KumaHebheru 11
1 Ukukholwa yikuba leqiniso lalokhu esikulindeleyo njalo kuqinisekile ngalokho esingakuboniyo.
Now faith is the persuasion of the things that are in hope, as if they were in act; and it is the manifestness of the things not seen.
2 Lokhu yikho abendulo abanconywa ngakho.
And for it the ancients are well testified of.
3 Ngokukholwa siyezwisisa ukuthi izulu lomhlaba kwadalwa ngokulaya kukaNkulunkulu, ngoba okubonakalayo kakwenziwanga ngalokho okwakubonakala. (aiōn g165)
For by faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God; and that things seen, originated from those that are not seen. (aiōn g165)
4 Ngokukholwa u-Abheli wanikela kuNkulunkulu umnikelo omuhle kulokaKhayini. Ngokukholwa wanconywa njengomuntu olungileyo, ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu ekhuluma kuhle ngeminikelo yakhe. Njalo ngokukholwa ulokhu ekhuluma, lanxa sewafa.
By faith, Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than that of Cain; and on account of it, he is testified of that he was righteous, and God bore testimony to his offering; and in consequence thereof, though dead he yet speaketh.
5 Ngokukholwa u-Enoki wasuswa kulumhlaba ephila ukuze angakuzwa ukufa: “Kabonakalanga ngoba uNkulunkulu wayesemthethe.” Engakathathwa, wayenconywe njengowayethokozise uNkulunkulu.
By faith, Enoch was translated, and did not taste death; and he was not found, because God had translated him: for, before he translated him, there was testimony of him, that he pleased God.
6 Kungelakukholwa akweneliseki ukumthokozisa uNkulunkulu ngoba oza kuye kumele akholwe ukuthi ukhona lokuthi uyabanika umvuzo labo abamdinga ngobuqotho.
But, without faith, a man cannot please God. For he that draweth near to God, must believe his existence, and that he will recompense those who seek him.
7 Ngokukholwa uNowa esexwayisiwe ngezinto ezazingakabonakali, ngokwesaba okungcwele wakha umkhumbi ukuba ahlenge abendlu yakhe. Ngokukholwa kwakhe wawulahla umhlaba waba yindlalifa yokulunga okuza ngokukholwa.
By faith Noah, when he was told of things not seen, feared; and he made himself an ark, for the life of his household; whereby he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
8 Ngokukholwa u-Abhrahama esebizelwe ukuba aye endaweni ayezayamukela muva njengelifa lakhe, walalela wahamba, lanxa wayengakwazi lapho ayesiya khona.
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed, and departed to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance: and he departed, while he knew not whither he was going.
9 Ngokukholwa wahlala elizweni lesithembiso njengesihambi, elizweni elingayisilo lakibo; wahlala emathenteni, njengokwenziwa ngu-Isaka loJakhobe, ababezindlalifa zalelolizwe lesithembiso kanye laye.
By faith, he became a resident in the land that was promised him, as in a foreign land; and abode in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.
10 Ngoba wayelindele idolobho elilezisekelo, elimcandi walo lomakhi walo nguNkulunkulu.
For he looked for the city that hath a foundation, of which the builder and maker is God.
11 Ngokukholwa, lanxa u-Abhrahama wayeseluphele loSara eyinyumba, wanikwa amandla okuba lomntwana ngoba wambona njengothembekileyo lowo owayenze isithembiso.
By faith, Sarah also, who was barren, acquired energy to receive seed; and, out of the time of her years, she brought forth; because she firmly believed, that he was faithful who had promised her.
12 Ngakho-ke, kusukela kulumuntu oyedwa, owayefana lofileyo, kwavela inzalo enengi njengezinkanyezi emkhathini njalo engeke ibalwe njengenhlabathi ekhunjini lolwandle.
Therefore, from one man failing through age, numbers were born, like the stars in the heavens, and like the sand on the shore of the sea which is innumerable.
13 Abantu bonke laba bafa belokhu bephila ngokukholwa. Kabazamukelanga izinto ezathenjiswayo; bazibona nje kuphela bazithakazelela zikude. Njalo bavuma ukuthi bona babeyizizwe lezihambi emhlabeni.
All these died in faith, and received not their promise; but they saw it afar off, and rejoiced in it; and they confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 Abantu abakhuluma izinto ezinje babonakalisa ukuthi bafuna ilizwe elingelabo.
Now they who say thus, show that they seek a city.
15 Aluba babecabanga ngelizwe abasuka kulo, babezakuba lethuba lokubuyela.
But if they had been seeking that city from which they came out, they had opportunity to return again and go to it.
16 Kodwa-ke bona babefuna ilizwe elingcono, lona elisezulwini. Ngakho uNkulunkulu akumyangisi ukubizwa ngokuthi unguNkulunkulu wabo, ngoba usebalungisele idolobho.
But now it is manifest that they longed for a better city than that, namely, for that which is in heaven. Therefore God did not refuse to be called their God; for he prepared for them the city.
17 Ngokukholwa, kwathi u-Abhrahama ehlolwa nguNkulunkulu, wanikela u-Isaka njengomhlatshelo. Yena owayamukele izithembiso wayeseseduze ukuba anikele indodana yakhe eyodwa njalo eyiyo kuphela,
By faith Abraham, in his trial, offered up Isaac; and he laid on the altar his only son, whom he had received by promise.
18 lanxa uNkulunkulu wayethe kuye, “isizukulwane sakho sizabalwa ngo-Isaka.”
For it had been said to him, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
19 U-Abhrahama wanakana ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengabavusa abafileyo, njalo nxa kuzekeliswa, wamamukela u-Isaka evela ekufeni.
And he reasoned with himself, that God was able even to raise him from the dead: and therefore, in the similitude of a resurrection, he was restored to him.
20 Ngokukholwa u-Isaka wabusisa uJakhobe lo-Esawu ngekusasa labo.
By faith in what was to be, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.
21 Ngokukholwa uJakhobe, esesifa wawabusisa wonke amadodana kaJosefa, wasekhonza eyame phezu kwentonga yakhe.
By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and bowed himself on the top of his staff.
22 Ngokukholwa uJosefa, isiphetho sakhe sesisondele, walandisa ngokuphuma kwabako-Israyeli eGibhithe njalo walayezela ngamathambo akhe.
By faith Joseph, when dying, was mindful of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave direction concerning his bones.
23 Ngokukholwa abazali bakaMosi bamfihla izinyanga ezintathu emva kokuzalwa kwakhe, ngoba babona ukuthi wayengasumntwana nje ojayelekileyo, njalo babengawesabi umthetho wenkosi.
By faith the parents of Moses, after he was born, hid him three months; because they saw he was a goodly child; and they were not deterred by the command of the king.
24 Ngokukholwa uMosi esekhulile, wala ukuba aziwe njengendodana yendodakazi kaFaro.
By faith Moses, when be became a man, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.
25 Wakhetha ukuphathwa kubi kanye labantu bakaNkulunkulu kulokuba akholise injabulo yesono okwesikhathi esifitshane.
And he chose to be in affliction with the people of God, and not to live luxuriously in sin for a short season:
26 Wakhetha ihlazo ngenxa kaKhristu njengegugu elikhulu kulenotho yaseGibhithe ngoba wayekhangelele umvuzo phambili.
and he esteemed the reproach of the Messiah a greater treasure than the hoarded riches of Egypt; for he looked upon the recompense of reward.
27 Ngokukholwa wasuka eGibhithe, engalwesabi ulaka lwenkosi; wabekezela ngoba wambona lowo ongabonakaliyo.
By faith, he left Egypt, and was not terrified by the wrath of the king; and he continued to hope, just as if he saw the invisible God.
28 Ngokukholwa wagcina iPhasika lokuchelwa kwegazi, ukuze umbulali wamazibulo angawathinti amazibulo ako-Israyeli.
By faith, they kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, that he who destroyed the first-born might not approach them.
29 Ngokukholwa abantu badabula phakathi koLwandle oluBomvu njengasemhlabathini owomileyo, kodwa kwathi amaGibhithe ezama ukwenzanjalo agalula.
By faith, they passed the Red Sea, as on dry land; and in it the Egyptians were swallowed up, when they dared to enter it.
30 Ngokukholwa imiduli yaseJerikho yadilika emva kokuba abantu beyibhode okwensuku eziyisikhombisa.
By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down, when they had been encompassed seven days.
31 Ngokukholwa uRahabi isifebe, ngoba wamukela inhloli, kabulawanga kanye lalabo ababengalaleli.
By faith Rahab, the harlot, perished not with them who believed not, when she received the spies in peace.
32 Kuyini okunye engingakutsho? Kangilasikhathi sokulandisa ngoGidiyoni, loBharakhi, loSamsoni, loJeftha, loDavida, loSamuyeli kanye labaphrofethi,
What more shall I say? For I have little time to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Sampson, and of Jephtha, and of David, and of Samuel, and of the other prophets:
33 abanqoba imibuso ngokukholwa benza okulungileyo njalo bathola okwakuthenjisiwe; bona abavala imilomo yezilwane,
who, by faith, subdued kingdoms, and wrought righteousness, and received promises, and shut the mouths of lions,
34 bacitsha ukuvutha kwamalangabi, baphepha lasebukhalini benkemba; ubuthakathaka babo baphenduka baba ngamandla; njalo baba lamandla empini bawachitha amabutho ezizweni.
and quenched the force of fire, and were rescued from the edge of the sword, and were healed of diseases, and became strong in battle, and routed the camps of enemies,
35 Abesifazane bamukela abafayo babo sebevuselwe ekuphileni futhi. Abanye bahlukuluzwa njalo bala ukukhululwa, ukuze bathole ukuvuka ekufeni okuhle.
and restored to women their children, by a resurrection from the dead. And some died under tortures, and did not hope to escape, that there might be for them a better resurrection;
36 Abanye bahozwa batshaywa, kwathi abanye babotshwa ngamaketane bafakwa entolongweni.
and others endured mockings and, scourgings; others were delivered up to bonds and prisons;
37 Batshaywa ngamatshe, baqunywa ngesaha baba yiziqa ezimbili; babulawa ngenkemba. Bahamba begqoke izikhumba zezimvu lezikhumba zembuzi, beswela, behlukuluzwa, bephathwa kubi,
others were stoned; others were sawed; others died by the edge of the sword; others roamed about clothed in sheep skins and goat skins, and were needy, and afflicted, and agitated;
38 umhlaba kubo wawungabafanele. Bantula enkangala lasezintabeni lasezimbalwini kanye lasemilindini emhlabathini.
persons of whom the world was not worthy, and yet they were as wanderers in the desert, and in mountains, and in caves, and in caverns of the earth.
39 Bonke laba banconywa ngokukholwa kwabo, kodwa kakho phakathi kwabo owathola okwakuthenjisiwe.
And all these, of whose faith there is testimony, received not the promise:
40 Thina uNkulunkulu wayesimisele okuhle ukuze kuthi sebe kanye lathi bapheleliswe.
because God had provided the aid for us; so that without us they should not be perfected.
