KwabaseGalathiya 4
1 Kodwa ngithi, ngaso sonke isikhathi indlalifa iseyingane, kayehlukananga ngalutho esigqilini lanxa ingumnikazi wakho konke;
Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he is lord of all;
2 kodwa ingaphansi kwabaphathi lababonisi, kuze kufike isikhathi esamiswa nguyise.
But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the father.
3 Ngokunjalo lathi, lapho siseyizingane, sasiyizigqili ngaphansi kwemfundiso zakuqala zomhlaba;
Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
4 kodwa kwathi ukuphelela kwesikhathi sekufikile, uNkulunkulu wathuma iNdodana yakhe, yazalwa ngowesifazana, yenziwa ngaphansi komthetho,
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
5 ukuze ihlenge abangaphansi komlayo, ukuze semukele ukuma kwabantwana.
To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 Njengoba lingamadodana, uNkulunkulu wathuma uMoya weNdodana yakhe enhliziyweni zenu, ememeza esithi: Abha, Baba!
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Ngakho kawuseyiso isigqili, kodwa indodana; njalo uba uyindodana, futhi uyindlalifa kaNkulunkulu ngoKristu.
Therefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
8 Kodwa ngalesosikhathi, lingamazi uNkulunkulu, laliyizigqili kulabo abangeyisibo onkulunkulu ngemvelo;
However then, when ye knew not God, ye did service to them which by nature are no 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, after ye have known God, or rather are known by God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which ye desire again to be in bondage?
10 Ligcina izinsuku, lezinyanga lezikhathi, leminyaka.
Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11 Ngilovalo ngani, hlezi ngitshikatshikele ize kini.
I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
12 Banini njengami, ngoba lami nginjengani, bazalwane, ngiyalincenga; kalingonanga ngalutho;
Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
13 liyazi-ke ukuthi ngobuthakathaka benyama ngatshumayela ivangeli kini ngokokuqala,
Ye know that in infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel to you at the first.
14 lokulingwa kwami okwakusenyameni yami kalikudelelanga njalo kalikwenyanyanga, kodwa langemukela njengengilosi kaNkulunkulu, njengoKristu Jesu.
And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
15 Ngakho sasiyini isibusiso senu? Ngoba ngiyalifakazela ukuthi, uba kungenzeka, lalingakhupha amehlo enu linginike.
What then was the blessedness ye spoke of? for I bear you witness, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
16 Ngakho sengibeyisitha senu ngokulitshela iqiniso yini?
Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
17 Bayalitshisekela ngokungekuhle; kodwa bafuna ukulivalela ngaphandle, ukuze litshisekele bona.
They zealously seek you, but not for good; for, they would exclude you, that ye may seek them.
18 Kodwa kuhle ukuthi litshisekelelwe kokuhle isikhathi sonke, njalo kungabi sebukhoneni bami lani kuphela.
But it is good to be zealously sought always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.
19 Bantwana bami abancane, engilomhelo futhi wokulizala aze uKristu abunjwe kini,
My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
20 kodwa bengingathanda ukuba khona lani khathesi, ngiphendule ilizwi lami, ngoba ngididekile ngani.
I desire to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I stand in doubt of you.
21 Ngitshelani, lina elithanda ukuba ngaphansi komlayo, kaliwuzwa yini umlayo?
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
22 Ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi uAbrahama wayelamadodana amabili; enye ingeyesigqilikazi, lenye ingeyokhululekileyo.
For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman.
23 Kodwa eyesigqilikazi yazalwa ngokwenyama, kodwa eyokhululekileyo ngesithembiso.
But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
24 Okuyizinto ezingumzekeliso; ngoba laba bayizivumelwano ezimbili; esinye esentabeni iSinayi, esizalela ebugqilini, esinguAgari.
Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which beareth children for bondage, 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 answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 Kodwa iJerusalema ephezulu ikhululekile, engumama wethu sonke;
But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
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, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she who hath an husband.
28 Kodwa thina, bazalwane, njengoIsaka singabantwana besithembiso.
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
29 Kodwa njengakulesosikhathi owazalwa ngokwenyama wamzingela yena ongowakoMoya, kunjalo lakhathesi.
But as then he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.
30 Kodwa umbhalo uthini? Uthi: Xotsha isigqilikazi lendodana yaso; ngoba indodana yesigqilikazi kayisoze idle ilifa kanye lendodana yokhululekileyo.
Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
31 Ngakho, bazalwane, kasisibo abantwana besigqilikazi, kodwa bokhululekileyo.
So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
