1 Corinthians 4
1 So let a man think of us as Christ’s servants and stewards of God’s mysteries.
Umuntu kanakane ngathi ngokunje, njengezisebenzi zikaKristu labaphathi bezimfihlo zikaNkulunkulu.
2 Here, moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
Futhi-ke, kuyadingeka ebaphathini, ukuthi umuntu aficwe ethembekile.
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by a human court. Yes, I don’t even judge my own self.
Kodwa kimi kuyinto encinyane kakhulu ukuthi ngithonisiswe yini, kumbe ngokwahlulela kwabantu; kodwa lami kangizithonisisi.
4 For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.
Ngoba kanginanzeleli lutho kimi, kanti kangilungisiswanga ngalokho; kodwa ongahlulelayo yiNkosi.
5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.
Ngakho lingahluleli lutho isikhathi singakafiki, ize ifike iNkosi, ezaveza futhi ekukhanyeni izinto ezifihlakeleyo emnyameni, njalo iveze obala amacebo ezinhliziyo; njalo khona ngulowo lalowo ezakuba lokubongwa okuvela kuNkulunkulu.
6 Now these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.
Njalo lezizinto, bazalwane, ngiziqondanise lami loApolosi ngenxa yenu, ukuze lifunde kithi ukuthi lingakhumbuli phezu kokulotshiweyo, ukuze lingakhukhunyezwa omunye ngomunye limelane lomunye.
7 For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn’t receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
Ngoba ngubani okwenza ukuthi wehluke? Njalo kuyini olakho ongakwemukelanga? Njalo uba lawe wemukele, uzincomelani ngokungathi kawemukelanga?
8 You are already filled. You have already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that you did reign, that we also might reign with you!
Selisuthi, selinothile, libusile ngaphandle kwethu; yebo-ke kungathi ngabe liyabusa, ukuze lathi sibuse kanye lani.
9 For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last of all, like men sentenced to death. For we are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men.
Ngoba ngithi uNkulunkulu usimisile thina abaphostoli bokucina, sibe njengabamiselwe ukufa; ngoba senziwe umbukiso emhlabeni, lakuzo ingilosi, lebantwini.
10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.
Thina siyizithutha ngenxa kaKristu, kodwa lina lihlakaniphile kuKristu; thina sibuthakathaka, kodwa lina lilamandla; lina liyahlonitshwa, kodwa thina siyadelelwa.
11 Even to this present hour we hunger, thirst, are naked, are beaten, and have no certain dwelling place.
Kuze kube lihola lakhathesi silambile, somile, sihambaze, siyatshaywa ngenqindi, siyimihambuma,
12 We toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure.
siyatshikatshika sisebenza ngezethu izandla; sithi sithukwa sibusise; sithi sizingelwa sibekezele;
13 Being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now.
sithi sinyeywa sincenge; senziwa njengamanyala omhlaba, imfucuza yezinto zonke, kuze kube khathesi.
14 I don’t write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.
Kangilibhaleli lezizinto ukuthi ngilithele inhloni, kodwa ngileluleka njengabantwana bami abathandekayo.
15 For though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you don’t have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the Good News.
Ngoba lanxa lilabeluleki abayizinkulungwane ezilitshumi kuKristu, kodwa kalilaboyihlo abanengi; ngoba mina ngalizala kuKristu Jesu ngevangeli.
16 I beg you therefore, be imitators of me.
Ngakho ngiyalincenga: Banini ngabalingisi bami.
17 Because of this I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every assembly.
Ngalokho ngithume kini uTimothi, ongumntanami othandekayo lothembekileyo eNkosini, ozalikhumbuza ngenhambo zami ezikuKristu, njengoba ngifundisa endaweni zonke kulo lonke ibandla.
18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.
Kodwa abanye bazikhukhumezile ngokungathi kangiyikuza kini.
19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing. And I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.
Kanti ngizakuza kini masinyane, uba iNkosi ivuma, njalo ngizakwazi, hatshi ilizwi lalabo abazikhukhumezayo, kodwa amandla.
20 For God’s Kingdom is not in word, but in power.
Ngoba umbuso kaNkulunkulu kawungelizwi kodwa ngamandla.
21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
Lifunani? Ngize kini ngenduku yini, kumbe ngothando lomoya ochumileyo?
