1 KwabaseKhorinte 4
1 Umuntu kanakane ngathi ngokunje, njengezisebenzi zikaKristu labaphathi bezimfihlo zikaNkulunkulu.
People ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Futhi-ke, kuyadingeka ebaphathini, ukuthi umuntu aficwe ethembekile.
Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
3 Kodwa kimi kuyinto encinyane kakhulu ukuthi ngithonisiswe yini, kumbe ngokwahlulela kwabantu; kodwa lami kangizithonisisi.
But for me it is a very small thing if I am judged by you, or by any human court. Indeed, I do not even judge myself.
4 Ngoba kanginanzeleli lutho kimi, kanti kangilungisiswanga ngalokho; kodwa ongahlulelayo yiNkosi.
For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not thereby acquitted; but he who judges me is the Lord.
5 Ngakho lingahluleli lutho isikhathi singakafiki, ize ifike iNkosi, ezaveza futhi ekukhanyeni izinto ezifihlakeleyo emnyameni, njalo iveze obala amacebo ezinhliziyo; njalo khona ngulowo lalowo ezakuba lokubongwa okuvela kuNkulunkulu.
So then, do not judge anything before the appointed time. Wait until the Lord comes, who will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the heart. At that time each person will receive his praise from God.
6 Njalo lezizinto, bazalwane, ngiziqondanise lami loApolosi ngenxa yenu, ukuze lifunde kithi ukuthi lingakhumbuli phezu kokulotshiweyo, ukuze lingakhukhunyezwa omunye ngomunye limelane lomunye.
Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your sake, so that through us you may learn not to think beyond what is written, so that you may not be puffed up, with each one of you supporting one man against another.
7 Ngoba ngubani okwenza ukuthi wehluke? Njalo kuyini olakho ongakwemukelanga? Njalo uba lawe wemukele, uzincomelani ngokungathi kawemukelanga?
For who regards yoʋ as superior? What do yoʋ have that yoʋ did not receive? And if yoʋ received it, why do yoʋ boast as though yoʋ did not receive it?
8 Selisuthi, selinothile, libusile ngaphandle kwethu; yebo-ke kungathi ngabe liyabusa, ukuze lathi sibuse kanye lani.
You are already full! You have already become rich! You have begun to reign without us! And how I wish that you really were reigning, so that we could reign with you!
9 Ngoba ngithi uNkulunkulu usimisile thina abaphostoli bokucina, sibe njengabamiselwe ukufa; ngoba senziwe umbukiso emhlabeni, lakuzo ingilosi, lebantwini.
For I think that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, as sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men.
10 Thina siyizithutha ngenxa kaKristu, kodwa lina lihlakaniphile kuKristu; thina sibuthakathaka, kodwa lina lilamandla; lina liyahlonitshwa, kodwa thina siyadelelwa.
We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are esteemed, but we are dishonored.
11 Kuze kube lihola lakhathesi silambile, somile, sihambaze, siyatshaywa ngenqindi, siyimihambuma,
To the present hour we hunger and thirst; we are poorly clothed and beaten down, with no home of our own.
12 siyatshikatshika sisebenza ngezethu izandla; sithi sithukwa sibusise; sithi sizingelwa sibekezele;
We labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;
13 sithi sinyeywa sincenge; senziwa njengamanyala omhlaba, imfucuza yezinto zonke, kuze kube khathesi.
when we are slandered, we encourage. We have become like the refuse of the world, the scum of all things, even to this present time.
14 Kangilibhaleli lezizinto ukuthi ngilithele inhloni, kodwa ngileluleka njengabantwana bami abathandekayo.
I am not writing this to shame you, but rather I am admonishing you as my beloved children.
15 Ngoba lanxa lilabeluleki abayizinkulungwane ezilitshumi kuKristu, kodwa kalilaboyihlo abanengi; ngoba mina ngalizala kuKristu Jesu ngevangeli.
For even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you would not have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus I became a father to you through the gospel.
16 Ngakho ngiyalincenga: Banini ngabalingisi bami.
Therefore I urge you to be imitators of me.
17 Ngalokho ngithume kini uTimothi, ongumntanami othandekayo lothembekileyo eNkosini, ozalikhumbuza ngenhambo zami ezikuKristu, njengoba ngifundisa endaweni zonke kulo lonke ibandla.
That is why I have sent you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways in Christ, just as I teach them everywhere in every church.
18 Kodwa abanye bazikhukhumezile ngokungathi kangiyikuza kini.
But some of you have become puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.
19 Kanti ngizakuza kini masinyane, uba iNkosi ivuma, njalo ngizakwazi, hatshi ilizwi lalabo abazikhukhumezayo, kodwa amandla.
But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of those who have become puffed up, but their power.
20 Ngoba umbuso kaNkulunkulu kawungelizwi kodwa ngamandla.
For the kingdom of God is demonstrated not by talk but by power.
21 Lifunani? Ngize kini ngenduku yini, kumbe ngothando lomoya ochumileyo?
What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?
