1 KwabaseKhorinte 13
1 Nxa ngingakhuluma ngendimi zabantu lezezingilosi, kodwa ngingelathando, ngizakuba lithusi elikhalayo kumbe insimbi encencethayo.
If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become 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.
If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing.
3 Njalo loba ngingabela abayanga konke engilakho, njalo uba nginganikela umzimba wami ukuthi ngitshiswe, kodwa ngingelathando, kakungisizi ngalutho.
If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burnt, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing.
4 Uthando luyabekezela, lulobubele; uthando kalulamona; uthando kaluzincomi, kalukhukhunyezwa,
Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud,
5 kaluziphathi ngokungafanelanga, kaluzidingeli okwalo, kalucunuki, kalunakani okubi,
doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil;
6 kaluthokozi ngokungalunganga, kodwa luthokoza eqinisweni;
doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
7 lusibekela izinto zonke, lukholwa izinto zonke, luthemba izinto zonke, lubekezelela izinto zonke.
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
8 Uthando kalungeke lwehluleke. Kumbe-ke iziprofetho, zizakwenziwa ziphele; kumbe indimi, zizakhawula; kumbe ulwazi, luzakwenziwa luphele.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with.
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 complete has come, then that which is partial 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 child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have 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 see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known.
13 Njalo khathesi-ke kumi ukholo, ithemba, uthando, lokhu kokuthathu; kodwa okukhulu kulokhu luthando.
But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.
