1 KuThimothi 5

1 Ungamkhalimeli omdala, kodwa meluleke njengoyihlo; abatsha njengabafowenu;

Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers,

2 abesifazana abadala njengonyoko; abesifazana abatsha njengabodadewenu, ekuhlambulukeni konke.

older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.

3 Hlonipha abafelokazi abangabafelokazi isibili.

Give financial support to widows who are really ‘widows’.

4 Kodwa uba umfelokazi othile elabantwana loba abazukulu, kabafunde kuqala ukuhlonipha indlu yakwabo, kabenanise umkhondo kubazali; ngoba lokhu kuhle kuyemukeleka phambi kukaNkulunkulu.

But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to demonstrate piety in their own household by repaying their parents, for this is pleasing to God.

5 Lowo-ke ongumfelokazi isibili osele yedwa uthembele kuNkulunkulu, uhlala ekunxuseni lemikhulekweni ebusuku lemini.

Now she who is really a widow and desolate has set her hope on God, and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.

6 Kanti lowo ozinikela ekuzithokoziseni, ufile ephila.

But she who indulges in pleasure is dead while she lives.

7 Laya-ke ngalezizinto, ukuze bangasoleki.

You should even command these things, so that they may be blameless.

8 Kodwa uba umuntu engondli abakibo, ikakhulu abendlu yakhe, uluphikile ukholo, futhi mubi kulongakholwayo.

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

9 Kangabalwa umfelokazi ongaphansi kweminyaka engamatshumi ayisithupha, umfazi owake wenda endodeni kanye,

No widow should be enrolled unless she is at least sixty, a one man wife,

10 onconywa ngemisebenzi emihle, uba ondle abantwana, uba engenise izihambi, uba egezise inyawo zabangcwele, uba esize abahluphekayo, uba ekhuthalele wonke umsebenzi omuhle.

known for good works—she brought up children, she lodged strangers, she washed saints' feet, she relieved the afflicted, she devoted herself to every good work.

11 Kodwa abafelokazi abatsha ubale; ngoba nxa sebelenkanuko ezimelana loKristu, bafuna ukwenda;

As for younger widows, do not enroll them; because whenever they are controlled by sensual desires rather than by Christ, they want to marry,

12 balokulahlwa, ngoba bachithile ukholo lwabo lokuqala.

coming under judgment because they have broken their first commitment.

13 Futhi-ke ngesikhathi esifananayo bafunda ukuvilapha bezula lezindlu, futhi bengavilaphi kuphela, kodwa babuye bahlebe bengena kokungeyisikho okwabo, bekhuluma okungafanelanga.

Not only that, they learn to be idle, going around from house to house; and not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.

14 Ngakho ngifisa ukuthi abafelokazi abatsha bende, bazale abantwana, baphathe umuzi wabo, banganiki isitha lathuba lokuthuka.

So I want the younger widows to marry, to bear children, to manage the home, to give the adversary no occasion for caustic comments.

15 Ngoba lakhathesi abanye sebephambuke balandela uSathane.

(In fact, some have already turned aside after Satan.)

16 Uba okholwayo owesilisa kumbe okholwayo owesifazana elabafelokazi, kabasize, njalo ibandla lingathwaliswa nzima, ukuze lisize abangabafelokazi isibili.

If any man or woman who is a believer has widows, let them relieve them and not burden the congregation, so that it may relieve those who are widows indeed.

17 Abadala abaphatha kuhle bafanele ukuhlonitshwa ngokuphindiweyo, ikakhulu labo abasebenza nzima elizwini lekufundiseni;

Let the elders who lead well be counted worthy of a double honorarium, especially those who labor in word and teaching.

18 ngoba umbhalo uthi: Ungayifaki isayeke inkabi ebhulayo; futhi uthi: Isisebenzi sifanele iholo laso.

For the Scripture says: “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out grain,” and “The worker is worthy of his wages.”

19 Ungalemukeli icala elimelana lomdala, ngaphandle phambi kwabafakazi ababili kumbe abathathu.

Do not entertain an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses.

20 Abonayo basole phambi kwabo bonke, ukuze abanye labo babe lokwesaba.

Those who are sinning rebuke publicly, so that the rest also may be in fear.

21 Ngiyakulayisisa phambi kukaNkulunkulu leNkosi uJesu Kristu lengilosi ezikhethiweyo, ukuze uzigcine lezizinto ngokungaqumi ngaphambili, ungenzi lutho ngokubandlulula.

I charge you in the presence of God and Sovereign Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudgment, doing nothing by partiality.

22 Ungaphangisi ukubeka izandla phezu komuntu, futhi ungahlanganyeli ezonweni zabanye; uzigcine wena umsulwa.

Do not lay hands [in ordination] hastily on anyone, do not thereby participate in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

23 Ungabe usanatha amanzi wodwa, kodwa sebenzisa iwayini elilutshwana, ngenxa yesisu sakho lemikhuhlane yakho futhifuthi.

Stop drinking only water; use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent infirmities.

24 Izono zabanye abantu zisobala, zibaqalela ukuya ekugwetshweni; kanti ezabanye ziyalandela.

The sins of some men are obvious, leading the way into judgment, while those of others trail behind.

25 Ngokunjalo lemisebenzi emihle isobala; laleyo eyehlukileyo ingeke ifihlakale.

So also the good works are obvious; even the ones that are not, cannot be hidden.