Romans 9
1 I am speaking the truth in Christ; I am not lying. My conscience offers testimony to me in the Holy Spirit,
Ngikhuluma iqiniso ngikuKhristu, kangiqambi manga, isazela sami siyakufakaza lokhu ngoMoya oNgcwele,
2 because the sadness within me is great, and there is a continuous sorrow in my heart.
Ngilosizi olukhulu lobuhlungu obungapheliyo enhliziyweni yami.
3 For I was desiring that I myself might be anathemized from Christ, for the sake of my brothers, who are my kinsmen according to the flesh.
Ngoba ngangifisa ukuba ngabe mina uqobo ngiyaqalekiswa ngisuswe kuKhristu ngenxa yabazalwane bami, labo abohlanga lwami ngokwenyama,
4 These are the Israelites, to whom belongs adoption as sons, and the glory and the testament, and the giving and following of the law, and the promises.
abantu bako-Israyeli. Okwabo yikwamukelwa njengamadodana, ngeyabo inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, lesivumelwano, lokwamukela umthetho, lenkonzo yasethempelini kanye lezithembiso.
5 Theirs are the fathers, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is over all things, blessed God, for all eternity. Amen. (aiōn g165)
Okhokho ngababo, njalo lusukela kubo usendo lwenyama lukaKhristu, onguNkulunkulu ophezu kwakho konke, odunyiswa kokuphela! Ameni. (aiōn g165)
6 But it is not that the Word of God has perished. For not all those who are Israelites are of Israel.
Akunjengokuthi ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lehluleka. Ngoba akusibo bonke abayinzalo ka-Israyeli abangama-Israyeli.
7 And not all sons are the offspring of Abraham: “For your offspring will be invoked in Isaac.”
Njalo ngoba yinzalo yakhe akusibo bonke abangabantwana baka-Abhrahama. Kodwa-ke, “Isizukulwane sakho sizabalwa ngo-Isaka.”
8 In other words, those who are the sons of God are not those who are sons of the flesh, but those who are sons of the Promise; these are considered to be the offspring.
Ngamanye amazwi, akusibantwana benyama abangabantwana bakaNkulunkulu, kodwa ngabantwana besithembiso ababalwa njengenzalo ka-Abhrahama.
9 For the word of promise is this: “I will return at the proper time. And there shall be a son for Sarah.”
Ngoba isithembiso satshiwo kanje: “Ngesikhathi esimisiweyo ngizaphenduka, njalo uSara uzakuba lendodana.”
10 And she was not alone. For Rebecca also, having conceived by Isaac our father, from one act,
Akusilokho kuphela, kodwa abantwana bakaRabheka bazalwa sikhathi sinye ngubaba wethu u-Isaka.
11 when the children had not yet been born, and had not yet done anything good or bad (such that the purpose of God might be based on their choice),
Kodwa amaphahla engakazalwa loba ukwenza ulutho oluhle kumbe olubi, ukuba inhloso kaNkulunkulu yokukhetha iqhubeke;
12 and not because of deeds, but because of a calling, it was said to her: “The elder shall serve the younger.”
hatshi ngemisebenzi kodwa ngaye obizayo, watshelwa ukuthi, “Omdala uzakhonza omncinyane.”
13 So also it was written: “I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.”
Njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi, “UJakhobe ngamthanda, kodwa u-Esawu ngamzonda.”
14 What should we say next? Is there unfairness with God? Let it not be so!
Pho sizakuthini na? UNkulunkulu kalunganga na? Akunjalo!
15 For to Moses he says: “I will pity whomever I pity. And I will offer mercy to whomever I will pity.”
Ngoba uthi kuMosi: “Ngizakuba lesihawu kulowo engilesihawu kuye, njalo ngizakuba lozwelo kulowo engilozwelo kuye.”
16 Therefore, it is not based on those who choose, nor on those who excel, but on God who takes pity.
Ngakho-ke, akuyi ngesifiso somuntu loba umzamo wakhe, kodwa ngesihawu sikaNkulunkulu.
17 For Scripture says to the Pharaoh: “I have raised you up for this purpose, so that I may reveal my power by you, and so that my name may be announced to all the earth.”
Ngoba umbhalo uthi kuFaro, “Ngakuphakamisela injongo yonale kanye, ukuze ngibonakalise amandla ami kuwe lokuthi ibizo lami litshunyayelwe emhlabeni wonke.”
18 Therefore, he takes pity on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
Ngakho uNkulunkulu ulesihawu kulowo athanda ukuba lesihawu kuye, njalo umenza abe lukhuni lowo athanda ukumenza abe lukhuni.
19 And so, you would say to me: “Then why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”
Omunye wenu uzakuthi kimi: “Pho kungani uNkulunkulu esisola? Ngoba ngubani ongamelana lentando yakhe na?”
20 O man, who are you to question God? How can the thing that has been formed say to the One who formed him: “Why have you made me this way?”
Kodwa ungubani wena, ungumuntu, ukuba uphendule uNkulunkulu na? Kambe okubunjiweyo kungatsho yini kulowo owakubumbayo kuthi, “Kungani wangenza ngabanje na?”
21 And does not the potter have the authority over the clay to make, from the same material, indeed, one vessel unto honor, yet truly another unto disgrace?
Umbumbi kalalo yini ilungelo lokuba ngengxenye yebumba efanayo enze okunye okubunjiweyo okomsebenzi omuhle lokomsebenzi ojayelekileyo na?
22 What if God, wanting to reveal his wrath and to make his power known, endured, with much patience, vessels deserving wrath, fit to be destroyed,
Kwakungaba njani-ke nxa uNkulunkulu wakhetha ukutshengisa ukubekezela okukhulu ezidalweni zentukuthelo yakhe ezazimiselwe ukubhujiswa etshengisa ulaka lwakhe lokwenza amandla akhe aziwe.
23 so that he might reveal the wealth of his glory, within these vessels of mercy, which he has prepared unto glory?
Kube kunjani nxa wenza lokhu ukuze enze ubuhle benkazimulo yakhe bazakale ezintweni zesihawu sakhe, azilungisela inkazimulo ngaphambilini,
24 And so it is with those of us whom he has also called, not only from among the Jews, but even from among the Gentiles,
kanye lathi asibizayo, hatshi kumaJuda kuphela, kodwa lakwabeZizweni?
25 just as he says in Hosea: “I will call those who were not my people, ‘my people,’ and she who was not beloved, ‘beloved,’ and she who had not obtained mercy, ‘one who has obtained mercy.’
Njengoba esitsho kuHosiya ukuthi: “Ngizababiza ngokuthi ‘ngabantu bami,’ labo Abangasibantu bami; njalo ngizambiza ‘sithandwa sami,’ lowo ongasiso isithandwa sami,”
26 And this shall be: in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they shall be called the sons of the living God.”
njalo, “Kuzakwenzakala ukuba kuyo kanye indawo lapho okwathiwa kubo, ‘Kalisibo bantu bami,’ bazabizwa ngokuthi ‘ngabantwana bakaNkulunkulu ophilayo.’”
27 And Isaiah cried out on behalf of Israel: “When the number of the sons of Israel is like the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved.
U-Isaya uyamemezela ngo-Israyeli esithi: “Lanxa inani labako-Israyeli linjengetshebetshebe ngasolwandle, kuzasindiswa insalela kuphela.
28 For he shall complete his word, while abbreviating it out of equity. For the Lord shall accomplish a brief word upon the earth.”
Ngoba iNkosi izasifeza isigwebo sayo emhlabeni ngesiqubu langokuphelelisa.”
29 And it is just as Isaiah predicted: “Unless the Lord of hosts had bequeathed offspring, we would have become like Sodom, and we would have been made similar to Gomorrah.”
Kunjengoba u-Isaya watsho mandulo ukuthi: “Aluba iNkosi uSomandla wayengasitshiyelanga inzalo, sasizakuba njengeSodoma, sasizafana leGomora.”
30 What should we say next? That the Gentiles who did not follow justice have attained justice, even the justice that is of faith.
Pho sizakuthini na? Sithi abeZizweni abangakudinganga ukulunga, sebekutholile, ukulunga okungokukholwa;
31 Yet truly, Israel, though following the law of justice, has not arrived at the law of justice.
kodwa u-Israyeli owalandela umthetho wokulunga, kakutholanga.
32 Why is this? Because they did not seek it from faith, but as if it were from works. For they stumbled over a stumbling block,
Kungani na? Ngoba kabawulandelanga ngokukholwa, kodwa kwakungemisebenzi. Bakhubeka elitsheni elikhubayo.
33 just as it was written: “Behold, I am placing a stumbling block in Zion, and a rock of scandal. But whoever believes in him shall not be confounded.”
Njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Khangelani, ngibeka eZiyoni ilitshe elikhubekisa abantu ledwala elibenza bawe, njalo lowo okholwa kuye kazukuyangiswa.”
