KwabaseRoma 9
1 Ngikhuluma iqiniso ngikuKhristu, kangiqambi manga, isazela sami siyakufakaza lokhu ngoMoya oNgcwele,
I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
2 Ngilosizi olukhulu lobuhlungu obungapheliyo enhliziyweni yami.
That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
3 Ngoba ngangifisa ukuba ngabe mina uqobo ngiyaqalekiswa ngisuswe kuKhristu ngenxa yabazalwane bami, labo abohlanga lwami ngokwenyama,
For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
4 abantu bako-Israyeli. Okwabo yikwamukelwa njengamadodana, ngeyabo inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, lesivumelwano, lokwamukela umthetho, lenkonzo yasethempelini kanye lezithembiso.
Who are Israelites; to whom [pertaineth] the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service [of God], and the promises;
5 Okhokho ngababo, njalo lusukela kubo usendo lwenyama lukaKhristu, onguNkulunkulu ophezu kwakho konke, odunyiswa kokuphela! Ameni. (aiōn g165)
Whose [are] the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ [came], who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. (aiōn g165)
6 Akunjengokuthi ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lehluleka. Ngoba akusibo bonke abayinzalo ka-Israyeli abangama-Israyeli.
Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they [are] not all Israel, which are of Israel:
7 Njalo ngoba yinzalo yakhe akusibo bonke abangabantwana baka-Abhrahama. Kodwa-ke, “Isizukulwane sakho sizabalwa ngo-Isaka.”
Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, [are they] all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 Ngamanye amazwi, akusibantwana benyama abangabantwana bakaNkulunkulu, kodwa ngabantwana besithembiso ababalwa njengenzalo ka-Abhrahama.
That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these [are] not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
9 Ngoba isithembiso satshiwo kanje: “Ngesikhathi esimisiweyo ngizaphenduka, njalo uSara uzakuba lendodana.”
For this [is] the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.
10 Akusilokho kuphela, kodwa abantwana bakaRabheka bazalwa sikhathi sinye ngubaba wethu u-Isaka.
And not only [this]; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, [even] by our father Isaac;
11 Kodwa amaphahla engakazalwa loba ukwenza ulutho oluhle kumbe olubi, ukuba inhloso kaNkulunkulu yokukhetha iqhubeke;
(For [the children] being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; )
12 hatshi ngemisebenzi kodwa ngaye obizayo, watshelwa ukuthi, “Omdala uzakhonza omncinyane.”
It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13 Njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi, “UJakhobe ngamthanda, kodwa u-Esawu ngamzonda.”
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
14 Pho sizakuthini na? UNkulunkulu kalunganga na? Akunjalo!
What shall we say then? [Is there] unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15 Ngoba uthi kuMosi: “Ngizakuba lesihawu kulowo engilesihawu kuye, njalo ngizakuba lozwelo kulowo engilozwelo kuye.”
For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16 Ngakho-ke, akuyi ngesifiso somuntu loba umzamo wakhe, kodwa ngesihawu sikaNkulunkulu.
So then [it is] not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
17 Ngoba umbhalo uthi kuFaro, “Ngakuphakamisela injongo yonale kanye, ukuze ngibonakalise amandla ami kuwe lokuthi ibizo lami litshunyayelwe emhlabeni wonke.”
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18 Ngakho uNkulunkulu ulesihawu kulowo athanda ukuba lesihawu kuye, njalo umenza abe lukhuni lowo athanda ukumenza abe lukhuni.
Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will [have mercy], and whom he will he hardeneth.
19 Omunye wenu uzakuthi kimi: “Pho kungani uNkulunkulu esisola? Ngoba ngubani ongamelana lentando yakhe na?”
Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
20 Kodwa ungubani wena, ungumuntu, ukuba uphendule uNkulunkulu na? Kambe okubunjiweyo kungatsho yini kulowo owakubumbayo kuthi, “Kungani wangenza ngabanje na?”
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed [it], Why hast thou made me thus?
21 Umbumbi kalalo yini ilungelo lokuba ngengxenye yebumba efanayo enze okunye okubunjiweyo okomsebenzi omuhle lokomsebenzi ojayelekileyo na?
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22 Kwakungaba njani-ke nxa uNkulunkulu wakhetha ukutshengisa ukubekezela okukhulu ezidalweni zentukuthelo yakhe ezazimiselwe ukubhujiswa etshengisa ulaka lwakhe lokwenza amandla akhe aziwe.
[What] if God, willing to shew [his] wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23 Kube kunjani nxa wenza lokhu ukuze enze ubuhle benkazimulo yakhe bazakale ezintweni zesihawu sakhe, azilungisela inkazimulo ngaphambilini,
And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
24 kanye lathi asibizayo, hatshi kumaJuda kuphela, kodwa lakwabeZizweni?
Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
25 Njengoba esitsho kuHosiya ukuthi: “Ngizababiza ngokuthi ‘ngabantu bami,’ labo Abangasibantu bami; njalo ngizambiza ‘sithandwa sami,’ lowo ongasiso isithandwa sami,”
As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
26 njalo, “Kuzakwenzakala ukuba kuyo kanye indawo lapho okwathiwa kubo, ‘Kalisibo bantu bami,’ bazabizwa ngokuthi ‘ngabantwana bakaNkulunkulu ophilayo.’”
And it shall come to pass, [that] in the place where it was said unto them, Ye [are] not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.
27 U-Isaya uyamemezela ngo-Israyeli esithi: “Lanxa inani labako-Israyeli linjengetshebetshebe ngasolwandle, kuzasindiswa insalela kuphela.
Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
28 Ngoba iNkosi izasifeza isigwebo sayo emhlabeni ngesiqubu langokuphelelisa.”
For he will finish the work, and cut [it] short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
29 Kunjengoba u-Isaya watsho mandulo ukuthi: “Aluba iNkosi uSomandla wayengasitshiyelanga inzalo, sasizakuba njengeSodoma, sasizafana leGomora.”
And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
30 Pho sizakuthini na? Sithi abeZizweni abangakudinganga ukulunga, sebekutholile, ukulunga okungokukholwa;
What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
31 kodwa u-Israyeli owalandela umthetho wokulunga, kakutholanga.
But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
32 Kungani na? Ngoba kabawulandelanga ngokukholwa, kodwa kwakungemisebenzi. Bakhubeka elitsheni elikhubayo.
Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
33 Njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Khangelani, ngibeka eZiyoni ilitshe elikhubekisa abantu ledwala elibenza bawe, njalo lowo okholwa kuye kazukuyangiswa.”
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
