UFilimoni 1
1 UPawuli isibotshwa sikaKristu Jesu loTimothi umzalwane, kuFilimoni othandekayo lesisebenzi kanye lathi,
To my beloved friend and coworker Philemon,
2 lakuApifiya othandekayo, lakuArkipho owebutho kanye lathi, lakubandla elisendlini yakho:
to my sister Apphia, to my fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church which meets at Philemon’s house. From Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and brother Timothy.
3 Umusa kawube kini lokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu leNkosini uJesu Kristu.
Grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 Ngiyambonga uNkulunkulu wami, ngikuphatha ngezikhathi zonke emikhulekweni yami,
I am ever mentioning you in my prayers, and giving thanks to God,
5 ngisizwa ngothando lwakho langokholo olalo eNkosini uJesu lakubo bonke abangcwele,
because I am hearing of your love and of the faith which you hold, not only toward the Lord Jesus Christ, but toward all the saints.
6 ukuze ukuhlanganyela kokholo lwakho kube lamandla elwazini lwento yonke enhle ekini kuKristu Jesu.
And I pray that your participation may become effectual, as you come to acknowledge every good thing which is in you to Christ.
7 Ngoba silentokozo enkulu lenduduzo ethandweni lwakho, ngoba imibilini yabangcwele yavuselelwa ngawe, mzalwane.
For I have great joy and comfort in your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed.
8 Ngalokho, lanxa ngilesibindi esikhulu kuKristu sokuthi ngikulaye into efaneleyo,
And so, although I might be bold in Christ to dictate to you what is fitting,
9 kanti ngenxa yothando kungcono ukuthi ngincenge, nginjengonje, uPawuli omdala, esengiyisibotshwa futhi sikaJesu Kristu.
yet for love’s sake, I rather beseech you, I, Paul, an old man, and now a prisoner for Christ Jesus!
10 Ngiyakuncenga ngomntanami, engimzeleyo kuzibopho zami, uOnesimo,
I beseech you for my son, Onesimus, whom I have begotten in these chains.
11 okade engelasizo kuwe, kodwa khathesi-ke ulosizo kuwe lakimi,
Once you found him "unprofitable," but now he is "profitable" to you and to me.
12 engimbuyisela kuwe; kodwa wena, memukele, okuyikuthi imibilini yami;
I am sending him back to you, he himself, that is, my very heart!
13 ebengifisa mina ukumbamba abe lami, ukuze angisebenzele esikhundleni sakho kuzibopho zevangeli;
I could wish to retain him at my side, so that he might minister to me in your stead, in my bonds for the gospel.
14 kodwa kangithandanga ukwenza ulutho ngaphandle kwemvumo yakho, ukuze okuhle kwakho kungabi ngokokubanjwa ngamandla, kodwa njengokwesihle.
But without your consent I was unwilling to do anything, so that your kindness to me might be of your own free will, and not of compulsion.
15 Ngoba mhlawumbe wehlukaniswa lawe okwesikhatshana ngenxa yalokhu, ukuze ubuye umemukele phakade; (aiōnios g166)
Perhaps for this reason you were separated from him for an hour, in order that you might have him back forever, (aiōnios g166)
16 angabe esaba njengesigqili, kodwa ngaphezu kwesigqili, umzalwane othandekayo, ikakhulu kimi, kodwa kakhulu kangakanani kuwe konke enyameni leNkosini.
no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, as a brother beloved; especially dear to me, but how much more to you, both as a man and a fellow Christian.
17 Ngakho uba usithi ngingumhlanganyeli lawe, memukele njengami.
If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me.
18 Kodwa uba ekone ngolutho kumbe elomlandu, lokho kubalele kimi;
And if he has wronged you at all, or is owing you anything, charge that to me.
19 mina Pawuli ngibhale ngesandla sami, mina ngizahlawula; ukuthi ngingatsho kuwe ukuthi lawe uqobo ulomlandu oseleyo kimi.
I Paul am writing this in my own handwriting, "I will repay you." But I will not mention that you owe me, over and over, your very soul.
20 Yebo, mzalwane, sengathi ngingaba lentokozo ngawe eNkosini; uvuselele imibilini yami eNkosini.
Come my brother, let me have joy in the Lord because of you! Refresh my heart in Christ!
21 Ngikubhalele ngithemba ukulalela kwakho, ngisazi ukuthi lawe uzakwenza okungaphezu kwalokho engikutshoyo.
Because I am thoroughly persuaded of your obedience, I have written you, knowing full well that you will do by me what I am asking.
22 Futhi ngesikhathi esifananayo ungilungisele lami indawo yokuhlala; ngoba ngiyathemba ukuthi ngemikhuleko yenu ngizanikwa kini.
Please also prepare for me a lodging, for I am hoping by your prayers to be restored to you again.
23 Uyakubingelela uEpafra oyisibotshwa kanye lami kuKristu Jesu,
Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greeting;
24 uMarko, uAristako, uDema, uLuka, izisebenzi kanye lami.
so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25 Umusa weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu kawube lomoya wenu. Ameni.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
