temple do eat, and those waiting at the altar — with the altar are partakers?
14 Ngokufanayo iNkosi ilaye ukuthi labo abatshumayela ivangeli kumele bathole ukuphila kwabo evangelini.
so also did the Lord direct to those proclaiming the good news: of the good news to live.
15 Kodwa mina angisebenzisanga lalinye lala amalungelo. Njalo kangilobi lokhu ngethemba lokuthi lizangenzela izinto ezinjalo. Ngingakhetha ukufa kulokuthi umuntu angemuke ukuzincoma lokhu.
And I have used none of these things; neither did I write these things that it may be so done in my case, for [it is] good for me rather to die, than that any one may make my glorying void;
16 Ikanti lapho ngitshumayela ivangeli, angingeke ngizincome ngoba kumele ngitshumayele! Maye kimi nxa ngingatshumayeli ivangeli!
for if I may proclaim good news, it is no glorying for me, for necessity is laid upon me, and woe is to me if I may not proclaim good news;
17 Nxa ngitshumayela ngokuzithandela, ngithola umvuzo; nxa ngingazithandeli, ngifeza umlandu obekwe kimi.
for if willing I do this, I have a reward; and if unwillingly — with a stewardship I have been entrusted!
18 Pho umvuzo wami uyini na? Uyilokhu nje: ukuthi lapho ngitshumayela ivangeli, ngilitshumayela kungekho mbadalo, kalokho ngingasebenzisi malungelo ami ekulitshumayeleni.
What, then, is my reward? — that proclaiming good news, without charge I shall make the good news of the Christ, not to abuse my authority in the good news;
19 Lanxa ngikhululekile ngingasuye womunye umuntu, ngizenza isigqili ebantwini bonke, ukuze ngizuze abanengi nxa kusenzeka.
for being free from all men, to all men I made myself servant, that the more I might gain;
20 KumaJuda ngaba njengomJuda, ukuba ngizuze amaJuda. Kulabo abangaphansi komthetho ngaba njengongaphansi komthetho (lanxa nje mina ngingekho ngaphansi komthetho), ukuba ngizuze labo abangaphansi komthetho.
and I became to the Jews as a Jew, that Jews I might gain; to those under law as under law, that those under law I might gain;
21 Kulabo abangelamthetho ngaba njengongelamthetho (lanxa ngingakhululekanga emthethweni kaNkulunkulu ngingaphansi komthetho kaKhristu), ukuba ngizuze labo abangelamthetho.
to those without law, as without law — (not being without law to God, but within law to Christ) — that I might gain those without law;
22 Kwababuthakathaka ngababuthakathaka, ukuba ngizuze ababuthakathaka. Sengibe yizinto zonke ebantwini bonke ukuze kuthi ngazozonke izindlela ezingenzakala ngisilise abanye.
I became to the infirm as infirm, that the infirm I might gain; to all men I have become all things, that by all means I may save some.
23 Ngenza konke lokhu ngenxa yevangeli, ukuze lami ngihlanganyele ezibusisweni zalo.
And this I do because of the good news, that a fellow-partaker of it I may become;
24 Kalazi yini ukuthi emncintiswaneni wokugijima abagijimi bayagijima bonke, kodwa ngoyedwa kuphela othola umvuzo? Gijimani ngendlela ezakwenza ukuthi lithole umvuzo.
have ye not known that those running in a race — all indeed run, but one doth receive the prize? so run ye, that ye may obtain;
25 Umuntu wonke oncintisayo emidlalweni uba sekufundisweni okulukhuni. Bakwenzela ukuzuza umqhele wamaluba ongasoze uhlale isikhathi eside, kodwa thina sikwenzela ukuba sithole umqhele ozahlala ukhona kuze kube laphakade.
and every one who is striving, is in all things temperate; these, indeed, then, that a corruptible crown they may receive, but we an incorruptible;
26 Ngakho kangigijimi njengomuntu ogijima engahlose lutho; kangilwi njengomuntu obindana lomoya.
I, therefore, thus run, not as uncertainly, thus I fight, as not beating air;
27 Hatshi, ngitshaya umzimba wami ngiwenze isigqili sami ukuze kuthi lapho sengitshumayele kwabanye, mina uqobo ngingemukwa ilungelo lokuthola umvuzo.
but I chastise my body, and bring [it] into servitude, lest by any means, having preached to others — I myself may become disapproved.
