1 KwabaseKhorinte 13

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

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling 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 the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, and 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 bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give up my body that I may be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.

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

Love suffereth long, is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not herself, is not puffed up,

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

doth not behave herself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, maketh no account of an injury,

6 kaluthokozi ngokungalunganga, kodwa luthokoza eqinisweni;

rejoiceth not at iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth,

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

beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

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

Love never faileth; but whether there are prophesyings, they will come to an end; whether tongues, they will cease; whether knowledge, it will be done away.

9 Ngoba sazi nganxanye, siprofetha nganxanye;

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;

10 kodwa lapho sekufikile okupheleleyo, khona okuyingxenye kuzakwenziwa ize.

but when that which is perfect is come, that which 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 had the feelings of a child, I thought as a child; since I have become a man, I have 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.

For now we see in a mirror, obscurely; but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall fully know even as I also am fully known.

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

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