1 KwabaseKhorinte 13

1 Nxa ngingakhuluma ngendimi zabantu lezezingilosi, kodwa ngingelathando, ngizakuba lithusi elikhalayo kumbe insimbi encencethayo.

If I make use of the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am like sounding brass, or a loud-tongued bell.

2 Njalo loba ngingaba lesiprofetho, ngisazi imfihlo zonke lokwazi konke, njalo uba ngilokholo lonke, ukuze ngisuse izintaba, kodwa ngingelathando, angisilutho.

And if I have a prophet's power, and have knowledge of all secret things; and if I have all faith, by which mountains may be moved from their place, but have not love, I am nothing.

3 Njalo loba ngingabela abayanga konke engilakho, njalo uba nginganikela umzimba wami ukuthi ngitshiswe, kodwa ngingelathando, kakungisizi ngalutho.

And if I give all my goods to the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it is of no profit to me.

4 Uthando luyabekezela, lulobubele; uthando kalulamona; uthando kaluzincomi, kalukhukhunyezwa,

Love is never tired of waiting; love is kind; love has no envy; love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride;

5 kaluziphathi ngokungafanelanga, kaluzidingeli okwalo, kalucunuki, kalunakani okubi,

Love's ways are ever fair, it takes no thought for itself; it is not quickly made angry, it takes no account of evil;

6 kaluthokozi ngokungalunganga, kodwa luthokoza eqinisweni;

It takes no pleasure in wrongdoing, but has joy in what is true;

7 lusibekela izinto zonke, lukholwa izinto zonke, luthemba izinto zonke, lubekezelela izinto zonke.

Love has the power of undergoing all things, having faith in all things, hoping all things.

8 Uthando kalungeke lwehluleke. Kumbe-ke iziprofetho, zizakwenziwa ziphele; kumbe indimi, zizakhawula; kumbe ulwazi, luzakwenziwa luphele.

Though the prophet's word may come to an end, tongues come to nothing, and knowledge have no more value, love has no end.

9 Ngoba sazi nganxanye, siprofetha nganxanye;

For our knowledge is only in part, and the prophet's word gives only a part of what is true:

10 kodwa lapho sekufikile okupheleleyo, khona okuyingxenye kuzakwenziwa ize.

But when that which is complete is come, then that which is in part will be no longer necessary.

11 Lapho ngilusane, ngakhuluma njengosane, ngaqedisisa njengosane, nganakana njengosane; kodwa kuthe sengiyindoda, ngazenza ize izinto zosane.

When I was a child, I made use of a child's language, I had a child's feelings and a child's thoughts: now that I am a man, I have put away the things of a child.

12 Ngoba khathesi sibona esibukweni kaluvivi, kodwa ngalesosikhathi ubuso ngobuso; khathesi ngazi nganxanye, kodwa ngalesosikhathi ngizakwazi njengoba-ke ngangisaziwa.

For now we see things in a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now my knowledge is in part; then it will be complete, even as God's knowledge of me.

13 Njalo khathesi-ke kumi ukholo, ithemba, uthando, lokhu kokuthathu; kodwa okukhulu kulokhu luthando.

But now we still have faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.