Bakorintha I 7

1 Jaanong kaga dipotso tse lo neng lo di botsa mo lokwalong lwa lona lwa bofelo: Karabo ya me ke gore, fa lo sa nyale, go siame.

Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good to abstain from sexual relations.

2 Mme ka legale go siame go nyala, monna mongwe le mongwe o tshwanetse a nna le mosadi yo e leng wa gagwe, le mosadi mongwe le mongwe a nna le monna yo e leng wa gagwe, e se re gongwe lwa boela gape mo sebeng.

But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.

3 Monna o tshwanetse go naya mosadi wa gagwe di tsa gagwe tsotlhe jaaka mosadi yo o nyetsweng, le mosadi o tshwanetse go direla monna wa gagwe fela jalo.

The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.

4 Gonne morweetsana yo o nyalwang ga a tlhole a na le taolo e e tletseng mo mmeleng wa gagwe, gonne monna wa gagwe o na le ditshwanelo tsa gagwe mo go one le ene; mme fela jalo monna le ene ga a tlhole a na le taolo e e tletseng mo mmeleng wa gagwe, gonne gape ke wa mosadi wa gagwe.

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.

5 Jalo lo seka lwa ganelelana ka ditshwa-nelo tse. Fela selo sa botlhokwa mo molaong o ke ka tumalano ya monna le mosadi go ikgapa mo ditaolong tsa lenyalo selekanyo sa lobaka lo lo kailweng, gore ba tle ba ineele mo thapelong ka tshosologo. Morago, ba tshwanetse go kopana gape gore Satane a se ka a kgona go ba raela ka ntlha ya go tlhoka go itshwara ga bone.

Do not deprive each other, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will not tempt you through your lack of self-control.

6 Ga ke re lo tshwanetse go nyala; mme lo ka nyala fa lo eletsa.

I say this as a concession, not as a command.

7 Nna ke eletsa gore mongwe le mongwe o ka bo a nna a sa nyala, fela jaaka nna. Mme rotlhe ga re tshwane. Modimo o naya bangwe mpho ya mosadi kgotsa monna, mme ba bangwe ba ka kgona go nna ka boitumelo ba sa nyala.

I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

8 Jalo ke raya ba ba sa nyalwang, le batlholagadi ke re, go botoka go nna lo sa nyalwa fa lo kgona, fela jaaka nna.

Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am.

9 Mme fa lo palelwa ke go itshoka, nyalang. Go botoka go nyala go na le go babalelwa.

But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 Jaanong, mo go ba ba nyetseng ke na le taolo, e seng mogopolo. Mme ga se taolo e e tswang mo go nna, gonne se ke se Morena ka boene a se buileng: Mosadi ga a a tshwanela go tlogela monna wa gagwe.

To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.

11 Mme fa a kgaogane nae, a a nne fela a sa nyalwa kgotsa a boele kwa go ene. Le monna ga a a tshwanela go tlhala mosadi wa gagwe.

But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

12 Fa, ke batla go tlatsa ka megopolo e mengwe e e leng ya me. Se ga se ditaolo tse di tswang kwa Moreneng, mme di bonala di siame mo go nna. Fa Mokeresete a na le mosadi yo e seng Mokeresete, mme a batla go nna nae, ga a a tshwanela go mo tlogela kgotsa go mo tlhala.

To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If a brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.

13 Mme fa mosadi wa Mokeresete a na le monna yo eseng Mokeresete, ga a a tshwanela go mo tlogela.

And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.

14 Gonne gongwe monna yo e seng Mokeresete o ka nna Mokeresete ka thuso ya mosadi wa gagwe wa Mokeresete. Le mosadi yo e seng Mokeresete o ka nna Mokeresete ka thuso ya monna wa gagwe yo e leng Mokeresete. Ntle go moo fa lolwapa lo kgaogana, go ka diragala gore bana ba se ka ba tlhola ba itse Morena; fa lolwapa lo lo kopaneng lo ka itse Morena, mo leanong la Modimo go ka felela mo polokong ya bana.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

15 Mme fa monna kgotsa mosadi yo e seng Mokeresete a batla go tsamaya, go a letlelesega. Ka mokgwa o o ntseng jalo monna yo e leng Mokeresete kgotsa mosadi ga a a tshwanela go kganela yo mongwe go tsamaya, gonne Modimo o batla bana ba one go nna mo kagisong le mo botsalanong.

But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace.

16 Gonne le fa go ntse jalo, ga go na tlhomamiso mo go lona basadi gore banna ba lona ba tlaa sokologa fa ba sa lo tlogele; mme fela jalo le lona banna kgang ke e, e a lo ama.

How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

17 Mme lo nne le tlhomamiso mo go akanyeng dilo tse gore lo tshele jaaka Modimo o ikaeletse, go nyala kgotsa go tlhoka go nyala go nne ka fa kaelong le ka fa thusong ya Modimo, le go amogela seemo le fa e ka bo e le sefe se Modimo o go tsentseng mo go sone. Se ke molao wa me mo diphuthegong tsotlhe.

Regardless, each one should lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is what I prescribe in all the churches.

18 Nte ke tshwantshe ka monna yo o setseng a fetile mo medirong ya Sejuta ya thupiso pele ga a nna Mokeresete, ga a a tshwanela go tshwenyega ka ga gone; mme fa a ise a rupisiwe, ga a a tshwanela go go dira jaanong.

Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man still uncircumcised when called? He should not be circumcised.

19 Gonne ga go na pharologanyo epe fa Mokeresete a fetile mo modirong o kgotsa nnyaa. Mme go nna le pharologanyo e kgolo fa a itumedisa Modimo ebile a tshegetsa melao ya one. Seo ke selo se se botlhokwa.

Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commandments is what counts.

20 Ka gale motho o tshwanetse go tswelela ka tiro ya gagwe e o neng a e dira fa Modimo o mmitsa.

Each one should remain in the situation he was in when he was called.

21 A o lekgoba? A moo go se go tshwenye, mme e re, fa o bona lobaka lwa go gololesega, o lo dirise.

Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it concern you—but if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity.

22 Fa Modimo o go bitsa, o le lekgoba, gakologelwa gore Keresete o go golotse mo nonofong e e boitshegang ya boleo; mme fa a go biditse, ebile o gololesegile, gakologelwa gore jaanong o lekgoba la ga Keresete.

For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.

23 O rekilwe ebile o dueletswe ke Keresete, jalo o wa gagwe, gololesega jaanong mo dilong tse tsotlhe tsa mabela a lefatshe le poifo.

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

24 Jalo bakaulengwe ba ba rategang, le fa motho a ka bo a le mo seemong se se ntseng jang fa a nna Mokeresete, mo lese a nne foo, gonne jaanong Morena o teng go mo thusa.

Brothers, each one should remain in the situation he was in when God called him.

25 Jaanong ke tlaa leka go araba potso e nngwe ya lona. Go ka tweng ka barweetsana ba ba iseng ba nyalwe? A ba tshwanetse go letlelelwa go dira jalo? Mo karabong ya potso e, ga ke na taolo e e tlhomameng ya bone go tswa mo Moreneng. Mme Morena mo bobelotlhomoging jwa gagwe o nneile botlhale jo bo ka tshephegang, mme ke tlaa itumelela go lo bolelela se ke se akanyang.

Now about virgins, I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.

26 Matshwenyego ke a. Rona Bakeresete re lebagane le dikotsi tse di kgolo mo matshelong a rona mo lobakeng lo. Mo dipakeng tse di tshwanang le tse, ke bona go le botoka gore motho a nne a sa nyalwa kgotsa a sa nyala.

Because of the present crisis, I think it is good for a man to remain as he is.

27 Ee, fa lo setse lo nyetswe, se kgaoganeng ka ntlha ya se. Mme fa lo ise lo nyalwe, lo se itlhaganeleleng mo go yone ka lobaka lo.

Are you committed to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you free of commitment? Do not look for a wife.

28 Mme fa lona banna lo ikaelela go tswelela pele lo nyala jaanong, go siame; mme fa morweetsana a nyalwa mo dipakeng tse di tshwanang le tse, ga se boleo. Le fa go ntse jalo lenyalo le tlaa tlisa matshwenyego a mangwe a ke neng ke eletsa gore lo se ka lwa lebagana le one jaanong.

But if you do marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

29 Selo sa botlhokwa se re tshwanetseng go se gakologelwa ke gore, lobaka lo lo re saletseng lo lo khutshwane, (Go ntse jalo le ka nako ya rona ya go direla Morena) ka lebaka leo ba ba nang le basadi ba tshwanetse go nna ba phuthologetse Morena;

What I am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none;

30 boitumelo kgotsa kutlobotlhoko kgotsa dikhumo ga di a tshwanela go kganela ope go dira tiro ya Modimo.

those who weep, as if they did not; those who are joyful, as if they were not; those who make a purchase, as if they had nothing;

31 Ba ba atisang go amana le dilo tse di kgatlhanong tsa lefatshe ba tshwanetse go dirisa mabaka a a batlegang ka go a sola molemo, gonne lefatshe mo seemong se le leng mo go sone le tlaa tloga le feta.

and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

32 Mo go tsotlhe tse lo di dirang, ke batla gore lo nne le kgololesego mo dingongoreng. Monna yo o sa nyalang o ka senya lobaka lwa gagwe a dira tiro ya Morena le go akanya ka fa o ka o itumedisang ka teng.

I want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the work of the Lord, how he can please the Lord.

33 Mme monna yo o nyetseng ga a ka ke a dira jalo sentle; o tshwanetse go akanya kaga dilo tsa lefatshe le ka fa o ka itumedisang mosadi wa gagwe ka teng.

But the married man is concerned about the affairs of this world, how he can please his wife,

34 Dikgatlhego tsa gagwe di kgaogane. Go tshwana fela le morweetsana yo o nyalwang. O lebana le mathata a a ntseng fela jalo. Morweetsana yo o sa nyalwang o tlhwaafalela go itumedisa Morena ka bojotlhe jwa gagwe le se o se dirang. Mme mosadi yo o nyetsweng o tshwanetse go akanya dilo tse dingwe jaaka go tlhokomela ntlo ya gagwe le go rata le go sa rate ga monna wa gagwe.

and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the work of the Lord, how she can be holy in both body and spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, how she can please her husband.

35 Ke bua se go lo thusa, eseng go lo itsa go nyala. Ke batla lo dira se lo bonang se ka lo thusa go direla Morena sentle, mme a go se nne le dilo tse dintsi tse di ka tlosang theetso ya lona mo go ene.

I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but in order to promote proper decorum and undivided devotion to the Lord.

36 Mme fa mongwe a batla go nyala ka ntlha ya gore o na le matshwenyego a a dirisang nama ya gagwe, go siame, ga se boleo, a a nyale.

However, if someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his betrothed, and if she is beyond her youth and they ought to marry, let him do as he wishes; he is not sinning; they should get married.

37 Mme fa monna a na le maitshegeletso a go tlhoka go nyala mme a ikaelela gore ga a batle ebile ga a nke a nyala, o dirile mogopolo o o siameng.

But the man who is firmly established in his heart and under no constraint, with control over his will and resolve in his heart not to marry the virgin, he will do well.

38 Jalo motho yo o nyalang o dira sentle, mme motho yo o sa nyaleng o dira sentle go gaisa.

So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.

39 Mosadi ke bontlha bongwe jwa monna mo botshelong jwa gagwe, fa monna wa gagwe a a swa, foo o ka nyalwa gape, mme fela fa a nyalwa ke Mokeresete.

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.

40 Mme mo mogopolong wa me, o tlaa itumela fa a sa nyalwe gape; ebile ke gopola gore ke lo naya kgakololo e e tswang mo Moweng wa Modimo fa ke bua se.

In my judgment, however, she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.