Kwabase-Efesu 5
1 Ngakho banini ngabalandeli bakaNkulunkulu, njengabantwana abathandekayo;
Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children,
2 njalo lihambe ethandweni, njengalokhu uKristu laye wasithanda, wazinikelela thina abe ngumnikelo lomhlatshelo kuNkulunkulu ukuba luqhatshi olumnandi.
and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 Kodwa ubufebe lakho konke ukungcola kumbe umhawu kakungaphathwa lakanye phakathi kwenu, njengoba kufanele abangcwele;
But fornication, impurity of any kind, and covetousness must not even be mentioned among you, because such things are improper for saints.
4 lamanyala, lokukhuluma okuyize, kumbe ukusoma okulenhlamba, okuyizinto ezingafanelanga; kodwa kulalokhu, ukubonga.
Nor should there be any obscenity, foolish talk, or coarse joking, which are not fitting, but there should be thanksgiving instead.
5 Ngoba lokhu liyakwazi, ukuthi sonke isifebe, kumbe ongcolileyo, kumbe olomhawu, ongumkhonzi wezithombe, kalalifa embusweni kaKristu lokaNkulunkulu.
For you know that no one who is a fornicator, impure, or covetous (that is, an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Kakungabi lamuntu olikhohlisayo ngamazwi ayize; ngoba ngenxa yalezizinto ulaka lukaNkulunkulu luyehlela phezu kwabantwana bokungalaleli.
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.
7 Ngakho lingabi ngabahlanganyeli labo.
Therefore do not be partners with them.
8 Ngoba lake laba ngumnyama, kodwa khathesi liyikukhanya eNkosini; hambani njengabantwana bokukhanya,
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
9 ngoba isithelo sikaMoya sikubo bonke ubuhle lokulunga leqiniso,
(for the fruit of the Spirit is found in all goodness, righteousness, and truth).
10 lihlolisise okuthokozisayo eNkosini;
Carefully determine what is pleasing to the Lord.
11 njalo lingahlanganyeli lemisebenzi yobumnyama engelazithelo, kodwa-ke kulalokho solani;
Do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but expose them instead.
12 ngoba kuthelela inhloni lokukhuluma ngezinto ezenziwa yibo ekusithekeni.
For it is shameful even to mention what such people do in secret.
13 Kodwa konke okusolwayo yikukhanya kuyabonakaliswa; ngoba konke okubonakaliswayo kuyikukhanya,
But everything exposed by the light becomes illuminated, and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.
14 ngakho uthi: Phaphama wena oleleyo uvuke kwabafileyo, njalo uKristu uzakukhanyisela.
Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon yoʋ.”
15 Ngakho qaphelani ukuthi lihamba njani ngonanzelelo, kungabi njengezithutha, kodwa njengabahlakaniphileyo,
See then that you walk carefully, not as unwise people but as wise,
16 lihlenga isikhathi, ngoba insuku zimbi.
making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
17 Ngakho lingabi yizithutha, kodwa liqedisisa okuyintando yeNkosi.
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 Njalo lingadakwa liwayini, okukulo umsindo, kodwa gcwaliswani nguMoya,
Do not be drunk with wine, which leads to debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
19 likhulumisana ngezihlabelelo langamahubo okudumisa langezingoma zomoya, lihlabelele licule eNkosini enhliziyweni yenu,
speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord,
20 limbonga njalo uNkulunkulu loBaba ngazo zonke izinto ebizweni leNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu,
always giving thanks for everything to our God and Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
21 lizehlisela ngaphansi omunye komunye ekumesabeni uNkulunkulu.
and submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.
22 Bafazi, zehliseleni ngaphansi kwawenu amadoda, njengeNkosini,
Wives, submit to your husbands, as to the Lord.
23 ngoba indoda iyinhloko yomfazi, njengoba uKristu laye eyinhloko yebandla, njalo yena unguMsindisi womzimba.
For the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head and Savior of the church, which is his body.
24 Kodwa njengoba-ke ibandla lehliselwe ngaphansi kukaKristu, ngokunjalo labafazi kwawabo amadoda kuyo yonke into.
Just as the church submits to Christ, so wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Madoda, thandani abenu abafazi, njengoKristu laye walithanda ibandla, wasezinikelela lona;
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
26 ukuze azingcwelisele lona, eselihlambulule ngesihlambo samanzi ngelizwi,
to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word,
27 ukuze azimisele lona, ibandla elilenkazimulo, elingelachatha, kumbe umxhele kumbe okunye nje, kodwa ukuze libe ngcwele lingelacala.
so that he might present her to himself as a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and unblemished.
28 Ngokunjalo amadoda afanele ukuthanda abawo abafazi njengeyawo imizimba. Othanda owakhe umfazi, uyazithanda yena;
In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
29 ngoba kakho owake wazonda eyakhe inyama, kodwa uyayondla ayiphathe kuhle, njengalokhu leNkosi isenza kubandla;
For no one has ever hated his own flesh, but he nourishes and cares for it, just as the Lord does for the church,
30 ngoba siyizitho zomzimba wakhe, okwenyama yakhe lokwamathambo akhe.
because we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones.
31 Ngenxa yalokhu umuntu uzatshiya uyise lonina anamathele kumkakhe, njalo laba ababili bazakuba nyamanye.
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”
32 Inkulu le imfihlo; kodwa mina ngikhuluma ngoKristu lebandla.
This is a profound mystery, but I am talking about Christ and the church.
33 Ngalokho lonke ngokukhethekileyo lani-ke, ngulowo lalowo kathande ngokunjalo owakhe umfazi njengaye; lomfazi ukuze ahloniphe indoda.
Nevertheless, each man among you must love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
