KwabaseGalathiya 4
1 Engikutshoyo yikuthi nxa indlalifa isesengumntwana, kayehlukananga lesigqili lanxa nje ingumnikazi welifa lonke.
Now as long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a servant, though he is to be lord of all:
2 Ingaphansi kwabaphathi lababambeli kuze kufike isikhathi esabekwa nguyise.
but is under guardians and managers till the time appointed by the father.
3 Ngokunjalo lathi ngesikhathi sisesengabantwana sasiyizigqili ngaphansi kwempi yemimoya yalumhlaba.
So we when we were children, were in servitude under the elements of the world:
4 Kodwa kwathi lapho isikhathi sesifike ngokupheleleyo, uNkulunkulu wathuma iNdodana yakhe, yazalwa ngowesifazane, izalwa ngaphansi komthetho,
but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son born of a woman made under the law,
5 ukuba ihlenge abangaphansi komthetho, ukuze sithole amalungelo apheleleyo amadodana atholakeleyo.
that He might redeem those that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 Njengokuba lingamadodana, uNkulunkulu wathumela uMoya weNdodana yakhe enhliziyweni zenu, omemezayo usithi, “Abha, Baba.”
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Ngakho kawuseyiso isigqili kodwa indodana kaNkulunkulu; njalo njengoba usuyindodana, uNkulunkulu usekwenze waba yindlalifa futhi.
So that thou art no longer a servant, but a son; and if a son, an heir also of God through Christ.
8 Ekuqaleni, lingakamazi uNkulunkulu laliyizigqili zalabo abangayisibo onkulunkulu ngemvelo.
But then indeed, when ye knew not God, ye served those which in reality are no gods.
9 Kodwa khathesi uNkulunkulu selimazi, loba ngithi uNkulunkulu uselazi, pho kungani libuyela emuva empini yemimoya yalumhlaba ebuthakathaka leyize na? Liyafisa ukuthi ligqilazwe yiyo njalo na?
But now that ye know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that ye turn again to the poor weak elements, to which ye desire again to be in bondage as before?
10 Lina ligcina insuku ezithile lezinyanga, izikhathi zomnyaka kanye leminyaka!
Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years:
11 Ngiyalesabela, ukuthi ngenye indlela sengichithe imizamo yami kini.
so that I am afraid for you, least I have indeed bestowed upon you labour in vain.
12 Ngiyalincenga bazalwane, wobani njengami, ngoba lami ngaba njengani. Kalingenzelanga lutho olubi.
Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I also was as ye are: and ye have not injured me at all.
13 Njengoba lisazi, ngatshumayela ivangeli kini kuqala ngenxa yomkhuhlane.
But ye know that in the infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel to you at first:
14 Lanxa isimo somzimba wami sasiyisilingo kini, kalizange lingeyise kumbe lingihleke. Kodwa langamukela sengathi ngangiyingilosi kaNkulunkulu, sengathi nganginguKhristu uJesu yena ngokwakhe.
and my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected me for it; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
15 Intokozo yenu yonke isiyengaphi na? Ngingafakaza ukuthi aluba lalingenzanjalo, lalingakopola amehlo enu linginike wona.
What then was your blessedness? for I bear you witness that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
16 Khathesi sengibe yisitha senu ngokulitshela iqiniso na?
And am I become your enemy for telling you the truth?
17 Labobantu batshisekela ukulenza abazalwane babo, kodwa hatshi ngobuhle. Abakufunayo yikulehlukanisa lathi ukuze litshisekele bona.
They are zealous for you, but not as they ought: for they would exclude us, that ye may be zealous for them:
18 Ukutshiseka kulungile nxa injongo inhle, lokuba kube njalo kokuphela, hatshi kuphela nxa ngilani.
But it is good to be zealously affected always in that which is good, and not only when I am present with you.
19 Bantwabami abathandekayo, lina engilomhelo ngani futhi uKhristu aze abunjwe phakathi kwenu,
My little children, of whom I do as it were travail in birth again,
20 ngiyafisa kakhulu ukuba lani khathesi ngiguqule isimo sami, ngoba ngikhathazekile ngani!
till Christ be formed in you, I should be glad to be present with you even now, and to change my voice; for I am in doubt about you.
21 Ngitshelani lina elifuna ukuba ngaphansi komthetho, kalikwazi yini ukuthi umthetho uthini?
Tell me, you that are so desirous to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
22 Ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi u-Abhrahama wayelamadodana amabili, enye ingeyesigqilikazi lenye ingeyowesifazane okhululekileyo.
where it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by a servant, and one by a free-woman?
23 Indodana yakhe yesigqilikazi yazalwa ngokwenyama; kodwa indodana yakhe yowesifazane okhululekileyo yazalwa kulandela isithembiso.
But he who was of the servant, was born according to the course of nature; whereas the son of the free-woman was by virtue of the promise.
24 Izinto lezi zingathathwa njengomzekeliso; ngoba abesifazane ababili bamele izivumelwano ezimbili. Esinye isivumelwano sivela eNtabeni yeSinayi e-Arabhiya njalo sizala abantwana abazakuba yizigqili: Lo nguHagari.
Which things are figurative; for these persons are emblems of the two covenants, the one from mount Sinai, bringing forth children unto bondage, which is Hagar: for this name Hagar,
25 UHagari umele iNtaba yeSinayi e-Arabhiya njalo uhambelana ledolobho lakhathesi eleJerusalema, ngoba lisebugqilini kanye labantwana balo.
a rock, is expressive of mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to the present Jerusalem, which is in bondage with her children.
26 Kodwa iJerusalema ephezulu ikhululekile, njalo ingumama wethu.
But the Jerusalem above is represented by the free-woman, which is the mother of us all.
27 Ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Thokoza mfazi oyinyumba, wena ongazange uzale umntwana; umemeze ngenjabulo ukhale kakhulu, wena ongakaze uhelelwe; ngoba abantwana bomfazi olahliweyo banengi kulabalowo olendoda.”
For it is written, Rejoice thou barren, that for a while didst not bear, break forth and cry aloud for joy, thou that didst not travail with child; for many more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath an husband."
28 Ngakho lina bazalwane, njengo-Isaka, lingabantwana besithembiso.
Now we, brethren, like Isaac, are children of the promise.
29 Ngalesosikhathi indodana eyazalwa ngokwenyama yahlukuluza indodana eyazalwa ngamandla kaMoya. Kunjalo lakhathesi.
But as then he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him who was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
30 Kodwa umbhalo uthini na? Uthi: “Susa isigqilikazi lendodana yaso, ngoba indodana yesigqilikazi kayiyikwabelana ilifa lendodana yowesifazane okhululekileyo.”
But what saith the scripture? "Cast out the servant and her son: for the son of the servant shall not inherit with the son of the free-woman."
31 Ngakho, bazalwane, thina kasisibo bantwana besigqilikazi, kodwa abowesifazane okhululekileyo.
Now we, my brethren, are not children of the servant, but of the free-woman.
