KumaHebheru 7
1 UMelikhizedekhi lo wayeyinkosi yaseSalemu lomphristi kaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke. Wahlangabeza u-Abhrahama evela kwehlula amakhosi, wambusisa,
For this man, Melchizedek, King of Salem and priest of the Most High God--he who when Abraham was returning after defeating the kings met him and pronounced a blessing on him--
2 u-Abhrahama wamnika okwetshumi kwakho konke. Okwakuqala, ibizo elithi Melikhizedekhi litsho ukuthi “Nkosi yokulunga”; lokuthi futhi, “Nkosi yaseSalemu” kutsho ukuthi “Nkosi yokuthula.”
to whom also Abraham presented a tenth part of all--being first, as his name signifies, King of righteousness, and secondly King of Salem, that is, King of peace:
3 Engelayise loba unina, engelamdabuko, engelakuqala kwensuku loba ukuphela kokuphila njengeNdodana kaNkulunkulu uhlezi engumphristi nini lanini.
with no father or mother, and no record of ancestry: having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made a type of the Son of God--this man Melchizedek remains a priest for ever.
4 Ake licabange ukuthi wayemkhulu kangakanani: Lokhokho u-Abhrahama wamnika okwetshumi kwempango!
Now think how great this priest-king must have been to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth part of the best of the spoil.
5 Khathesi umthetho ufuna abenzalo kaLevi ababa ngabaphristi ukuba baqoqe okwetshumi ebantwini, lokhu kutsho abafowabo lanxa abafowabo beyinzalo ka-Abhrahama.
And those of the descendants of Levi who receive the priesthood are authorized by the Law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brethren, though these have sprung from Abraham.
6 Umuntu lo kazange alonde umdabuko wakhe usukela kuLevi kodwa waqoqa okwetshumi ku-Abhrahama njalo wambusisa yena lowo owayelezithembiso.
But, in this instance, one who does not trace his origin from them takes tithes from Abraham, and pronounces a blessing on him to whom the promises belong.
7 Kakulakuthandabuza ukuthi umuntu omncinyane ubusiswa ngomkhulu.
And beyond all dispute it is always the inferior who is blessed by the superior.
8 Kwesinye isehlakalo, okwetshumi kuthathwa ngabantu abafayo kodwa kwesinye isehlakalo kube ngulowo okuthiwe uyaphila.
Moreover here frail mortal men receive tithes: there one receives them about whom there is evidence that he is alive.
9 Umuntu angatsho lokuthi uLevi oqoqa okwetshumi, wanikela okwetshumi ngo-Abhrahama
And Levi too--if I may so speak--pays tithes through Abraham:
10 ngoba lapho uMelikhizedekhi ehlangabeza u-Abhrahama uLevi wayelokhu esesemzimbeni kakhokho wakhe.
for Levi was yet in the loins of his forefather when Melchizedek met Abraham.
11 Nxa ukuphelela kwakungatholakala ngobuphristi babaLevi njalo ngempela umthetho owaphiwa abantu wasungula lobobuphristi, pho kungani kwakulokhu kudingeka ukuba omunye umphristi abuye evela emkhondweni kaMelikhizedekhi, engasiwemkhondweni ka-Aroni na?
Now if the crowning blessing was attainable by means of the Levitical priesthood--for as resting on this foundation the people received the Law, to which they are still subject-- what further need was there for a Priest of a different kind to be raised up belonging to the order of Melchizedek instead of being said to belong to the order of Aaron?
12 Ngoba lapho kulokuguqulwa kobuphristi, kufanele kube lokuguqulwa komthetho futhi.
For when the priesthood changes, a change of Law also of necessity takes place.
13 Yena lowo okutshiwo lezizinto ngaye ngowesinye isizwana njalo kakho owalesosizwana owake wakhonza e-alithareni.
He, however, to whom that prophecy refers is associated with a different tribe, not one member of which has anything to do with the altar.
14 Ngoba kusobala ukuba iNkosi yethu yadabuka koJuda njalo mayelana lalesosizwana uMosi katshongo lutho ngabaphristi.
For it is undeniable that our Lord sprang from Judah, a tribe of which Moses said nothing in connection with priests.
15 Njalo lokhu esesikutshilo kucace kakhulu nxa omunye umphristi onjengoMelikhizedekhi evela,
And this is still more abundantly clear when we read that it is as belonging to the order of Melchizedek that a priest of a different kind is to arise,
16 omunye obe ngumphristi kungayisikho komthetho ngokosendo lwakhe kodwa ngokumayelana lamandla okuphila okungeke kuchithwe.
and hold His office not in obedience to any temporary Law, but by virtue of an indestructible Life.
17 Ngoba kumenyezelwe ukuthi: “Wena ungumphristi kuze kube nini lanini, emkhondweni kaMelikhizedekhi.” (aiōn g165)
For the words are in evidence, "Thou art a priest for ever, belonging to the order of Melchizedek." (aiōn g165)
18 Umthetho wakuqala ubekwe eceleni ngoba wawubuthakathaka njalo ungelasizo
On the one hand we have here the abrogation of an earlier code because it was weak and ineffective--
19 (ngoba umthetho kawenzanga lutho olupheleleyo) ngakho kulethwa ithemba elitsha esisondela ngalo kuNkulunkulu.
for the Law brought no perfect blessing--but on the other hand we have the bringing in of a new and better hope by means of which we draw near to God.
20 Njalo kwakungayisikho ngaphandle kwesifungo! Abanye babangabaphristi kungekho sifungo,
And since it was not without an oath being taken--
21 kodwa yena waba ngumphristi ngesifungo lapho uNkulunkulu athi kuye: “INkosi ifungile njalo kayiyikuguqula ingqondo yayo: ‘Wena ungumphristi kuze kube nini lanini.’” (aiōn g165)
for these men hold office without any oath having been taken, but He holds it attested by an oath from Him who said to Him, "The Lord has sworn and will not recall His words, Thou art a Priest for ever" -- (aiōn g165)
22 Ngenxa yesifungo lesi, uJesu usebe yisiqiniselo sesivumelwano esingcono.
so much the more also is the Covenant of which Jesus has become the guarantor, a better covenant.
23 Abaphristi labo sebebanengi njengoba babevinjelwa yikufa ukuba baqhubeke besezikhundleni;
And they have been appointed priests many in number, because death prevents their continuance in office:
but He, because He continues for ever, has a priesthood which does not pass to any successor. (aiōn g165)
25 Ngakho ulamandla okubasindisa ngokupheleleyo labo abeza kuNkulunkulu ngaye ngoba uhlezi ephilela ukubancengela.
Hence too He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, seeing that He ever lives to plead for them.
26 Umphristi omkhulu onjalo wagcwalisa izinswelo zethu, ongongcwele, ongelasici, lohlanzekileyo, lowehlukaniswe lezoni, lophakanyiselwe ngaphezu kwamazulu.
Moreover we needed just such a High Priest as this--holy, guileless, undefiled, far removed from sinful men and exalted above the heavens;
27 Hatshi njengabanye abaphristi abakhulu, yena kadingi kunikela imihlatshelo insuku zonke, kuqala eyezono zakhe, kulandele owezono zabantu. Wabenzela umhlatshelo wezono zabo kwaba kanye kuphela lapho ezinikela.
who, unlike other High Priests, is not under the necessity of offering up sacrifices day after day, first for His own sins, and afterwards for those of the people; for this latter thing He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
28 Ngoba umthetho ubeka abantu ababuthakathaka ukuba ngabaphristi abakhulu kodwa isifungo eseza emva komthetho sabeka iNdodana eyenziwe yaba ngepheleleyo kuze kube nininini. (aiōn g165)
For the Law constitutes men High Priests--men with all their infirmity--but the utterance of the oath, which came later than the Law, constitutes High Priest a Son who has been made for ever perfect. (aiōn g165)
