< ULukha 1 >

1 Njengoba abanengi sebebeke izandla ukubeka ngendlela efaneleyo ukulandiswa kwezinto eziqiniseke ngokupheleleyo phakathi kwethu,
Seeing that many took in hand to set in order a narration of the matters that have been fully assured among us,
2 njengalokhu basinika labo ababonayo ngamehlo ekuqaleni njalo bezinceku zelizwi,
as they delivered to us, who from the beginning became eyewitnesses, and officers of the word,
3 kukhanye kukuhle lakimi, sengizihlolisisile zonke izinto kusukela ekuqaleni, ukuthi ngikubhalele ngokulandelana, mhlekazi Teyofilu,
it seemed good also to me, having followed from the first after all things exactly, to write to you in order, most noble Theophilus,
4 ukuze wazi iqiniso ngalezozinto ozifundisiweyo.
that you may know the certainty of the things wherein you were instructed.
5 Ensukwini zikaHerodi inkosi yeJudiya kwakukhona umpristi othile othiwa nguZakariya, oweqembu likaAbhiya; lomkakhe wayevela kumadodakazi kaAroni, lebizo lakhe linguElizabethi.
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the division of Abijah, and his wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth;
6 Njalo babelungile bobabili phambi kukaNkulunkulu, behamba ngayo yonke imilayo lezimiso zeNkosi, bengasoleki.
and they were both righteous before God, going on in all the commands and righteousnesses of the LORD blameless,
7 Njalo babengelamntwana, ngoba uElizabethi wayeyinyumba, basebeleminyaka eminengi bobabili.
and they had no child, because that Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in their days.
8 Kwasekusithi esenza inkonzo yobupristi phambi kukaNkulunkulu esesimisweni seqembu lakibo,
And it came to pass, in his acting as priest, in the order of his division before God,
9 ngomkhuba wenkonzo yobupristi, nguye owadliwa yinkatho yokutshisa impepha esengene ethempelini leNkosi.
according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot was to make incense, having gone into the temple of the LORD,
10 Njalo ixuku lonke labantu lalikhuleka ngaphandle ngesikhathi sokutshisa impepha.
and all the multitude of the people were praying outside, at the hour of the incense.
11 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasibonakala kuye, imi ngakwesokunene selathi lempepha.
And there appeared to him a messenger of the LORD standing on the right side of the altar of the incense,
12 Kwathi uZakariya eyibona waqhuqha, lokwesaba kwawela phezu kwakhe.
and Zacharias, having seen, was troubled, and fear fell on him;
13 Kodwa ingilosi yathi kuye: Ungesabi Zakariya; ngoba umkhuleko wakho uzwakele, lomkakho uElizabethi uzakuzalela indodana, njalo uzakuthi ibizo layo nguJohane.
and the messenger said to him, “Do not fear, Zacharias, for your supplication was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear a son to you, and you will call his name John,
14 Futhi uzakuba lenjabulo lentokozo, labanengi bazakujabulela ukuzalwa kwakhe.
and there will be joy to you, and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15 Ngoba uzakuba mkhulu phambi kweNkosi, iwayini kanye lokunathwayo okulamandla kasoze akunathe, futhi uzagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele kusukela esesesiswini sikanina.
for he will be great before the LORD, and wine and strong drink he may not drink, and he will be full of the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb;
16 Labanengi kubantwana bakoIsrayeli uzabaphendulela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo;
and he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the LORD their God,
17 njalo yena uzahamba phambi kwayo emoyeni lemandleni kaElija, ukuphendulela inhliziyo zaboyise kubantwana, labangalaleliyo ekuhlakanipheni kwabalungileyo, ukulungiselela iNkosi isizwe esilungisiweyo.
and he will go before Him, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn hearts of fathers to children, and disobedient ones to the wisdom of righteous ones, to make ready for the LORD, a people prepared.”
18 UZakariya wasesithi kuyo ingilosi: Ngizakwazi ngani lokhu? Ngoba mina ngilixhegu, lomkami useleminyaka eminengi.
And Zacharias said to the messenger, “Whereby will I know this? For I am aged, and my wife is advanced in her days?”
19 Ingilosi yasiphendula yathi kuye: NginguGabriyeli mina, omayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu; njalo ngithunyiwe ukukhuluma lawe, lokukubikela lezizindaba ezinhle.
And the messenger answering said to him, “I am Gabriel, who has been standing near before God, and I was sent to speak to you, and to proclaim this good news to you,
20 Njalo khangela, uzakuba yisimungulu njalo wehluleke ukukhuluma, kuze kube lusuku okuzakwenzeka ngalo lezizinto, ngenxa yokuthi ungakholwanga amazwi ami, azagcwaliseka ngesikhathi sawo.
and behold, you will be silent, and not able to speak, until the day that these things will come to pass, because you did not believe my words that will be fulfilled in their season.”
21 Labantu babemlindele uZakariya; bamangala ngokuphuza kwakhe ethempelini.
And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and wondering at his lingering in the temple,
22 Kuthe esephuma wehluleka ukukhuluma labo; njalo bazi ukuthi ubone umbono ethempelini; njalo yena wayesebaqhweba, wahlala eyisimungulu.
and having come out, he was not able to speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, and he was beckoning to them, and remained mute.
23 Kwasekusithi seziphelile insuku zokukhonza kwakhe, waya endlini yakhe.
And it came to pass, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he went away to his house,
24 Kwathi emva kwalezonsuku uElizabethi umkakhe wathatha isisu, wazifihla okwezinyanga ezinhlanu, esithi:
and after those days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
25 Yenze kanje kimi iNkosi ensukwini eyangikhangela ngazo ukususa ihlazo lami phakathi kwabantu.
“Thus the LORD has done to me, in days in which He looked on [me], to take away my reproach among men.”
26 Kwathi ngenyanga yesithupha ingilosi uGabriyeli yathunywa nguNkulunkulu emzini weGalili othiwa yiNazaretha,
And in the sixth month the messenger Gabriel was sent by God, to a city of Galilee, the name of which [is] Nazareth,
27 entombini eyayigane indoda, ebizo layo lalinguJosefa, eyendlu kaDavida; lebizo lentombi linguMariya.
to a virgin, betrothed to a man, whose name [is] Joseph, of the house of David, and the name of the virgin [is] Mary.
28 Ingilosi yasingena kuye yathi: Ekuhle, wena othandiweyo! INkosi ilawe, ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana.
And the messenger having come in to her, said, “Greetings, favored one, the LORD [is] with you; blessed [are] you among women”;
29 Kwathi eseyibonile wethuswa kakhulu yilizwi layo, wanakana ukuthi yikubingelela okunjani lokhu.
and she, having seen, was troubled at his word, and was reasoning of what kind this salutation may be.
30 Ingilosi yasisithi kuye: Ungesabi, Mariya; ngoba uthole uthando kuNkulunkulu.
And the messenger said to her, “Do not fear, Mary, for you have found favor with God;
31 Njalo khangela, uzathatha isisu, uzale indodana, uzakuthi ibizo layo nguJesu.
and behold, you will conceive in the womb, and will bring forth a Son, and call His Name Jesus;
32 Yena uzakuba mkhulu, uzabizwa ngokuthi yiNdodana yoPhezukonke; futhi iNkosi uNkulunkulu izamnika isihlalo sobukhosi sikayise uDavida,
He will be great, and He will be called Son of the Highest, and the LORD God will give Him the throne of His father David,
33 njalo uzabusa phezu kwendlu kaJakobe kuze kube nininini, langombuso wakhe kawuzukuba lokuphela. (aiōn g165)
and He will reign over the house of Jacob for all ages; and of His kingdom there will be no end.” (aiōn g165)
34 UMariya wasesithi kuyo ingilosi: Lokhu kungenzeka njani, njengoba ngingazi indoda?
And Mary said to the messenger, “How will this be, seeing I do not know a husband?”
35 Ingilosi yasiphendula yathi kuye: UMoya oNgcwele uzakuza phezu kwakho, lamandla oPhezukonke azakwembesa; ngakho lalokhu okungcwele okuzazalwa nguwe kuzakuthiwa yiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.
And the messenger answering said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you, therefore also the holy-begotten thing will be called Son of God;
36 Njalo khangela, isinini sakho uElizabethi, laye ukhulelwe yindodana ebudaleni bakhe; lale yinyanga yesithupha kuye obekuthiwa uyinyumba.
and behold, Elizabeth, your relative, she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month to her who was called barren;
37 Ngoba kuNkulunkulu kakulalutho oluzakwehlula.
because nothing will be impossible with God.”
38 UMariya wasesithi: Khangela, incekukazi yeNkosi; kakube kimi njengelizwi lakho. Ingilosi yasisuka kuye.
And Mary said, “Behold, the maidservant of the LORD; let it be to me according to your saying,” and the messenger went away from her.
39 Ngalezonsuku uMariya wasesukuma waya ezintabeni ngokuphangisa, emzini weJuda,
And Mary having arisen in those days, went into the hill-country, with haste, to a city of Judea,
40 wangena endlini kaZakariya, wabingelela uElizabethi.
and entered into the house of Zacharias, and greeted Elizabeth.
41 Kwasekusithi uElizabethi ezwe ukubingelela kukaMariya, inkonyane yeqa esiswini sakhe; loElizabethi wagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele,
And it came to pass, when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the baby leapt in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
42 wamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu, wathi: Ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana, njalo sibusisiwe isithelo sesizalo sakho!
and spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed [are] you among women, and blessed [is] the Fruit of your womb;
43 Kanti kuvela ngaphi lokhu kimi, ukuthi unina weNkosi yami eze kimi?
and from where [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord might come to me?
44 Ngoba khangela, kuthe ilizwi lokubingelela kwakho lifika endlebeni zami, umntwana weqa esiswini sami ngokuthokoza.
For behold, when the voice of your salutation came to my ears, the baby in my womb leapt in gladness;
45 Futhi ubusisiwe okholiweyo, ngoba kuzagcwaliseka lezozinto ezakhulunywa kuye yiNkosi.
and blessed [is] she who believed, for there will be a completion to the things spoken to her from the LORD.”
46 UMariya wasesithi: Umphefumulo wami uyayikhulisa iNkosi,
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the LORD,
47 lomoya wami uyathokoza kuNkulunkulu uMsindisi wami,
And my spirit was glad on God my Savior,
48 ngoba ukhangele ubuphansi bencekukazi yakhe. Ngoba khangela, kusukela khathesi zonke izizukulwana zizakuthi ngibusisiwe.
Because He looked on the lowliness of His maidservant, For behold, from now on all the generations will call me blessed,
49 Ngoba yena olamandla ungenzele izinto ezinkulu, lingcwele lebizo lakhe,
For He who is mighty did great things to me, And holy [is] His Name,
50 lesihawu sakhe sikusizukulwana ngesizukulwana kulabo abamesabayo.
And His kindness [is] to generations of generations, To those fearing Him;
51 Wenzile amandla ngengalo yakhe; uhlakazile abazigqajayo ekunakaneni kwenhliziyo zabo.
He did powerfully with His arm, He scattered abroad the proud in the thought of their heart,
52 Wehlisile iziphathamandla ezihlalweni zobukhosi, kodwa uphakamisile abantukazana.
He brought down the mighty from thrones, And He exalted the lowly,
53 Abalambileyo ubasuthise ngezinto ezinhle, kodwa abanothileyo wabamukisa beze.
He filled the hungry with good, And the rich He sent away empty;
54 Umsizile uIsrayeli inceku yakhe, ngokukhumbula isihawu,
He has taken hold of His servant Israel, To remember kindness,
55 njengoba watsho kubobaba bethu, kuAbrahama, lenzalweni yakhe kuze kube nininini. (aiōn g165)
As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed—throughout the age.” (aiōn g165)
56 UMariya wasehlala laye okungaba zinyanga ezintathu, wasebuyela endlini yakhe.
And Mary remained with her about three months, and turned back to her house.
57 Isikhathi sikaElizabethi sokuthi abelethe sesiphelele, wasebeletha indodana.
And to Elizabeth was the time fulfilled for her bringing forth, and she bore a son,
58 Abakhelene laye lezinini zakhe basebesizwa ukuthi iNkosi yenze isihawu sayo saba sikhulu kuye, basebethokoza laye.
and the neighbors and her relatives heard that the LORD was making His kindness great with her, and they were rejoicing with her.
59 Kwasekusithi ngosuku lwesificaminwembili, beza ukuzasoka usane; balubiza ngebizo likayise ngokuthi nguZakariya.
And it came to pass, on the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child, and they were calling him by the name of his father, Zacharias,
60 Kodwa unina waphendula wathi: Hatshi bo, kodwa luzathiwa nguJohane.
and his mother answering said, “No, but he will be called John.”
61 Basebesithi kuye: Kakho ezihlotsheni zakho obizwa ngalelibizo.
And they said to her, “There is none among your relatives who is called by this name,”
62 Basebeqhweba uyise, ukuthi angathanda ukuthi lubizwe ngokuthini.
and they were making signs to his father, what he would wish him to be called,
63 Wasecela into yokubhalela, wabhala, esithi: NguJohane ibizo lalo; basebemangala bonke.
and having asked for a tablet, he wrote, saying, “John is his name”; and they all wondered;
64 Njalo wahle wavulwa umlomo wakhe lolimi lwakhe lwatshwaphululwa, wasekhuluma edumisa uNkulunkulu.
and his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue, and he was speaking, praising God.
65 Lokwesaba kwehlela phezu kwabo bonke abakhelene labo; njalo kwakhulunywa ngazo zonke lezizinto kulo lonke elezintabeni zeJudiya,
And fear came on all those dwelling around them, and in all the hill-country of Judea were all these sayings spoken of,
66 labo bonke abazizwayo bazilondoloza ezinhliziyweni zabo, besithi: Kambe lolusane luzakuba njani? Njalo isandla seNkosi sasilalo.
and all who heard laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” And the hand of the LORD was with him.
67 LoZakariya uyise wagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele, waprofetha, esithi:
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
68 Ibusisiwe iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ngoba ihambele yasenzela inkululeko isizwe sayo,
“Blessed [is] the LORD, the God of Israel, Because He looked on, And worked redemption for His people,
69 yasivusela uphondo losindiso endlini kaDavida inceku yayo,
And raised a horn of salvation to us, In the house of His servant David,
70 njengalokho yakhuluma ngomlomo wabaprofethi bayo abangcwele kusukela ekuqaleni komhlaba, (aiōn g165)
As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Which have been from the age; (aiōn g165)
71 isikhulula ezitheni zethu, lesandleni sabo bonke abasizondayo;
Salvation from our enemies, And out of the hand of all hating us,
72 ukwenzela obaba bethu isihawu, lokukhumbula isivumelwano sayo esingcwele,
To do kindness with our fathers, And to be mindful of His holy covenant,
73 isifungo eyasifunga kubaba wethu uAbrahama,
An oath that He swore to Abraham our father,
74 ukusinika, ukuthi sesikhululiwe esandleni sezitha zethu, siyikhonze singelakwesaba,
To give to us, without fear, Having been delivered out of the hand of our enemies,
75 ngobungcwele langokulunga phambi kwayo zonke izinsuku zempilo yethu.
To serve Him, in holiness and righteousness Before Him, all the days of our life.
76 Lawe-ke, sane, uzabizwa ngokuthi ungumprofethi woPhezukonke; ngoba uzahamba phambi kobuso beNkosi ukulungisa izindlela zayo;
And you, child, Prophet of the Highest will you be called; For you will go before the face of the LORD, To prepare His ways.
77 lokunika isizwe sayo ulwazi losindiso ngothethelelo lwezono zabo,
To give knowledge of salvation to His people In forgiveness of their sins,
78 ngesihelo sikaNkulunkulu wethu, okuthi ngaso ukusa kwaphezulu kusethekelele,
Through the yearnings of our God, In which the rising from on high looked on us,
79 ukubakhanyisela abahlezi emnyameni lethunzini lokufa, ukuqondisa inyawo zethu endleleni yokuthula.
To give light to those sitting in darkness and death-shade, To guide our feet to a way of peace.”
80 Wakhula-ke umntwana omncane, waqina emoyeni, waba sezinkangala kwaze kwaba lusuku lokubonakala kwakhe kuIsrayeli.
And the child grew, and was strengthened in spirit, and he was in the deserts until the day of his showing to Israel.

< ULukha 1 >