KwabaseRoma 11
1 Lapho-ke ngiyabuza ngithi: Kanti uNkulunkulu wabalahla yini abantu bakhe? Hatshi akunjalo! Mina uqobo ngingumʼIsrayeli inzalo ka-Abhrahama, owesizwana sikaBhenjamini.
I say then, Hath God cast away his people? By no means. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, [of] the tribe of Benjamin.
2 UNkulunkulu kabalahlanga abantu bakhe abazi kuqala. Kalikwazi yini ukuthi uMbhalo uthini esahlukwaneni ngo-Elija, ukuthi wakhalaza njani kuNkulunkulu esola u-Israyeli esithi:
God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Know ye not what the scripture saith of Elijah? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
3 “Nkosi, bababulele abaphrofethi bakho, badiliza lama-alithare akho; yimi ngedwa engiseleyo, njalo bafuna ukungibulala?”
Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thy altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
4 Impendulo kaNkulunkulu kuye yathini na? Yathi, “Ngizigodlele mina ngokwami abazinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa abangamkhothamelanga uBhali.”
But what saith the answer of God to him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal.
5 Ngakho futhi, ngalesisikhathi kulensalela ezakhethwa ngomusa.
Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
6 Njalo nxa kungomusa, ngakho akuseyikho ngemisebenzi; nxa kwakunjalo, umusa wawungeke ube usaba ngumusa.
And if by grace, then [is it] no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
7 Pho-ke? Lokho u-Israyeli akufuna ngokuzimisela kakuzuzanga, kodwa abakhethiweyo bakuthola. Abanye baba lukhuni,
What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
8 njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: “UNkulunkulu wabanika umoya wokozela, lamehlo ukuze bangaboni, lendlebe ukuze bangezwa, kuze kube lamhla.”
(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear; ) to this day.
9 Njalo uDavida uthi: “Sengathi itafula yabo ingaba ngumjibila lesifu, isikhubekiso kanye lesijeziso kubo.
And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling-block, and a recompense to them:
10 Sengathi amehlo abo angafiphala ukuze bangaboni, lamaqolo abo akhokhobe kokuphela.”
Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back always.
11 Ngiyabuza njalo ngithi: Kambe bangabe bakhubeka bawa okungangokuthi kakuselakuphepha na? Akunjalo! Kodwa ngenxa yesiphambeko sabo, ukusindiswa sekufikile kwabeZizwe ukuba kwenze u-Israyeli abe lomona.
I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? By no means: but [rather] through their fall salvation [is come] to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.
12 Kodwa nxa isiphambeko sabo sisitsho inotho emhlabeni, lencithakalo yabo isitsho inotho kwabeZizwe, inkulu kangakanani inotho elethwa yikuphelela kwabo!
Now if the fall of them [be] the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness?
13 Ngikhuluma lani lina abeZizwe. Njengoba ngingumpostoli wabezizwe, ngikhulisa inkonzo yami
For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify my office:
14 ngethemba lokuthi mhlawumbe ngingavusa umona ebantwini bakithi ngisilise abanye babo.
If by any means I may incite to emulation [them who are] my flesh, and may save some of them.
15 Ngoba nxa ukulahlwa kwabo kuyikubuyisana komhlaba, ukwamukelwa kwabo kuzakuba yini na ngaphandle kokuphila okuvela kwabafileyo?
For if the rejection of them [be] the reconciling of the world, what [shall] the receiving [of them be], but life from the dead?
16 Nxa ingxenye yenhlama enikelwe njengezithelo zakuqala ingcwele, injalo yonke enye; nxa impande zingcwele, zinjalo lezingatsha.
For if the first fruit [is] holy, the lump [is] also [holy]: and if the root [is] holy, so [are] the branches.
17 Nxa ezinye ingatsha zephulwe, njalo wena, lanxa ulihlumela lomʼoliva weganga, usuxhunyelelwe phakathi kwezinye njalo usuhlanganyela emhluzini okhulisayo ovela empandeni zomʼoliva,
And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive-tree, art ingrafted among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive-tree;
18 ungazincomi ngalezongatsha. Nxa ukwenza, cabanga ngalokhu: Impande kakusuwe oyithwalayo, kodwa impande yiyo ekuthweleyo.
Boast not against the branches. But if thou boastest, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19 Lapho-ke lina lizakuthi, “Ingatsha zephulwa ukuze mina ngixhunyelelwe.”
Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be ingrafted.
20 Yebo. Kodwa zephulwa ngenxa yokungakholwa, kodwa lina limi ngokukholwa. Lingazikhukhumezi, kodwa yesabani.
Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear:
21 Ngoba nxa uNkulunkulu engaziyekelanga ingatsha zemvelo, lani kasoze aliyekele.
For if God spared not the natural branches, [take heed] lest he also spare not thee.
22 Ngakho cabangani ngesisa njalo lobulukhuni bukaNkulunkulu: ubulukhuni kulabo abawayo, kodwa isisa kini, nxa liqhubeka esiseni sakhe. Kungenjalo, lani lizaqunywa.
Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them who fell, severity; but towards thee, goodness, if thou shalt continue in [his] goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23 Njalo nxa bengaphikeleli ngokungakholwa, bazaxhunyelelwa, ngoba uNkulunkulu uyenelisa ukubaxhumelela futhi.
And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be ingrafted: for God is able to ingraft them again.
24 Phezu kwalokho, nxa laliqunywe esihlahleni somʼoliva weganga ngemvelo, kwathi ngokuphambene lemvelo laxhunyelelwa esihlahleni se-oliva esilinywayo, pho kuzakuba lula kakhulu okunjani kulezi, ingatsha zemvelo, ukuba zixhunyelelwe esihlahleni sazo se-oliva.
For if thou wast cut out of the olive-tree which is wild by nature, and wast ingrafted contrary to nature into a good olive-tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural [branches], be grafted into their own olive-tree?
25 Bazalwane, kangifuni ukuthi lingaze lazi ngale imfihlakalo, ukuze lingazikhukhumezi: U-Israyeli useyibonile ingxenye yokuba lukhuni inani elipheleleyo labeZizwe lize lingene.
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, (lest ye should be wise in your own conceits) that blindness in part hath happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles shall be come in.
26 Ngokunjalo u-Israyeli wonke uzasindiswa, njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Umkhululi uzafika eZiyoni: uzasusa kuJakhobe ukungakholwa.
And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 Lesi yisivumelwano sami labo lapho ngizisusa izono zabo.”
For this [is] my covenant to them, when I shall take away their sins.
28 Mayelana levangeli, bayizitha ngenxa yenu; kodwa mayelana lokukhetha, bayathandwa ngenxa yabokhokho,
As concerning the gospel, [they are] enemies for your sakes: but as concerning the election, [they are] beloved for the father's sakes.
29 ngoba izipho zikaNkulunkulu lokubiza kwakhe akuguquleki.
For the gifts and calling of God [are] without repentance.
30 Njengoba lina elake ladelela uNkulunkulu khathesi selamukele umusa ngenxa yokudelela kwabo,
For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief;
31 ngokunjalo labo, ngenxa yomusa kaNkulunkulu kini, kabasalaleli ukuze labo khathesi bamukele umusa.
Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. (eleēsē g1653)
33 Yeka ukuzika kwenotho yenhlakanipho kanye lokwazi kukaNkulunkulu! Yeka ukwahlulela kwakhe okungeke kuhlolwe, kanye lezindlela zakhe ezingeke zilandelwe!
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable [are] his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
34 “Ngubani owake wayazi ingqondo yeNkosi na? Loba owake waba ngumcebisi wayo na?”
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor?
35 “Ngubani owake wanika uNkulunkulu ulutho ukuba uNkulunkulu aluhlawule na?”
Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him again?
