< 1 KuThimothi 5 >
1 Ungamkhuzi ngolaka umuntu omdala kodwa mncenge ngokungathi nguyihlo. Amajaha aphathe njengabafowenu,
Never administer a sharp reprimand to a man older than yourself; but entreat him as if he were your father, and the younger men as brothers;
2 abesifazane abadala njengonyoko, abesifazane abatsha njengodadewenu ngokuhlambuluka okupheleleyo.
the elder women too as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, with perfect modesty.
3 Woba lonanzelelo olufaneleyo kubafelokazi abaswelayo kakhulu.
Honour widows who are really in need.
4 Kodwa nxa umfelokazi elabantwana kumbe abazukulu, kumele bafunde kuqala kulakho konke ukusebenzisa ukholo lwabo ngokukhathalela abendlu yakwabo langokusiza abazali babo labazali babazali babo ngoba lokhu kuyamthokozisa uNkulunkulu.
But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let these learn first to show piety towards their own homes and to prove their gratitude to their parents; for this is well pleasing in the sight of God.
5 Umfelokazi oswelayo kakhulu njalo esele eyedwa ubeka ithemba lakhe kuNkulunkulu njalo uqhubeka ebusuku lemini ekhuleka ecela usizo kuNkulunkulu.
A widow who is really in need, friendless and desolate, has her hopes fixed on God, and continues at her supplications and prayers, night and day;
6 Kodwa umfelokazi ophilela intokozo ufile lanxa esaphila.
but a pleasure-loving widow is dead even while still alive.
7 Banike labo abantu izeluleko lezi ukuze angabikhona ongasoleka.
Press these facts upon them, so that they may live lives free from reproach.
8 Nxa umuntu enganakekeli izihlobo zakhe ikakhulu abendlu yakwabo, uselulahlile ukholo lwakhe njalo mubi kakhulu kulongakholwayo.
But if a man makes no provision for those dependent on him, and especially for his own family, he has disowned the faith and is behaving worse than an unbeliever.
9 Akulamfelokazi ozabekwa eluhlwini lwabafelokazi ngaphandle kokuba eseleminyaka edlula engamatshumi ayisithupha, obengokade ethembekile kumkakhe
No widow is to be put on the roll who is under sixty years of age.
10 njalo edumile ngezenzo zakhe ezinhle, ezinjengokondla abantwana, lokuphatha kuhle izihambi, lokugezisa inyawo zabangcwele, lokusiza abahluphekayo kanye lokuzinikela kuzozonke izenzo ezinhle.
She must have been true to her one husband, and well reported of for good deeds, as having brought up children, received strangers hospitably, washed the feet of God's people, given relief to the distressed, and devoted herself to good works of every kind.
11 Abafelokazi abasesebatsha ungababeki eluhlwini olunjalo. Ngoba lapho izinkanuko zabo zomzimba sezikhulela ukuzinikela kwabo kuKhristu bafuna ukwenda.
But the younger widows you must not enrol; for as soon as they begin to chafe against the yoke of Christ, they want to marry,
12 Ngalokho-ke, bazilethela ukwahlulelwa phezu kwabo ngoba bephule isithembiso sabo sokuqala.
and they incur disapproval for having broken their original vow.
13 Langaphandle kwalokho, basuka babe lomkhuba wokuvilapha batshone benquma ngemizi. Njalo kababi ngamavila nje kuphela kodwa bangabanyeyayo labathandi bezindaba zabanye besitsho izinto okungafanelanga bazitsho.
And at the same time they also learn to be idle as they go round from house to house; and they are not only idle, but are gossips also and busybodies, speaking of things that ought not to be spoken of.
14 Ngakho, abafelokazi abasesebatsha ngibacebisa ukuba bende, babelabantwana, baphathe izindlu zabo njalo banganiki isitha ithuba lokuba kube lokuhleba.
I would therefore have the younger women marry, bear children, rule in domestic matters, and furnish the Adversary with no excuse for slander.
15 Abanye bavele sebedukile balandela uSathane.
For already some of them have gone astray, following Satan.
16 Nxa umuntu okholwayo elabafelokazi emzini wakhe, kumele abasize hatshi ukuyekela besinda ibandla ukuze ibandla lisize abafelokazi abaswela kakhulu.
If a believing woman has widows dependent on her, she should relieve their wants, and save the Church from being burdened--so that the Church may relieve the widows who are really in need.
17 Abadala abaqhuba kuhle imisebenzi yebandla bafanele ukuhlonitshwa okuphindiweyo ikakhulu labo abasebenza ukutshumayela lokufundisa.
Let the Elders who perform their duties wisely and well be held worthy of double honour, especially those who labour in preaching and teaching.
18 Ngoba umbhalo uthi: “Inkabi ungayifaki isayeke nxa ibhula amabele,” njalo uthi, “Isisebenzi sifanele umholo waso.”
For the Scripture says, "You are not to muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain;" and the workman deserves his pay.
19 Ungalamukeli icala eletheswa umuntu omdala ngaphandle kokuba limangalwa ngabafakazi ababili loba abathathu.
Never entertain an accusation against an Elder except on the evidence of two of three witnesses.
20 Abenza izono kumele bakhuzwe phambi kwabantu ukuze labanye baxwayiseke.
Those who persist in sin reprove in the presence of all, so that it may also be a warning to the rest.
21 Ngiyakulaya phambi kukaNkulunkulu loKhristu uJesu lezingilosi ezikhethiweyo ukuba ugcine iziqondiso lezi kungekho bandlululo njalo ungenzi lutho ngokukhetha.
I solemnly call upon you, in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, to carry out these instructions of mine without prejudice, and to do nothing from partiality.
22 Ungaphangisi ukubeka izandla emuntwini njalo ungahlanganyeli ezonweni zabanye. Zigcine uhlambulukile.
Do not ordain any one hastily; and do not be a partaker in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.
23 Yekela ukunatha amanzi kuphela kodwa sebenzisa lewayini elincinyane ngenxa yesisu sakho lokuhlala kwakho ugula.
(No longer be a water-drinker; but take a little wine for the sake of your digestion and your frequent ailments.)
24 Izono zabanye abantu zisobala, zifika endaweni yokwahlulela kuqala kulabo; kodwa abanye ezabo izono zilandela ngemva kwabo.
The sins of some men are evident to the world, leading the way to your estimate of their characters, but the sins of others lag behind.
25 Ngokufanayo, izenzo ezinhle zisobala njalo lalezo ezingenjalo azingeke zihlale zifihliwe.
So also the right actions of some are evident to the world, and those that are not cannot remain for ever out of sight.