1 KwabaseThesalonika 2
1 Ngoba liyazi lina, bazalwane, ukungena kwethu kini, ukuthi kakubanga yize;
For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you wasn’t in vain,
2 kodwa lanxa sasihluphekile kuqala saphathwa kubi, njengoba lisazi, eFiliphi, saba lesibindi kuNkulunkulu wethu sokukhuluma kini ivangeli likaNkulunkulu phakathi kokulwa okukhulu.
but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict.
3 Ngoba inkuthazo yethu yayingayisiyo yokuduha njalo ingaveli ekungcoleni, njalo ingengobuqili;
For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception.
4 kodwa njengoba sivunyelwe nguNkulunkulu ukuthi siphathiswe ivangeli, sikhuluma ngokunjalo, kungenjengokuthokozisa abantu, kodwa uNkulunkulu ohlola inhliziyo zethu.
But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak—not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts.
5 Ngoba kasizange size ngamazwi ayengayo, njengoba lisazi, futhi kungeyisikho ngokufihla ubuhwaba; uNkulunkulu ungumfakazi;
For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness),
6 singadingi udumo ebantwini, futhi olungaveli kini kumbe kwabanye, loba sasingaba ngumthwalo njengabaphostoli bakaKristu,
nor seeking glory from men (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ.
7 kodwa saba mnene phakathi kwenu njengomdlezane esingatha abakhe abantwana.
But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.
8 Njengoba besilithanda kangaka, sathokoza ukulinika kungeyisilo ivangeli likaNkulunkulu kuphela, kodwa lemiphefumulo yethu uqobo, ngoba laselingabathandekayo kithi.
Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.
9 Ngoba liyakhumbula, bazalwane, ukutshikatshika lokulwisa kwethu; ngoba ubusuku lemini sisebenza ukuze singabi ngumthwalo lakomunye wenu, silitshumayeza ivangeli likaNkulunkulu.
For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God.
10 Lina lingabafakazi, loNkulunkulu, ukuthi sasingcwele njani njalo silungile futhi singasoleki kini elikholwayo;
You are witnesses with God how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe.
11 njengoba-ke lisazi ukuthi ngulowo lalowo wenu, njengoyise kwabakhe abantwana, salikhuthaza njani saliduduza safakaza
As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children,
12 ukuthi lihambe ngokufanele uNkulunkulu olibizela embusweni lebukhosini bakhe.
to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory.
13 Ngenxa yalokhu njalo thina kasiyekeli ukumbonga uNkulunkulu, ukuthi selemukele ilizwi likaNkulunkulu elalizwa kithi, lemukela kungeyisilo ilizwi labantu, kodwa linjengeqiniso ilizwi likaNkulunkulu, osebenza lakini elikholwayo.
For this cause we also thank God without ceasing that when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, God’s word, which also works in you who believe.
14 Ngoba lina, bazalwane, laba ngabalingiseli bamabandla kaNkulunkulu aseJudiya kuKristu Jesu; ngoba lani lahlupheka lezizinto kwabesizwe sakini uqobo, njengoba lawo kumaJuda,
For you, brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews
15 abulala leNkosi uJesu labaprofethi bawo uqobo, asizingela lathi, kawamthokozisi uNkulunkulu, amelana labantu bonke,
who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out, and don’t please God, and are contrary to all men,
16 esivimbela ukutshumayeza abezizwe ukuze basindiswe, ukuze agcwalise izono zawo njalonjalo; kodwa ulaka selwehlele phezu kwawo kuze kube sekupheleni.
forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, to fill up their sins always. But wrath has come on them to the uttermost.
17 Kodwa thina, bazalwane, lokhu sehlukaniswe lani okwesikhatshana, ngobuso, kungeyisikho ngenhliziyo, sazama kakhulukazi ukuthi sibone ubuso benu ngokulangatha okukhulu.
But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season in presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see your face with great desire,
18 Ngakho besifisa ukufika kini, ikakhulu mina Pawuli, lakanye lokuphinda, kodwa uSathane wasivimbela;
because we wanted to come to you—indeed, I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us.
19 ngoba liyini ithemba lethu, kumbe intokozo, kumbe umqhele wokuzincoma? Angithi yini futhi, phambi kweNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu ekufikeni kwayo?
For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Isn’t it even you, before our Lord Jesus at his coming?
20 Ngoba lina liludumo lentokozo yethu.
For you are our glory and our joy.
