KwabaseGalathiya 4
1 Kodwa ngithi, ngaso sonke isikhathi indlalifa iseyingane, kayehlukananga ngalutho esigqilini lanxa ingumnikazi wakho konke;
I am saying that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is owner of the entire estate.
2 kodwa ingaphansi kwabaphathi lababonisi, kuze kufike isikhathi esamiswa nguyise.
But he is under guardians and trustees until the date set by his father.
3 Ngokunjalo lathi, lapho siseyizingane, sasiyizigqili ngaphansi kwemfundiso zakuqala zomhlaba;
So also, when we were children, we were enslaved to 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 time had come, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law.
5 ukuze ihlenge abangaphansi komlayo, ukuze semukele ukuma kwabantwana.
He did this to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
6 Njengoba lingamadodana, uNkulunkulu wathuma uMoya weNdodana yakhe enhliziyweni zenu, ememeza esithi: Abha, Baba!
And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls out, “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 you are also an heir through God.
8 Kodwa ngalesosikhathi, lingamazi uNkulunkulu, laliyizigqili kulabo abangeyisibo onkulunkulu ngemvelo;
But at that time, when you did not know God, you were made to be slaves to those who are, by their natural powers, not gods at all.
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 that you are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to the weak and worthless elemental principles? Do you want to be enslaved all over again?
10 Ligcina izinsuku, lezinyanga lezikhathi, leminyaka.
You observe days and new moons and seasons and years!
11 Ngilovalo ngani, hlezi ngitshikatshikele ize kini.
I am afraid for you that somehow my work with you may have been for nothing.
12 Banini njengami, ngoba lami nginjengani, bazalwane, ngiyalincenga; kalingonanga ngalutho;
I beg you, brothers, become like me, for I also have become like you. You did me no wrong.
13 liyazi-ke ukuthi ngobuthakathaka benyama ngatshumayela ivangeli kini ngokokuqala,
But you know that it was because of a physical illness that I proclaimed the gospel to you the first time.
14 lokulingwa kwami okwakusenyameni yami kalikudelelanga njalo kalikwenyanyanga, kodwa langemukela njengengilosi kaNkulunkulu, njengoKristu Jesu.
Though my physical condition put you to the test, you did not despise or reject me. Instead you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.
15 Ngakho sasiyini isibusiso senu? Ngoba ngiyalifakazela ukuthi, uba kungenzeka, lalingakhupha amehlo enu linginike.
Where, then, is your blessing now? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your own eyes and given them to me.
16 Ngakho sengibeyisitha senu ngokulitshela iqiniso yini?
So then, have I become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?
17 Bayalitshisekela ngokungekuhle; kodwa bafuna ukulivalela ngaphandle, ukuze litshisekele bona.
They are zealous to win you over, but for no good. They want to shut you out, so you may be zealous for them.
18 Kodwa kuhle ukuthi litshisekelelwe kokuhle isikhathi sonke, njalo kungabi sebukhoneni bami lani kuphela.
It is always good to be zealous for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you.
19 Bantwana bami abancane, engilomhelo futhi wokulizala aze uKristu abunjwe kini,
My little children, again I am in the pains of childbirth for you until Christ is formed in you.
20 kodwa bengingathanda ukuba khona lani khathesi, ngiphendule ilizwi lami, ngoba ngididekile ngani.
I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.
21 Ngitshelani, lina elithanda ukuba ngaphansi komlayo, kaliwuzwa yini umlayo?
Tell me, you who 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 girl and one by the free woman.
23 Kodwa eyesigqilikazi yazalwa ngokwenyama, kodwa eyokhululekileyo ngesithembiso.
One was born by the slave girl according to the flesh, but the other was born by the free woman through promise.
24 Okuyizinto ezingumzekeliso; ngoba laba bayizivumelwano ezimbili; esinye esentabeni iSinayi, esizalela ebugqilini, esinguAgari.
These things may be interpreted as an allegory, for these women represent two covenants. One of them is from Mount Sinai and she gives birth to children who are slaves. This is Hagar.
25 Ngoba lokhu, uAgari, kuyintaba iSinayi eseArabhiya, njalo imele iJerusalema yalamuhla, futhi iyisigqili kanye labantwana bayo.
Now Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia; and she represents the present Jerusalem, 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 one who does not give birth; cry out and shout for joy, you who are not suffering the pains of childbirth; because the children of the abandoned woman are more numerous than those of the woman who has a husband.”
28 Kodwa thina, bazalwane, njengoIsaka singabantwana besithembiso.
But you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
29 Kodwa njengakulesosikhathi owazalwa ngokwenyama wamzingela yena ongowakoMoya, kunjalo lakhathesi.
At that time the one who was born according to the flesh persecuted the one born according to the Spirit. It is the same now.
30 Kodwa umbhalo uthini? Uthi: Xotsha isigqilikazi lendodana yaso; ngoba indodana yesigqilikazi kayisoze idle ilifa kanye lendodana yokhululekileyo.
But what does the scripture say? “Send away the slave girl and her son. For the son of the slave girl will not share in the inheritance with the son of the free woman.”
31 Ngakho, bazalwane, kasisibo abantwana besigqilikazi, kodwa bokhululekileyo.
Therefore, brothers, we are not children of a slave girl, but of the free woman.
