Galatians 4
1 But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all,
Engikutshoyo yikuthi nxa indlalifa isesengumntwana, kayehlukananga lesigqili lanxa nje ingumnikazi welifa lonke.
2 but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by the father.
Ingaphansi kwabaphathi lababambeli kuze kufike isikhathi esabekwa nguyise.
3 So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world.
Ngokunjalo lathi ngesikhathi sisesengabantwana sasiyizigqili ngaphansi kwempi yemimoya yalumhlaba.
4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,
Kodwa kwathi lapho isikhathi sesifike ngokupheleleyo, uNkulunkulu wathuma iNdodana yakhe, yazalwa ngowesifazane, izalwa ngaphansi komthetho,
5 that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as children.
ukuba ihlenge abangaphansi komthetho, ukuze sithole amalungelo apheleleyo amadodana atholakeleyo.
6 And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”
Njengokuba lingamadodana, uNkulunkulu wathumela uMoya weNdodana yakhe enhliziyweni zenu, omemezayo usithi, “Abha, Baba.”
7 So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Ngakho kawuseyiso isigqili kodwa indodana kaNkulunkulu; njalo njengoba usuyindodana, uNkulunkulu usekwenze waba yindlalifa futhi.
8 However at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods.
Ekuqaleni, lingakamazi uNkulunkulu laliyizigqili zalabo abangayisibo onkulunkulu ngemvelo.
9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again?
Kodwa khathesi uNkulunkulu selimazi, loba ngithi uNkulunkulu uselazi, pho kungani libuyela emuva empini yemimoya yalumhlaba ebuthakathaka leyize na? Liyafisa ukuthi ligqilazwe yiyo njalo na?
10 You observe days, months, seasons, and years.
Lina ligcina insuku ezithile lezinyanga, izikhathi zomnyaka kanye leminyaka!
11 I am afraid for you, that I might have wasted my labor for you.
Ngiyalesabela, ukuthi ngenye indlela sengichithe imizamo yami kini.
12 I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong,
Ngiyalincenga bazalwane, wobani njengami, ngoba lami ngaba njengani. Kalingenzelanga lutho olubi.
13 but you know that because of weakness in the flesh I preached the Good News to you the first time.
Njengoba lisazi, ngatshumayela ivangeli kini kuqala ngenxa yomkhuhlane.
14 That which was a temptation to you in my flesh, you didn’t despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
Lanxa isimo somzimba wami sasiyisilingo kini, kalizange lingeyise kumbe lingihleke. Kodwa langamukela sengathi ngangiyingilosi kaNkulunkulu, sengathi nganginguKhristu uJesu yena ngokwakhe.
15 What was the blessing you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.
Intokozo yenu yonke isiyengaphi na? Ngingafakaza ukuthi aluba lalingenzanjalo, lalingakopola amehlo enu linginike wona.
16 So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Khathesi sengibe yisitha senu ngokulitshela iqiniso na?
17 They zealously seek you in no good way. No, they desire to alienate you, that you may seek them.
Labobantu batshisekela ukulenza abazalwane babo, kodwa hatshi ngobuhle. Abakufunayo yikulehlukanisa lathi ukuze litshisekele bona.
18 But it is always good to be zealous in a good cause, and not only when I am present with you.
Ukutshiseka kulungile nxa injongo inhle, lokuba kube njalo kokuphela, hatshi kuphela nxa ngilani.
19 My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you—
Bantwabami abathandekayo, lina engilomhelo ngani futhi uKhristu aze abunjwe phakathi kwenu,
20 but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.
ngiyafisa kakhulu ukuba lani khathesi ngiguqule isimo sami, ngoba ngikhathazekile ngani!
21 Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, don’t you listen to the law?
Ngitshelani lina elifuna ukuba ngaphansi komthetho, kalikwazi yini ukuthi umthetho uthini?
22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant, and one by the free woman.
Ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi u-Abhrahama wayelamadodana amabili, enye ingeyesigqilikazi lenye ingeyowesifazane okhululekileyo.
23 However, the son by the servant was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise.
Indodana yakhe yesigqilikazi yazalwa ngokwenyama; kodwa indodana yakhe yowesifazane okhululekileyo yazalwa kulandela isithembiso.
24 These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar.
Izinto lezi zingathathwa njengomzekeliso; ngoba abesifazane ababili bamele izivumelwano ezimbili. Esinye isivumelwano sivela eNtabeni yeSinayi e-Arabhiya njalo sizala abantwana abazakuba yizigqili: Lo nguHagari.
25 For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children.
UHagari umele iNtaba yeSinayi e-Arabhiya njalo uhambelana ledolobho lakhathesi eleJerusalema, ngoba lisebugqilini kanye labantwana balo.
26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Kodwa iJerusalema ephezulu ikhululekile, njalo ingumama wethu.
27 For it is written, “Rejoice, you barren who don’t bear. Break out and shout, you who don’t travail. For the desolate women have more children than her who has a husband.”
Ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Thokoza mfazi oyinyumba, wena ongazange uzale umntwana; umemeze ngenjabulo ukhale kakhulu, wena ongakaze uhelelwe; ngoba abantwana bomfazi olahliweyo banengi kulabalowo olendoda.”
28 Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise.
Ngakho lina bazalwane, njengo-Isaka, lingabantwana besithembiso.
29 But as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.
Ngalesosikhathi indodana eyazalwa ngokwenyama yahlukuluza indodana eyazalwa ngamandla kaMoya. Kunjalo lakhathesi.
30 However, what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the servant and her son, for the son of the servant will not inherit with the son of the free woman.”
Kodwa umbhalo uthini na? Uthi: “Susa isigqilikazi lendodana yaso, ngoba indodana yesigqilikazi kayiyikwabelana ilifa lendodana yowesifazane okhululekileyo.”
31 So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant, but of the free woman.
Ngakho, bazalwane, thina kasisibo bantwana besigqilikazi, kodwa abowesifazane okhululekileyo.
