Kwabase-Efesu 5
1 Ngakho banini ngabalandeli bakaNkulunkulu, njengabantwana abathandekayo;
Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children.
2 njalo lihambe ethandweni, njengalokhu uKristu laye wasithanda, wazinikelela thina abe ngumnikelo lomhlatshelo kuNkulunkulu ukuba luqhatshi olumnandi.
Walk in love, even as Christ also loved us and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.
3 Kodwa ubufebe lakho konke ukungcola kumbe umhawu kakungaphathwa lakanye phakathi kwenu, njengoba kufanele abangcwele;
But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned amongst you, as becomes saints;
4 lamanyala, lokukhuluma okuyize, kumbe ukusoma okulenhlamba, okuyizinto ezingafanelanga; kodwa kulalokhu, ukubonga.
nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate, but rather giving of thanks.
5 Ngoba lokhu liyakwazi, ukuthi sonke isifebe, kumbe ongcolileyo, kumbe olomhawu, ongumkhonzi wezithombe, kalalifa embusweni kaKristu lokaNkulunkulu.
Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man (who is an idolater), has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and 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 comes on the children of disobedience.
7 Ngakho lingabi ngabahlanganyeli labo.
Therefore don’t be partakers with them.
8 Ngoba lake laba ngumnyama, kodwa khathesi liyikukhanya eNkosini; hambani njengabantwana bokukhanya,
For you were once darkness, but are now 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 in all goodness and righteousness and truth,
10 lihlolisise okuthokozisayo eNkosini;
proving what is well pleasing to the Lord.
11 njalo lingahlanganyeli lemisebenzi yobumnyama engelazithelo, kodwa-ke kulalokho solani;
Have no fellowship with the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even reprove them.
12 ngoba kuthelela inhloni lokukhuluma ngezinto ezenziwa yibo ekusithekeni.
For it is a shame even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.
13 Kodwa konke okusolwayo yikukhanya kuyabonakaliswa; ngoba konke okubonakaliswayo kuyikukhanya,
But all things, when they are reproved, are revealed by the light, for everything that reveals is light.
14 ngakho uthi: Phaphama wena oleleyo uvuke kwabafileyo, njalo uKristu uzakukhanyisela.
Therefore he says, “Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
15 Ngakho qaphelani ukuthi lihamba njani ngonanzelelo, kungabi njengezithutha, kodwa njengabahlakaniphileyo,
Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise,
16 lihlenga isikhathi, ngoba insuku zimbi.
redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Ngakho lingabi yizithutha, kodwa liqedisisa okuyintando yeNkosi.
Therefore, don’t be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 Njalo lingadakwa liwayini, okukulo umsindo, kodwa gcwaliswani nguMoya,
Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, 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 in your heart to the Lord;
20 limbonga njalo uNkulunkulu loBaba ngazo zonke izinto ebizweni leNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu,
giving thanks always concerning all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
21 lizehlisela ngaphansi omunye komunye ekumesabeni uNkulunkulu.
subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ.
22 Bafazi, zehliseleni ngaphansi kwawenu amadoda, njengeNkosini,
Wives, be subject to your own 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, as Christ also is the head of the assembly, being himself the saviour of the body.
24 Kodwa njengoba-ke ibandla lehliselwe ngaphansi kukaKristu, ngokunjalo labafazi kwawabo amadoda kuyo yonke into.
But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything.
25 Madoda, thandani abenu abafazi, njengoKristu laye walithanda ibandla, wasezinikelela lona;
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly and gave himself up for her,
26 ukuze azingcwelisele lona, eselihlambulule ngesihlambo samanzi ngelizwi,
that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
27 ukuze azimisele lona, ibandla elilenkazimulo, elingelachatha, kumbe umxhele kumbe okunye nje, kodwa ukuze libe ngcwele lingelacala.
that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without defect.
28 Ngokunjalo amadoda afanele ukuthanda abawo abafazi njengeyawo imizimba. Othanda owakhe umfazi, uyazithanda yena;
Even so husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.
29 ngoba kakho owake wazonda eyakhe inyama, kodwa uyayondla ayiphathe kuhle, njengalokhu leNkosi isenza kubandla;
For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly,
30 ngoba siyizitho zomzimba wakhe, okwenyama yakhe lokwamathambo akhe.
because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones.
31 Ngenxa yalokhu umuntu uzatshiya uyise lonina anamathele kumkakhe, njalo laba ababili bazakuba nyamanye.
“For this cause a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife. Then the two will become one flesh.”
32 Inkulu le imfihlo; kodwa mina ngikhuluma ngoKristu lebandla.
This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and the assembly.
33 Ngalokho lonke ngokukhethekileyo lani-ke, ngulowo lalowo kathande ngokunjalo owakhe umfazi njengaye; lomfazi ukuze ahloniphe indoda.
Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
