1 KwabaseKhorinte 14

1 Landelani uthando; lifise kakhulu izipho zomoya, kodwa ikakhulu ukuthi liprofethe.

Pursue love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts; but especially that you may prophesy.

2 Ngoba okhuluma ngendimi kakhulumi ebantwini, kodwa kuNkulunkulu; ngoba kakho ozwayo, kanti ukhuluma izimfihlo ngomoya.

For he who speaks in a foreign language, speaks not to men, but to God; for no one understands him: nevertheless, by the Spirit he speaks secrets.

3 Kodwa oprofethayo ukhuluma ebantwini ukwakha lenkuthazo lenduduzo.

But he who prophesies, speaks to men for edification, and exhortation, and consolation.

4 Okhuluma ngendimi uyazakha yena, kodwa oprofethayo wakha ibandla.

He who speaks in a foreign language, edifies himself: but he who prophesies, edifies the congregation.

5 Njalo ngiyathanda ukuthi lonke likhulume ngendimi, kodwa kakhulu ukuthi liprofethe; ngoba oprofethayo mkhulu kulokhuluma ngendimi, ngaphandle kokuthi atolike, ukuze ibandla lemukele ukwakhiwa.

I wish, indeed, that you all spoke in foreign languages; but rather that you prophesied: for greater is he who prophesies, than he who speaks in foreign languages, unless, indeed, he interpret, that the congregation may receive edification.

6 Khathesi-ke, bazalwane, uba ngifika kini ngikhuluma ngendimi, ngizalisiza ngani, nxa ngingakhulumi kini kumbe ekwembulelweni, loba ekwazini, loba kusiprofetho, kumbe emfundisweni?

For now, brethren, if I should come to you speaking in foreign languages, what shall I profit you, unless I shall speak to you intelligibly; either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophecy, or by doctrine?

7 Ngokunjalo izinto ezingelampilo ezikhalayo, loba umhlanga, loba ichacho, uba zinganiki umehluko ngokukhala, kuzakwaziwa njani okuvuthelwayo ngomhlanga kumbe okutshaywayo ngomqangala?

In like manner, things without life, giving sound; whether pipe, or harp; unless they give a difference to the notes, how shall it be known what is piped, or harped?

8 Ngoba-ke nxa uphondo lunika ukukhala okungaqondakaliyo, ngubani ozazilungisela impi?

And, therefore, if the trumpet give and unintelligible sound, who will prepare himself for battle?

9 Kunjalo lani, uba linganiki inkulumo ecacileyo ngolimi, kuzakwaziwa njani okukhulunywayo? Ngoba lizakuba likhuluma emoyeni.

So, also, you, unless with the tongue you give intelligible speech, how shall it be known what is spoken? Therefore, you will be speaking to the air.

10 Kukhona, nxa kungenzakala, imihlobo eminengi kangaka yemisindo emhlabeni kodwa kawukho ongatsho lutho;

There are, perhaps, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without signification.

11 ngakho uba ngingawazi umqondo welizwi, ngizakuba ngowezizweni kulowo okhulumayo, lalowo okhulumayo uzakuba ngowezizweni kimi.

Yet, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be to him who speaks, a foreigner; and he who speaks, will be a foreigner to me.

12 Kunjalo lani, lokhu litshisekela izipho zomoya, dingani ukuthi livame ekwakhiweni kwebandla.

Wherefore, you, also, since you are earnestly desirous of spiritual gifts, seek them, that you may abound for the edification of the congregation.

13 Ngakho-ke okhulumayo ngendimi kakhuleke ukuthi atolike.

For which cause, let him who prays in a foreign language, pray that he may interpret.

14 Ngoba uba ngikhuleka ngendimi, umoya wami uyakhuleka, kodwa ingqondo yami kayilasithelo.

For if I pray in a foreign language, my spirit prays; but my understanding is unfruitful.

15 Ngakho kuyini? Ngizakhuleka ngomoya, njalo ngizakhuleka langengqondo; ngizahlabelela indumiso ngomoya, njalo ngizahlabelela indumiso langengqondo.

What, then, is to be done? I will pray with the Spirit, but I will pray also with understanding: I will sing with the Spirit; but I will sing also with understanding.

16 Uba kungenjalo, nxa ubonga ngomoya, lowo ogcwalisa indawo yongafundanga uzamutsho njani uAmeni ekubongeni kwakho, lokhu engakwazi okutshoyo?

Else, when you shall bless with the spirit, how shall he who fills up the place of the unlearned, say the Amen to your thanksgiving, since he knows not what you say?

17 Ngoba isibili wena ubonga kuhle, kodwa omunye kakhiwa.

For you, indeed, give thanks well; but the other is not edified.

18 Ngiyambonga uNkulunkulu wami ukuthi ngikhuluma ngendimi kakhulu kulani lonke;

I give thanks to God, speaking in more foreign languages than all of you;

19 kodwa ebandleni ngithanda ukukhuluma amazwi amahlanu ngengqondo yami, ukuze ngifundise labanye, kulamazwi ayizinkulungwane ezilitshumi ngendimi.

yet, in the congregation, I would rather speak five sentences with my meaning understood, that I may instruct others, also, than ten thousand sentences in a foreign language.

20 Bazalwane, lingabi ngabantwana engqondweni; kodwa ebubini banini zingane, lekunakaneni libe ngabakhulileyo.

Brethren, be not children in understanding; but in evil be children, and in understanding be full grown men.

21 Emlayweni kulotshiwe ukuthi: Ngezinye indimi langezinye indebe ngizakhuluma lalesisizwe, langokunjalo labo kabayikungizwa, itsho iNkosi.

In the law it is written, "Surely, with other tongues, and with other lips, I will speak to this people; yet not even then will they hearken to me, says the Lord."

22 Ngakho indimi zingezesibonakaliso, kungeyisikho kwabakholwayo, kodwa kwabangakholwayo; kanti isiprofetho, kungayisiso sabangakholwayo, kodwa sabakholwayo.

So that foreign languages are for a sign; not to believers, but to unbelievers: but prophecy is for a sign; not to unbelievers, but to believers.

23 Ngakho uba ibandla lonke libuthene ndawonye, labo bonke bakhulume ngendimi, besekungena abangafundanga loba abangakholwayo, kabazukuthi liyahlanya yini?

If, then, the whole congregation be come together in one place, and all speak in foreign languages; and there come in unlearned persons, or unbelievers, will they not say that you are mad?

24 Kodwa uba bonke beprofetha, njalo kungene othile ongakholwayo loba ongafundanga, uyakhuzwa yibo bonke, ahlolwe yibo bonke,

But if all prophesy, and there come in an unbeliever, or an unlearned person, he is corrected by all, he is examined by all;

25 langokunjalo izinto ezifihliweyo zenhliziyo yakhe ziyadalulwa; ngokunjalo uzakuwa ngobuso akhonze uNkulunkulu, ebika ukuthi uNkulunkulu ngoqotho uphakathi kwenu.

the hidden things of his heart are made manifest: and so, falling on his face, he will worship God, publishing that God is actually among you.

26 Ngakho kuyini, bazalwane? Loba nini libuthana, ngulowo lalowo wenu elesihlabelelo, elemfundiso, elolimi, elesambulelo, elokutolika. Konke kakwenzelwe ekwakheni.

What is it, then, brethren? When you are come together, each of you has a psalm, has a discourse, has a foreign language, has a revelation, has an interpretation! Let all things be done to edification.

27 Uba umuntu ekhuluma ngendimi, kakube ngababili, kumbe bangadluli kwabathathu, njalo badedelane, lomunye katolike;

And if any one speak in a foreign language, let it be by two, or at most by three sentences, and separately; and let one interpret.

28 kodwa uba kungekho umtoliki, kumele athule ebandleni; akhulume kuye ngokwakhe lakuNkulunkulu.

But if there be no interpreter, let him be silent in the congregation; yet let him speak to himself and to God.

29 Abaprofethi-ke ababili loba abathathu kabakhulume, labanye kabahlolisise.

Now, let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge.

30 Kodwa uba kusembulwa komunye ohleziyo, kathule owokuqala.

But, if to another, sitting by, anything be revealed, let the first be silent.

31 Ngoba lonke lingaprofetha munye ngamunye, ukuze bonke bafunde, njalo bonke bakhuthazwe;

For you all can prophesy, one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.

32 lemimoya yabaprofethi iyathotshiselwa abaprofethi.

For the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

33 Ngoba uNkulunkulu kayisuye owesiphithiphithi, kodwa ngowokuthula, njengemabandleni wonke abangcwele.

Besides, God is not the author of confusion, but of peace. As in all the assemblies of the saints,

34 Abesifazana benu kabathule emabandleni; ngoba kabavunyelwa ukukhuluma, kodwa ukuzithoba, njengoba lawo umlayo usitsho.

let your women be silent in the congregations: for it has not been permitted to them to speak, but they must be in subjection; as the law also commands.

35 Uba-ke bethanda ukufunda ulutho, kababuze kubomkabo ekhaya; ngoba kulihlazo kowesifazana ukukhuluma ebandleni.

And if they wish to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands, at home: for it is an indecent thing for women to speak in the congregation.

36 Kumbe ilizwi likaNkulunkulu laphuma kini? Kumbe lafika kini lodwa yini?

What! went the word of God forth from you? or did it come to you only?

37 Uba umuntu ecabanga ukuthi ungumprofethi loba ungowomoya, umele ukwemukela izinto engilibhalela zona, ukuthi ziyimilayo yeNkosi;

If any one be really a prophet, or spiritual person, let him acknowledge the things I write to you, that they are the commandments of the Lord.

38 uba umuntu engazi, kumele engazi.

And if any one be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

39 Ngakho, bazalwane, tshisekelani ukuprofetha, njalo lingakuvimbeli ukukhuluma ngendimi;

Wherefore, brethren, earnestly desire to prophesy; and hinder not to speak in foreign languages.

40 konke kakwenziwe ngemfanelo langokulandelana.

Let all things be done decently and in order.