1 KwabaseKhorinte 13

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

If I speak the languages of men, even of angels, but have not love, I have become a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

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

And if I have prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, 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.

Even if I give away all my possessions and hand over my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

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

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy; love does not brag, is not proud,

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

is not indecent, is not self-seeking, is not ‘short-fused’, is not malicious;

6 kaluthokozi ngokungalunganga, kodwa luthokoza eqinisweni;

it does not take pleasure in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

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

it bears all, believes all, hopes all, endures all;

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

love never fails. Now as for prophecies, they will be set aside; as for languages, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will be superseded;

9 Ngoba sazi nganxanye, siprofetha nganxanye;

since we know in part and prophesy in part.

10 kodwa lapho sekufikile okupheleleyo, khona okuyingxenye kuzakwenziwa ize.

But whenever the complete should come, then the ‘in part’ will be done away with.

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

(When I was a small child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; but when I became a man, I put away the things of the child.)

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

Because now we see blurred images as in a metal mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I also am fully known.

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

For now these three obtain: faith, hope, love; and the greatest of these is love.