< UJohane 1 >

1 Ekuqaleni wayekhona uLizwi, uLizwi wayeloNkulunkulu, njalo uLizwi wayenguNkulunkulu.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;
2 WayeloNkulunkulu ekuqaleni.
this one was in the beginning with God;
3 Izinto zonke zenziwa ngaye; ngaphandle kwakhe kube akukho okwenziwayo.
all things through him did happen, and without him happened not even one thing that hath happened.
4 Kwakukhona ukuphila kuye, lokho kuphila kwakuyikukhanya kwabantu.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men,
5 Ukukhanya kukhanya emnyameni, kodwa umnyama awukakuzwisisi.
and the light in the darkness did shine, and the darkness did not perceive it.
6 Kwafika umuntu ethunywe nguNkulunkulu, ibizo lakhe wayenguJohane.
There came a man — having been sent from God — whose name [is] John,
7 Weza njengomfakazi ezoqinisa mayelana lalokho kukhanya ukuze kuthi ngaye bonke abantu bakholwe.
this one came for testimony, that he might testify about the Light, that all might believe through him;
8 Yena qobo lwakhe wayengesi lokho kukhanya; weza nje njengomfakazi wokukhanya lokho.
that one was not the Light, but — that he might testify about the Light.
9 Ukukhanya okuliqiniso okunika ukukhanya emuntwini wonke kwakusiza emhlabeni.
He was the true Light, which doth enlighten every man, coming to the world;
10 Wayesemhlabeni, kodwa lanxa umhlaba wenziwa ngaye, umhlaba kawumazanga.
in the world he was, and the world through him was made, and the world did not know him:
11 Weza kulokho okwakungokwakhe, kodwa khona kakumemukelanga.
to his own things he came, and his own people did not receive him;
12 Ikanti kulabo bonke abamamukelayo, kulabo abakholwayo ebizweni lakhe, wabapha ilungelo lokuba ngabantwana bakaNkulunkulu,
but as many as did receive him to them he gave authority to become sons of God — to those believing in his name,
13 abantwana abangazalwanga ngokwemvelo, kumbe ngokukhetha komuntu, loba ngokufuna kwendoda kodwa bezelwe nguNkulunkulu.
who — not of blood nor of a will of flesh, nor of a will of man but — of God were begotten.
14 ULizwi waba yinyama, wahlala phakathi kwethu. Siyibonile inkazimulo yakhe; inkazimulo yeNdodana eyiyo yodwa, eyavela kuYise, igcwele umusa leqiniso.
And the Word became flesh, and did tabernacle among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of an only begotten of a father, full of grace and truth.
15 UJohane wafakaza ngayo. Wamemeza esithi, “Lo nguye engangikhuluma ngaye ngisithi, ‘Lowo oza ngemva kwami usengedlule ngoba wayevele ephambi kwami.’”
John doth testify concerning him, and hath cried, saying, 'This was he of whom I said, He who after me is coming, hath come before me, for he was before me;'
16 Ngenxa yokujula komusa wakhe sonke sesamukele umusa emuseni esasivele siwuphiwe.
and out of his fulness did we all receive, and grace over-against grace;
17 Ngoba umthetho walethwa ngoMosi; umusa leqiniso kweza ngoJesu Khristu.
for the law through Moses was given, the grace and the truth through Jesus Christ did come;
18 Kakho osewake wambona uNkulunkulu, kodwa iNdodana eyiyo yodwa, yona enguNkulunkulu njalo eseceleni eduze kukaYise, isimenze waziwa.
God no one hath ever seen; the only begotten Son, who is on the bosom of the Father — he did declare.
19 Lobu yibo ubufakazi bukaJohane lapho abakhokheli bamaJuda aseJerusalema abathuma khona abaphristi labaLevi ukuyambuza ukuthi wayengubani.
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent out of Jerusalem priests and Levites, that they might question him, 'Who art thou?'
20 Kehlulekanga ukuzichaza, kodwa wazichaza ekhululekile wathi, “Kangisuye uKhristu.”
and he confessed and did not deny, and confessed — 'I am not the Christ.'
21 Bambuza bathi, “Pho ungubani na? Ungu-Elija yini?” Wathi, “Kangisuye.” “Ungumphrofethi na?” Waphendula wathi, “Hatshi.”
And they questioned him, 'What then? Elijah art thou?' and he saith, 'I am not.' — 'The prophet art thou?' and he answered, 'No.'
22 Bacina ngokuthi, “Ungubani? Siphe impendulo esizayisa kulabo abasithumileyo. Uzibiza ngokuthi ungubani na?”
They said then to him, 'Who art thou, that we may give an answer to those sending us? what dost thou say concerning thyself?'
23 UJohane wabaphendula ngamazwi ka-Isaya umphrofethi wathi, “Ngiyilizwi lalowo omemezayo enkangala lisithi, ‘Lungiselani iNkosi indlela iqonde.’”
He said, 'I [am] a voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet.'
24 Kwasekusithi abaFarisi ababethunyiwe
And those sent were of the Pharisees,
25 bambuza bathi, “Kungani pho ubhaphathiza nxa ungasuye uKhristu, kumbe u-Elija loba umphrofethi na?”
and they questioned him and said to him, 'Why, then, dost thou baptize, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?'
26 UJohane waphendula wathi, “Mina ngibhaphathiza ngamanzi, kodwa phakathi kwenu kumi elingamaziyo.
John answered them, saying, 'I baptize with water, but in midst of you he hath stood whom ye have not known, this one it is who is coming after me, who hath been before me,
27 Nguye lowo ozayo ngemva kwami, mina engingafanelanga ukuthukulula imichilo yamanyathela akhe.”
of whom I am not worthy that I may loose the cord of his sandal.'
28 Konke lokhu kwenzeka eBhethani ngaphetsheya kweJodani lapho uJohane ayebhaphathiza khona.
These things came to pass in Bethabara, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing,
29 Ngelanga elilandelayo uJohane wabona uJesu esiza kuye wathi, “Khangelani, nanti iWundlu likaNkulunkulu elisusa isono somhlaba!
on the morrow John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, 'Lo, the Lamb of God, who is taking away the sin of the world;
30 Nguye lo engangimutsho ngize ngithi, ‘Umuntu ozayo ngemva kwami usengedlule ngoba wayevele ephambi kwami.’
this is he concerning whom I said, After me doth come a man, who hath come before me, because he was before me:
31 Mina ngokwami bengingamazi, kodwa okwenze ngeza ngibhaphathiza ngamanzi kwakuyikwenzela ukuthi abonakaliswe ku-Israyeli.”
and I knew him not, but, that he might be manifested to Israel, because of this I came with the water baptizing.
32 UJohane waseletha lobubufakazi: “Ngabona uMoya esehla evela ezulwini enjengejuba wahlala phezu kwakhe.
And John testified, saying — 'I have seen the Spirit coming down, as a dove, out of heaven, and it remained on him;
33 Lami uqobo lwami ngangingamazi, kodwa lowo owangithumayo ukubhaphathiza ngamanzi wathi, ‘Lowomuntu ozabona uMoya usehla uhlala kuye nguye kanye ozabhaphathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele.’
and I did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water, He said to me, On whomsoever thou mayest see the Spirit coming down, and remaining on him, this is he who is baptizing with the Holy Spirit;
34 Sengibonile yikho sengifakaza ukuthi lo ungoKhethiweyo kaNkulunkulu.”
and I have seen, and have testified, that this is the Son of God.'
35 Ngelanga elilandelayo uJohane wayekhonapho, elabafundi bakhe ababili.
On the morrow, again, John was standing, and two of his disciples,
36 Wathi ebona uJesu esedlula lapho wathi, “Khangelani, nanti iWundlu likaNkulunkulu!”
and having looked on Jesus walking, he saith, 'Lo, the Lamb of God;'
37 Abafundi ababili labo bathi bekuzwa lokhu basebelandela uJesu.
and the two disciples heard him speaking, and they followed Jesus.
38 UJesu wathi enyemukula wababona bemlandela, wababuza wathi, “Lifunani na?” Bathi, “Rabi” (okutsho ukuthi “Mfundisi”), “uhlala ngaphi?”
And Jesus having turned, and having beheld them following, saith to them, 'What seek ye?' and they said to them, 'Rabbi, (which is, being interpreted, Teacher, ) where remainest thou?'
39 Waphendula wathi, “Wozani, lizabona.” Ngakho bahamba bayabona lapho ayehlala khona, batshona laye mhlalokho. Kwakungaba lihola letshumi.
He saith to them, 'Come and see;' they came, and saw where he doth remain, and with him they remained that day and the hour was about the tenth.
40 U-Andreya, umfowabo kaSimoni Phethro wayengomunye wababili abezwayo okwakukhulunywa nguJohane njalo abayibo abalandela uJesu.
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard from John, and followed him;
41 Into yokuqala ayenzayo u-Andreya yikudinga umfowabo uSimoni wamtshela wathi, “Sesimfumene uMesiya” (okutsho uKhristu).
this one doth first find his own brother Simon, and saith to him, 'We have found the Messiah,' (which is, being interpreted, The Anointed, )
42 Wasemletha kuJesu. UJesu wamkhangela wathi, “UnguSimoni indodana kaJohane. Usuzathiwa unguKhefasi” (okuchasiswa ngokuthi, nguPhethro).
and he brought him unto Jesus: and having looked upon him, Jesus saith, 'Thou art Simon, the son of Jonas, thou shalt be called Cephas,' (which is interpreted, A rock.)
43 Ngelanga elilandelayo uJesu wafuna ukusuka aye eGalile. Wabona uFiliphu wathi kuye, “Ngilandela.”
On the morrow, he willed to go forth to Galilee, and he findeth Philip, and saith to him, 'Be following me.'
44 UFiliphu wayengowedolobheni lase-Bhethisayida, njengo-Andreya loPhethro.
And Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter;
45 UFiliphu wadinga uNathaneli wamtshela wathi, “Sesimfumene lowo uMosi aloba ngaye eMthethweni, njalo abaphrofethi labo abaloba ngaye, uJesu waseNazaretha, indodana kaJosefa.”
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith to him, 'Him of whom Moses wrote in the Law, and the prophets, we have found, Jesus the son of Joseph, who [is] from Nazareth;'
46 UNathaneli wabuza wathi, “ENazaretha! Kulolutho oluhle olungavela khona na?” UFiliphu wathi, “Woza uzebona.”
and Nathanael said to him, 'Out of Nazareth is any good thing able to be?' Philip said to him, 'Come and see.'
47 Kwathi uJesu ebona uNathaneli eqhamuka laphaya wathi ngaye, “Nangu umʼIsrayeli oqotho, okungekho nkohliso kuye.”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming unto him, and he saith concerning him, 'Lo, truly an Israelite, in whom guile is not;'
48 UNathaneli wambuza wathi, “Ungazela ngaphi na?” UJesu waphendula wathi, “Ngikubonile usahlezi ngaphansi kwesihlahla somkhiwa uFiliphu engakakubizi.”
Nathanael saith to him, 'Whence me dost thou know?' Jesus answered and said to him, 'Before Philip's calling thee — thou being under the fig-tree — I saw thee.'
49 UNathaneli wasefakaza wathi, “Rabi, uyindodana kaNkulunkulu; uyiNkosi ka-Israyeli.”
Nathanael answered and saith to him, 'Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the king of Israel.'
50 UJesu wathi, “Ukholwa ngoba ngithe ngikubone ngaphansi kwesihlahla somkhiwa. Usazobona izinto ezinkulu kulalokho.”
Jesus answered and said to him, 'Because I said to thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, thou dost believe; greater things than these thou shalt see;'
51 Waphinda wengeza wathi, “Ngikutshela iqiniso, uzabona izulu livuleka, lezingilosi zikaNkulunkulu zikhwela zisehlela eNdodaneni yoMuntu.”
and he saith to him, 'Verily, verily, I say to you, henceforth ye shall see the heaven opened, and the messengers of God going up and coming down upon the Son of Man.'

< UJohane 1 >