1 KuThimothi 5
1 Ungamkhalimeli omdala, kodwa meluleke njengoyihlo; abatsha njengabafowenu;
Do not scold an older man. Instead, exhort him as if he were a father. Exhort younger men as if they were brothers.
2 abesifazana abadala njengonyoko; abesifazana abatsha njengabodadewenu, ekuhlambulukeni konke.
Exhort older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters in all purity.
3 Hlonipha abafelokazi abangabafelokazi isibili.
Honor widows, the real 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 a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show honor in their own household. Let them repay their parents, because this is pleasing to God.
5 Lowo-ke ongumfelokazi isibili osele yedwa uthembele kuNkulunkulu, uhlala ekunxuseni lemikhulekweni ebusuku lemini.
But a real widow is left all alone. She puts her certain hope in God. She always remains with requests and prayers both night and day.
6 Kanti lowo ozinikela ekuzithokoziseni, ufile ephila.
However, the woman who lives for pleasure is dead, even though she is still alive.
7 Laya-ke ngalezizinto, ukuze bangasoleki.
Give these instructions as well, so that they may be blameless.
8 Kodwa uba umuntu engondli abakibo, ikakhulu abendlu yakhe, uluphikile ukholo, futhi mubi kulongakholwayo.
But if someone does not provide for his own relatives, especially for those of his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9 Kangabalwa umfelokazi ongaphansi kweminyaka engamatshumi ayisithupha, umfazi owake wenda endodeni kanye,
Let a woman be enrolled as a widow who is not younger than sixty, a wife of one husband.
10 onconywa ngemisebenzi emihle, uba ondle abantwana, uba engenise izihambi, uba egezise inyawo zabangcwele, uba esize abahluphekayo, uba ekhuthalele wonke umsebenzi omuhle.
She must be known for good deeds, whether it is that she has cared for children, or has been hospitable to strangers, or has washed the feet of the saints, or has relieved the afflicted, or has been devoted to every good work.
11 Kodwa abafelokazi abatsha ubale; ngoba nxa sebelenkanuko ezimelana loKristu, bafuna ukwenda;
But as for younger widows, refuse to enroll them in the list. For when they give in to bodily desires against Christ, they want to marry.
12 balokulahlwa, ngoba bachithile ukholo lwabo lokuqala.
In this way they incur guilt because they revoke their first commitment.
13 Futhi-ke ngesikhathi esifananayo bafunda ukuvilapha bezula lezindlu, futhi bengavilaphi kuphela, kodwa babuye bahlebe bengena kokungeyisikho okwabo, bekhuluma okungafanelanga.
At the same time, they also learn to be lazy and they go around from house to house. They not only become lazy, but they also talk nonsense and are busybodies, saying things they should not say.
14 Ngakho ngifisa ukuthi abafelokazi abatsha bende, bazale abantwana, baphathe umuzi wabo, banganiki isitha lathuba lokuthuka.
I therefore want younger women to marry, to bear children, to manage the household, and to give no opportunity for the enemy to slander us.
15 Ngoba lakhathesi abanye sebephambuke balandela uSathane.
For 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 believing woman has widows, let her help them, so that the church will not be weighed down, so that it might help the real widows.
17 Abadala abaphatha kuhle bafanele ukuhlonitshwa ngokuphindiweyo, ikakhulu labo abasebenza nzima elizwini lekufundiseni;
Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work with the word and in teaching.
18 ngoba umbhalo uthi: Ungayifaki isayeke inkabi ebhulayo; futhi uthi: Isisebenzi sifanele iholo laso.
For the scripture says, “You shall not put a muzzle on an ox while it treads the grain” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
19 Ungalemukeli icala elimelana lomdala, ngaphandle phambi kwabafakazi ababili kumbe abathathu.
Do not receive an accusation against an elder unless there are two or three witnesses.
20 Abonayo basole phambi kwabo bonke, ukuze abanye labo babe lokwesaba.
Correct sinners before all so that the rest may be afraid.
21 Ngiyakulayisisa phambi kukaNkulunkulu leNkosi uJesu Kristu lengilosi ezikhethiweyo, ukuze uzigcine lezizinto ngokungaqumi ngaphambili, ungenzi lutho ngokubandlulula.
I solemnly command you before God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels, to keep these commands without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.
22 Ungaphangisi ukubeka izandla phezu komuntu, futhi ungahlanganyeli ezonweni zabanye; uzigcine wena umsulwa.
Place hands hastily on no one. Do not share in the sins of another person. You should keep yourself pure.
23 Ungabe usanatha amanzi wodwa, kodwa sebenzisa iwayini elilutshwana, ngenxa yesisu sakho lemikhuhlane yakho futhifuthi.
You should no longer drink water. Instead, you should take a little wine for the stomach and your frequent sicknesses.
24 Izono zabanye abantu zisobala, zibaqalela ukuya ekugwetshweni; kanti ezabanye ziyalandela.
The sins of some people are openly known, and they go before them into judgment. But some sins follow later.
25 Ngokunjalo lemisebenzi emihle isobala; laleyo eyehlukileyo ingeke ifihlakale.
Likewise, some good works are openly known, but even the others cannot be hidden.
