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,
Kodwa ngithi, ngaso sonke isikhathi indlalifa iseyingane, kayehlukananga ngalutho esigqilini lanxa ingumnikazi wakho konke;
2 but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by the father.
kodwa ingaphansi kwabaphathi lababonisi, kuze kufike isikhathi esamiswa nguyise.
3 So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world.
Ngokunjalo lathi, lapho siseyizingane, sasiyizigqili ngaphansi kwemfundiso zakuqala zomhlaba;
4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,
kodwa kwathi ukuphelela kwesikhathi sekufikile, uNkulunkulu wathuma iNdodana yakhe, yazalwa ngowesifazana, yenziwa ngaphansi komthetho,
5 that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as children.
ukuze ihlenge abangaphansi komlayo, ukuze semukele ukuma kwabantwana.
6 And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”
Njengoba lingamadodana, uNkulunkulu wathuma uMoya weNdodana yakhe enhliziyweni zenu, ememeza esithi: 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; njalo uba uyindodana, futhi uyindlalifa kaNkulunkulu ngoKristu.
8 However at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods.
Kodwa ngalesosikhathi, lingamazi uNkulunkulu, laliyizigqili kulabo abangeyisibo 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 lokhu selimazi uNkulunkulu, yebo kangithi lisaziwa nguNkulunkulu, libuyela njani futhi kumfundiso zakuqala ezibuthakathaka leziyibuyanga, elifuna ukuba yizigqili zazo futhi kakutsha?
10 You observe days, months, seasons, and years.
Ligcina izinsuku, lezinyanga lezikhathi, leminyaka.
11 I am afraid for you, that I might have wasted my labor for you.
Ngilovalo ngani, hlezi ngitshikatshikele ize kini.
12 I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong,
Banini njengami, ngoba lami nginjengani, bazalwane, ngiyalincenga; kalingonanga ngalutho;
13 but you know that because of weakness in the flesh I preached the Good News to you the first time.
liyazi-ke ukuthi ngobuthakathaka benyama ngatshumayela ivangeli kini ngokokuqala,
14 That which was a temptation to you in my flesh, you did not despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
lokulingwa kwami okwakusenyameni yami kalikudelelanga njalo kalikwenyanyanga, kodwa langemukela njengengilosi kaNkulunkulu, njengoKristu Jesu.
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.
Ngakho sasiyini isibusiso senu? Ngoba ngiyalifakazela ukuthi, uba kungenzeka, lalingakhupha amehlo enu linginike.
16 So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Ngakho sengibeyisitha senu ngokulitshela iqiniso yini?
17 They zealously seek you in no good way. No, they desire to alienate you, that you may seek them.
Bayalitshisekela ngokungekuhle; kodwa bafuna ukulivalela ngaphandle, 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.
Kodwa kuhle ukuthi litshisekelelwe kokuhle isikhathi sonke, njalo kungabi sebukhoneni bami lani kuphela.
19 My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you—
Bantwana bami abancane, engilomhelo futhi wokulizala aze uKristu abunjwe kini,
20 but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.
kodwa bengingathanda ukuba khona lani khathesi, ngiphendule ilizwi lami, ngoba ngididekile ngani.
21 Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, do not you listen to the law?
Ngitshelani, lina elithanda ukuba ngaphansi komlayo, kaliwuzwa yini umlayo?
22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant, and one by the free woman.
Ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi uAbrahama wayelamadodana amabili; enye ingeyesigqilikazi, lenye ingeyokhululekileyo.
23 However, the son by the servant was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise.
Kodwa eyesigqilikazi yazalwa ngokwenyama, kodwa eyokhululekileyo ngesithembiso.
24 These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar.
Okuyizinto ezingumzekeliso; ngoba laba bayizivumelwano ezimbili; esinye esentabeni iSinayi, esizalela ebugqilini, esinguAgari.
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.
Ngoba lokhu, uAgari, kuyintaba iSinayi eseArabhiya, njalo imele iJerusalema yalamuhla, futhi iyisigqili kanye labantwana bayo.
26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Kodwa iJerusalema ephezulu ikhululekile, engumama wethu sonke;
27 For it is written, “Rejoice, you barren who do not bear. Break out and shout, you who do not travail. For the desolate women have more children than her who has a husband.”
ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: Thokoza, wena nyumba engazaliyo; kekela umemeze, wena ongawuzwanga umhelo; ngoba abantwana botshiyiweyo banengi okwedlula kakhulu kulaye olendoda.
28 Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise.
Kodwa thina, bazalwane, njengoIsaka singabantwana 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.
Kodwa njengakulesosikhathi owazalwa ngokwenyama wamzingela yena ongowakoMoya, 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? Uthi: Xotsha isigqilikazi lendodana yaso; ngoba indodana yesigqilikazi kayisoze idle ilifa kanye lendodana yokhululekileyo.
31 So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant, but of the free woman.
Ngakho, bazalwane, kasisibo abantwana besigqilikazi, kodwa bokhululekileyo.
