UFilimoni 1
1 Mina Phawuli, isibotshwa sikaKhristu uJesu, loThimothi umzalwane wethu, KuFilimoni umngane wethu othandekayo loyisisebenzi kanye lathi,
From Paul, now a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, a fellow follower of the Lord.
2 ku-Afiya udadewethu, ku-Akhiphasi olibutho kanye lathi, lasebandleni elihlanganela ekhaya lakho ngithi:
To our dear friend and fellow worker Philemon, to our sister Apphia, to our fellow soldier Archippus; and to the church that meets at Philemon’s house;
3 Umusa kawube kuwe kanye lokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba leNkosini uJesu Khristu.
may God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace.
4 Ngihlezi ngimbonga kokuphela uNkulunkulu wami lapho ngikukhumbula emikhulekweni yami
I always mention you in my prayers and thank God for you,
5 ngoba ngiyezwa ngothando lwakho lokukholwa eNkosini uJesu kanye lothando lwakho kubo bonke abangcwele.
because I hear of the love and the faith which you show, not only to the Lord Jesus, but also to all his people;
6 Ngikhulekela ukuba ukuhlanganyela kwakho kanye lathi ekukholweni kube lomfutho ngokujula ekuqedisiseni kwakho konke ukulunga esikwabelana ngenxa kaKhristu.
and I pray that your participation in the faith may result in action, as you come to a fuller realisation of everything that is good and Christlike in us.
7 Uthando lwakho lungiphe ukuthokoza okukhulu lokududuzeka ngoba wena, mzalwane, uvuselele inhliziyo zabangcwele.
I have indeed found great joy and encouragement in your love, knowing, as I do, how the hearts of Christ’s people have been cheered, friend, by you.
8 Ngakho-ke, lanxa kuKhristu ngingaba lesibindi ngikulaye ukuba wenze lokho okumele ukwenze
And so, though my union with Christ enables me, with all confidence, to dictate the course that you should adopt,
9 kodwa ngiyakuncenga ngenxa yothando. Ngakho-ke, mina Phawuli, umuntu omdala khathesi oyisibotshwa sikaKhristu uJesu futhi,
yet the claims of love make me prefer to plead with you – yes, even me, Paul, though I am an ambassador for Christ Jesus and, now a prisoner for him as well.
10 ngiyakuncenga ngenxa yendodana yami u-Onesimasi owaba yindodana yami ngibotshiwe.
I plead with you for this child of mine, Onesimus, to whom, in my prison, I have become a father.
11 Kuqala wayengelasizo kuwe kodwa khathesi uselusizo kuwe lakimi.
Once he was of little service to you, but now he has become of great service, not only to you, but to me as well;
12 Ngimthuma kuwe yena othandwe yinhliziyo yami.
and I am sending him back to you with this letter – though it is like tearing out of my heart.
13 Kade ngingathanda ukuhlala laye ukuze athathe indawo yakho yokungisiza ngisabotshelwe ivangeli.
For my own sake I should like to keep him with me, so that, while I am in prison for the good news, he might attend to my wants on your behalf.
14 Kodwa angithandanga ukwenza lutho kungelamvumo yakho ukuze kuthi loba ngumusa owenzayo ube ngowokuzithandela hatshi ukubanjwa ngamandla.
But I do not wish to do anything without your consent, because I want your generosity to be voluntary and not, as it were, compulsory.
15 Mhlawumbe isizatho sokwehlukaniswa lawe okwesikhatshana sasiyikuthi ube laye futhi kokuphela (aiōnios g166)
It may be that he was separated from you for an hour, for this reason, so that you might have him back for ever, (aiōnios g166)
16 engaseyiso sigqili kodwa esengcono kulesigqili njengomzalwane othandekayo. Uyathandeka kimi kodwa uthandeka kakhulu kuwe njengomunye wakho lanjengomzalwane eNkosini.
no longer as a slave, but as something better – a dearly loved friend and follower of the Lord, especially dear to me, and how much more so to you, not only as a person, but as your fellow Christian!
17 Ngakho-ke, nxa ungithatha njengohlanganyela lawe, mamukele ngendlela obuzangamukela ngayo.
If, then, you count me your friend, receive him as you would me.
18 Nxa kulokubi akwenze kuwe kumbe elesikwelede kuwe, kubalele kimi.
If he has caused you any loss, or owes you anything, charge it to me.
19 Mina Phawuli, ngiloba lokhu ngesandla sami. Ngizahlawula ngingabali ukuthi lawe ulomlandu kimi wena ngokwakho.
I, Paul, put my own hand to it – I will repay you myself. I say nothing about your owing me your self.
20 Ngiyafisa, mzalwane, ukuba ngithole usizo oluthile kuwe eNkosini; uvuselele inhliziyo yami kuKhristu.
Yes, friend, let me gain something from you because of your union with the Lord. Cheer my heart by your Christlike spirit.
21 Ngileqiniso ngokulalela kwakho, ngikulobela ngisazi ukuthi uzakwenza okudlula engikucelayo.
Even as I write, I have such confidence in your compliance with my wishes, that I am sure that you will do even more than I am asking.
22 Okunye njalo yilokhu: Ngilungisela indlu yezihambi ngoba ngithemba ukuba ngizabuyiselwa kuwe ngenxa yemikhuleko yakho.
Please also get a lodging ready for me, for I hope that I will be given back to you all in answer to your prayers.
23 U-Ephafrasi oyisibotshwa kanye lami ngenxa kaKhristu uJesu, uyakubingelela.
Epaphras, who is my fellow prisoner for Christ Jesus, sends you his greeting;
24 UMakho, lo-Aristakhasi, loDemasi kanye loLukha abayizisebenzi kanye lami bayakubingelela.
and Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers, send theirs.
25 Umusa weNkosi uJesu Khristu kawube lomoya wakho.
May the blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ rest on your souls.
