KwabaseRoma 9
1 Ngikhuluma iqiniso ngikuKhristu, kangiqambi manga, isazela sami siyakufakaza lokhu ngoMoya oNgcwele,
I SPEAK the truth in Christ, I lie not, (my conscience also bearing witness to me in the Holy Ghost, )
2 Ngilosizi olukhulu lobuhlungu obungapheliyo enhliziyweni yami.
that great is my sorrow and unceasing the anguish in my heart.
3 Ngoba ngangifisa ukuba ngabe mina uqobo ngiyaqalekiswa ngisuswe kuKhristu ngenxa yabazalwane bami, labo abohlanga lwami ngokwenyama,
For could I myself wish that an anathema should be from Christ upon my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh?
4 abantu bako-Israyeli. Okwabo yikwamukelwa njengamadodana, ngeyabo inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, lesivumelwano, lokwamukela umthetho, lenkonzo yasethempelini kanye lezithembiso.
who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the gift of the law, and the sacred service, and the promises;
5 Okhokho ngababo, njalo lusukela kubo usendo lwenyama lukaKhristu, onguNkulunkulu ophezu kwakho konke, odunyiswa kokuphela! Ameni. (aiōn g165)
of whom are the fathers, and from whom as respecting the flesh Christ sprung, who is over all, the blessed God for evermore. Amen. (aiōn g165)
6 Akunjengokuthi ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lehluleka. Ngoba akusibo bonke abayinzalo ka-Israyeli abangama-Israyeli.
Now it is not supposable that the word of God hath failed. For these are not all Israel, who are of Israel:
7 Njalo ngoba yinzalo yakhe akusibo bonke abangabantwana baka-Abhrahama. Kodwa-ke, “Isizukulwane sakho sizabalwa ngo-Isaka.”
nor, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 Ngamanye amazwi, akusibantwana benyama abangabantwana bakaNkulunkulu, kodwa ngabantwana besithembiso ababalwa njengenzalo ka-Abhrahama.
That is, not the children of the flesh, these are the children of God: but the children of the promise are accounted for the seed.
9 Ngoba isithembiso satshiwo kanje: “Ngesikhathi esimisiweyo ngizaphenduka, njalo uSara uzakuba lendodana.”
For the word of promise is this, At that time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
10 Akusilokho kuphela, kodwa abantwana bakaRabheka bazalwa sikhathi sinye ngubaba wethu u-Isaka.
And not only so; but when Rebecca also had conception by one, even Isaac our father;
11 Kodwa amaphahla engakazalwa loba ukwenza ulutho oluhle kumbe olubi, ukuba inhloso kaNkulunkulu yokukhetha iqhubeke;
(though the children were not yet born, nor had done any thing good or evil, that according to the election of God the purpose might abide, not from works, but from him who called; )
12 hatshi ngemisebenzi kodwa ngaye obizayo, watshelwa ukuthi, “Omdala uzakhonza omncinyane.”
it was said unto her, “That the elder shall be servant to the younger.”
13 Njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi, “UJakhobe ngamthanda, kodwa u-Esawu ngamzonda.”
As it is written, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”
14 Pho sizakuthini na? UNkulunkulu kalunganga na? Akunjalo!
What shall we say therefore? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15 Ngoba uthi kuMosi: “Ngizakuba lesihawu kulowo engilesihawu kuye, njalo ngizakuba lozwelo kulowo engilozwelo kuye.”
For he saith to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
16 Ngakho-ke, akuyi ngesifiso somuntu loba umzamo wakhe, kodwa ngesihawu sikaNkulunkulu.
Well then, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God who sheweth mercy.
17 Ngoba umbhalo uthi kuFaro, “Ngakuphakamisela injongo yonale kanye, ukuze ngibonakalise amandla ami kuwe lokuthi ibizo lami litshunyayelwe emhlabeni wonke.”
For the scripture saith to Pharaoh, “That for this very end have I raised thee up, that I might display in thee my power, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”
18 Ngakho uNkulunkulu ulesihawu kulowo athanda ukuba lesihawu kuye, njalo umenza abe lukhuni lowo athanda ukumenza abe lukhuni.
Well then, he hath mercy on whom he will, but whom he will he hardeneth.
19 Omunye wenu uzakuthi kimi: “Pho kungani uNkulunkulu esisola? Ngoba ngubani ongamelana lentando yakhe na?”
Wilt thou then say to me, Why yet doth he blame us? Who hath resisted his will?
20 Kodwa ungubani wena, ungumuntu, ukuba uphendule uNkulunkulu na? Kambe okubunjiweyo kungatsho yini kulowo owakubumbayo kuthi, “Kungani wangenza ngabanje na?”
Nay but, O man, who art thou that disputest against God? Shall the thing fashioned say to him that fashioned it, Why hast thou made me thus?
21 Umbumbi kalalo yini ilungelo lokuba ngengxenye yebumba efanayo enze okunye okubunjiweyo okomsebenzi omuhle lokomsebenzi ojayelekileyo na?
Hath not the potter power over the clay, from the same mass to make one vessel for an honourable use, and another for a dishonourable?
22 Kwakungaba njani-ke nxa uNkulunkulu wakhetha ukutshengisa ukubekezela okukhulu ezidalweni zentukuthelo yakhe ezazimiselwe ukubhujiswa etshengisa ulaka lwakhe lokwenza amandla akhe aziwe.
But what if God, willing to display his wrath, and to make known what is possible with him, hath borne with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for perdition:
23 Kube kunjani nxa wenza lokhu ukuze enze ubuhle benkazimulo yakhe bazakale ezintweni zesihawu sakhe, azilungisela inkazimulo ngaphambilini,
and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon the vessels of mercy which he had before prepared for glory:
24 kanye lathi asibizayo, hatshi kumaJuda kuphela, kodwa lakwabeZizweni?
even us, whom he hath called, not only out of the Jews, but out of the Gentiles?
25 Njengoba esitsho kuHosiya ukuthi: “Ngizababiza ngokuthi ‘ngabantu bami,’ labo Abangasibantu bami; njalo ngizambiza ‘sithandwa sami,’ lowo ongasiso isithandwa sami,”
As also he saith in Hosea, “I will call her which was not my people, my people; and her which was not beloved, beloved.
26 njalo, “Kuzakwenzakala ukuba kuyo kanye indawo lapho okwathiwa kubo, ‘Kalisibo bantu bami,’ bazabizwa ngokuthi ‘ngabantwana bakaNkulunkulu ophilayo.’”
And it shall be in the place where it was said unto them, ye are not my people; there shall they be called the sons of the living God.”
27 U-Isaya uyamemezela ngo-Israyeli esithi: “Lanxa inani labako-Israyeli linjengetshebetshebe ngasolwandle, kuzasindiswa insalela kuphela.
But Isaiah crieth concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
28 Ngoba iNkosi izasifeza isigwebo sayo emhlabeni ngesiqubu langokuphelelisa.”
for he will finish the account, and cut it short in righteousness: because a concise account will the Lord make on the earth.”
29 Kunjengoba u-Isaya watsho mandulo ukuthi: “Aluba iNkosi uSomandla wayengasitshiyelanga inzalo, sasizakuba njengeSodoma, sasizafana leGomora.”
Even as Isaiah had said before, “Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left unto us a seed, we should have become as Sodom, and been made like unto Gomorrha.”
30 Pho sizakuthini na? Sithi abeZizweni abangakudinganga ukulunga, sebekutholile, ukulunga okungokukholwa;
What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who pursued not after righteousness, have attained unto righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith.
31 kodwa u-Israyeli owalandela umthetho wokulunga, kakutholanga.
But Israel, pursuing after the law of righteousness, hath not come up to the law of righteousness.
32 Kungani na? Ngoba kabawulandelanga ngokukholwa, kodwa kwakungemisebenzi. Bakhubeka elitsheni elikhubayo.
And why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as by the works of the law. For they stumbled against that stone of stumbling;
33 Njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Khangelani, ngibeka eZiyoni ilitshe elikhubekisa abantu ledwala elibenza bawe, njalo lowo okholwa kuye kazukuyangiswa.”
as it is written, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence: and every one that believeth in him shall not be confounded.”
