UFilimoni 1
1 Mina Phawuli, isibotshwa sikaKhristu uJesu, loThimothi umzalwane wethu, KuFilimoni umngane wethu othandekayo loyisisebenzi kanye lathi,
To my beloved friend and coworker Philemon,
2 ku-Afiya udadewethu, ku-Akhiphasi olibutho kanye lathi, lasebandleni elihlanganela ekhaya lakho ngithi:
to my sister Apphia, to my fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church which meets at Philemon’s house. From Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and brother Timothy.
3 Umusa kawube kuwe kanye lokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba leNkosini uJesu Khristu.
Grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 Ngihlezi ngimbonga kokuphela uNkulunkulu wami lapho ngikukhumbula emikhulekweni yami
I am ever mentioning you in my prayers, and giving thanks to God,
5 ngoba ngiyezwa ngothando lwakho lokukholwa eNkosini uJesu kanye lothando lwakho kubo bonke abangcwele.
because I am hearing of your love and of the faith which you hold, not only toward the Lord Jesus Christ, but toward all the saints.
6 Ngikhulekela ukuba ukuhlanganyela kwakho kanye lathi ekukholweni kube lomfutho ngokujula ekuqedisiseni kwakho konke ukulunga esikwabelana ngenxa kaKhristu.
And I pray that your participation may become effectual, as you come to acknowledge every good thing which is in you to Christ.
7 Uthando lwakho lungiphe ukuthokoza okukhulu lokududuzeka ngoba wena, mzalwane, uvuselele inhliziyo zabangcwele.
For I have great joy and comfort in your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed.
8 Ngakho-ke, lanxa kuKhristu ngingaba lesibindi ngikulaye ukuba wenze lokho okumele ukwenze
And so, although I might be bold in Christ to dictate to you what is fitting,
9 kodwa ngiyakuncenga ngenxa yothando. Ngakho-ke, mina Phawuli, umuntu omdala khathesi oyisibotshwa sikaKhristu uJesu futhi,
yet for love’s sake, I rather beseech you, I, Paul, an old man, and now a prisoner for Christ Jesus!
10 ngiyakuncenga ngenxa yendodana yami u-Onesimasi owaba yindodana yami ngibotshiwe.
I beseech you for my son, Onesimus, whom I have begotten in these chains.
11 Kuqala wayengelasizo kuwe kodwa khathesi uselusizo kuwe lakimi.
Once you found him "unprofitable," but now he is "profitable" to you and to me.
12 Ngimthuma kuwe yena othandwe yinhliziyo yami.
I am sending him back to you, he himself, that is, my very heart!
13 Kade ngingathanda ukuhlala laye ukuze athathe indawo yakho yokungisiza ngisabotshelwe ivangeli.
I could wish to retain him at my side, so that he might minister to me in your stead, in my bonds for the gospel.
14 Kodwa angithandanga ukwenza lutho kungelamvumo yakho ukuze kuthi loba ngumusa owenzayo ube ngowokuzithandela hatshi ukubanjwa ngamandla.
But without your consent I was unwilling to do anything, so that your kindness to me might be of your own free will, and not of compulsion.
15 Mhlawumbe isizatho sokwehlukaniswa lawe okwesikhatshana sasiyikuthi ube laye futhi kokuphela (aiōnios g166)
Perhaps for this reason you were separated from him for an hour, in order that you might have him back forever, (aiōnios g166)
16 engaseyiso sigqili kodwa esengcono kulesigqili njengomzalwane othandekayo. Uyathandeka kimi kodwa uthandeka kakhulu kuwe njengomunye wakho lanjengomzalwane eNkosini.
no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, as a brother beloved; especially dear to me, but how much more to you, both as a man and a fellow Christian.
17 Ngakho-ke, nxa ungithatha njengohlanganyela lawe, mamukele ngendlela obuzangamukela ngayo.
If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me.
18 Nxa kulokubi akwenze kuwe kumbe elesikwelede kuwe, kubalele kimi.
And if he has wronged you at all, or is owing you anything, charge that to me.
19 Mina Phawuli, ngiloba lokhu ngesandla sami. Ngizahlawula ngingabali ukuthi lawe ulomlandu kimi wena ngokwakho.
I Paul am writing this in my own handwriting, "I will repay you." But I will not mention that you owe me, over and over, your very soul.
20 Ngiyafisa, mzalwane, ukuba ngithole usizo oluthile kuwe eNkosini; uvuselele inhliziyo yami kuKhristu.
Come my brother, let me have joy in the Lord because of you! Refresh my heart in Christ!
21 Ngileqiniso ngokulalela kwakho, ngikulobela ngisazi ukuthi uzakwenza okudlula engikucelayo.
Because I am thoroughly persuaded of your obedience, I have written you, knowing full well that you will do by me what I am asking.
22 Okunye njalo yilokhu: Ngilungisela indlu yezihambi ngoba ngithemba ukuba ngizabuyiselwa kuwe ngenxa yemikhuleko yakho.
Please also prepare for me a lodging, for I am hoping by your prayers to be restored to you again.
23 U-Ephafrasi oyisibotshwa kanye lami ngenxa kaKhristu uJesu, uyakubingelela.
Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greeting;
24 UMakho, lo-Aristakhasi, loDemasi kanye loLukha abayizisebenzi kanye lami bayakubingelela.
so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25 Umusa weNkosi uJesu Khristu kawube lomoya wakho.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
