KwabaseGalathiya 4
1 Kodwa ngithi, ngaso sonke isikhathi indlalifa iseyingane, kayehlukananga ngalutho esigqilini lanxa ingumnikazi wakho konke;
But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, though he is lord of all;
2 kodwa ingaphansi kwabaphathi lababonisi, kuze kufike isikhathi esamiswa nguyise.
but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by the father.
3 Ngokunjalo lathi, lapho siseyizingane, sasiyizigqili ngaphansi kwemfundiso zakuqala zomhlaba;
So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world.
4 kodwa kwathi ukuphelela kwesikhathi sekufikile, uNkulunkulu wathuma iNdodana yakhe, yazalwa ngowesifazana, yenziwa ngaphansi komthetho,
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,
5 ukuze ihlenge abangaphansi komlayo, ukuze semukele ukuma kwabantwana.
that he might redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 Njengoba lingamadodana, uNkulunkulu wathuma uMoya weNdodana yakhe enhliziyweni zenu, ememeza esithi: Abha, Baba!
And because you are sons, God sent out the Ruach of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba, Father."
7 Ngakho kawuseyiso isigqili, kodwa indodana; njalo uba uyindodana, futhi uyindlalifa kaNkulunkulu ngoKristu.
So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God.
8 Kodwa ngalesosikhathi, lingamazi uNkulunkulu, laliyizigqili kulabo abangeyisibo onkulunkulu ngemvelo;
However at that time, not knowing God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
9 kodwa khathesi lokhu selimazi uNkulunkulu, yebo kangithi lisaziwa nguNkulunkulu, libuyela njani futhi kumfundiso zakuqala ezibuthakathaka leziyibuyanga, elifuna ukuba yizigqili zazo futhi kakutsha?
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?
10 Ligcina izinsuku, lezinyanga lezikhathi, leminyaka.
You observe days, months, seasons, and years.
11 Ngilovalo ngani, hlezi ngitshikatshikele ize kini.
I am afraid for you, that I might have wasted my labor for you.
12 Banini njengami, ngoba lami nginjengani, bazalwane, ngiyalincenga; kalingonanga ngalutho;
I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong,
13 liyazi-ke ukuthi ngobuthakathaka benyama ngatshumayela ivangeli kini ngokokuqala,
but you know that in physical weakness I preached the Good News to you the first time;
14 lokulingwa kwami okwakusenyameni yami kalikudelelanga njalo kalikwenyanyanga, kodwa langemukela njengengilosi kaNkulunkulu, njengoKristu Jesu.
and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Messiah Yeshua.
15 Ngakho sasiyini isibusiso senu? Ngoba ngiyalifakazela ukuthi, uba kungenzeka, lalingakhupha amehlo enu linginike.
Where was the blessing you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.
16 Ngakho sengibeyisitha senu ngokulitshela iqiniso yini?
So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17 Bayalitshisekela ngokungekuhle; kodwa bafuna ukulivalela ngaphandle, ukuze litshisekele bona.
They zealously seek you, but for no good purpose; they desire to alienate you, that you may be zealous for them.
18 Kodwa kuhle ukuthi litshisekelelwe kokuhle isikhathi sonke, njalo kungabi sebukhoneni bami lani kuphela.
But it is always good to be zealous in a good cause, and not only when I am present with you.
19 Bantwana bami abancane, engilomhelo futhi wokulizala aze uKristu abunjwe kini,
My children, of whom I am again in travail until Messiah is formed in you—
20 kodwa bengingathanda ukuba khona lani khathesi, ngiphendule ilizwi lami, ngoba ngididekile ngani.
but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.
21 Ngitshelani, lina elithanda ukuba ngaphansi komlayo, kaliwuzwa yini umlayo?
Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law?
22 Ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi uAbrahama wayelamadodana amabili; enye ingeyesigqilikazi, lenye ingeyokhululekileyo.
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman, and one by the free woman.
23 Kodwa eyesigqilikazi yazalwa ngokwenyama, kodwa eyokhululekileyo ngesithembiso.
However, the son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise.
24 Okuyizinto ezingumzekeliso; ngoba laba bayizivumelwano ezimbili; esinye esentabeni iSinayi, esizalela ebugqilini, esinguAgari.
These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to slavery, which is Hagar.
25 Ngoba lokhu, uAgari, kuyintaba iSinayi eseArabhiya, njalo imele iJerusalema yalamuhla, futhi iyisigqili kanye labantwana bayo.
For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and represents Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in slavery with her children.
26 Kodwa iJerusalema ephezulu ikhululekile, engumama wethu sonke;
But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.
27 ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: Thokoza, wena nyumba engazaliyo; kekela umemeze, wena ongawuzwanga umhelo; ngoba abantwana botshiyiweyo banengi okwedlula kakhulu kulaye olendoda.
For it is written, "Rejoice, you barren who do not bear. Break forth and shout, you that do not travail. For more are the children of the desolate than of her who has a husband."
28 Kodwa thina, bazalwane, njengoIsaka singabantwana besithembiso.
Now you, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise.
29 Kodwa njengakulesosikhathi owazalwa ngokwenyama wamzingela yena ongowakoMoya, kunjalo lakhathesi.
But as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Ruach, so also it is now.
30 Kodwa umbhalo uthini? Uthi: Xotsha isigqilikazi lendodana yaso; ngoba indodana yesigqilikazi kayisoze idle ilifa kanye lendodana yokhululekileyo.
However what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not inherit with the son of the free woman."
31 Ngakho, bazalwane, kasisibo abantwana besigqilikazi, kodwa bokhululekileyo.
So then, brothers, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the free woman.
