1 KwabaseKhorinte 13

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

Though I could speak with the tongues of men, of angels, but have not love, I become as sounding brass, or a noisy cymbal.

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

And though I have prophecy, and know all secrets, and all knowledge; and though 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.

And though I spend all my goods in feeding the poor, and though I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I am nothing profited.

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

Love suffers long, and is kind. Love envies not. Love does not vaunt; is not puffed up;

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

does not behave itself unbecomingly; does not seek its own things; is not exasperated; does not imagine evil;

6 kaluthokozi ngokungalunganga, kodwa luthokoza eqinisweni;

does not rejoice in iniquity, but greatly rejoices in the truth:

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

covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

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

Love never fails: but, whether prophecies, they will be out of use: or foreign languages, they shall cease: or science, it shall be abolished.

9 Ngoba sazi nganxanye, siprofetha nganxanye;

For we know only in part, and prophesy in part.

10 kodwa lapho sekufikile okupheleleyo, khona okuyingxenye kuzakwenziwa ize.

But when perfection is come, then what is in part will be done away.

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

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I conceived as a child, I reasoned as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things.

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

For now we seek through a glass obscurely; but then, face to face: now, I know in part; but then, I shall fully know, even as I am fully known.

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

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three: but the greatest of these is love.