1 KwabaseKhorinte 7

1 Mayelana-ke lezinto elangibhalela ngazo, kuhle emuntwini ukuthi angamthinti owesifazana.

Now concerning the things of which ye wrote to me. It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

2 Kodwa ngenxa yokuphinga, ngulowo lalowo kumele abe lowakhe umfazi, njalo ngulowo lalowomfazi abe leyakhe indoda.

But because of fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

3 Indoda kayenanise kumfazi isifiso esihle esifaneleyo; langokunjalo lomfazi endodeni.

Let the husband render the goodwill owed to the wife, and likewise also the wife to the husband.

4 Umfazi kalamandla phezu kowakhe umzimba, kodwa indoda; langokunjalo lendoda kayilamandla phezu kowayo umzimba, kodwa umfazi.

The wife has not the right of her private body, but the husband, and likewise also the husband has not the right of his private body, but the wife.

5 Lingagodlelani, ngaphandle kokuvumelana okwesikhathi, ukuthi lizinikele ekuzileni ukudla lekukhulekeni, libuye lihlangane futhi, ukuze uSathane angalilingi ngokungazithibi kwenu.

Do not defraud each other except from agreement for a time, so that ye may have time for fasting and prayer. And come together again for the same thing, so that Satan not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6 Kodwa lokhu ngikutsho ngemvumo, kungeyisikho ngomlayo.

But I say this from concession not from commandment.

7 Ngoba ngithanda ukuthi abantu bonke babe njengami; kodwa ngulowo lalowo ulesakhe isiphiwo esivela kuNkulunkulu, omunye ngokunjalo, lomunye ngokunjalo.

For I wish all men to be even as myself. However each man has his own gift from God, one in this way, and another after that.

8 Kodwa kwabangendanga labafelokazi ngithi: Kuhle kubo uba behlala njengami.

But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I.

9 Kodwa uba bengelakuzithiba kabende; ngoba kungcono ukwenda kulokutsha.

But if they have no self-control they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn.

10 Kodwa kwabendileyo ngiyabalaya, kungeyisimi kodwa yiNkosi, ukuthi umfazi kangehlukani lendoda;

And to those who are married, I do not command but the Lord. The wife is not to separate from her husband.

11 kodwa uba laye esehlukana, kahlale engendanga, kumbe abuyisane lendoda; lendoda kayingamlahli umfazi.

But even if she separates, she shall remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to leave his wife.

12 Kodwa kwabanye kutsho mina, kungeyisiyo iNkosi, ukuthi: Uba loba nguwuphi umzalwane elomfazi ongakholwayo, njalo yena evuma ukuhlala laye, angamlahli.

But to the rest I say, not the Lord. If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and this woman consents to dwell with him, he should not leave her.

13 Lomfazi olendoda engakholwayo, njalo ivuma ukuhlala laye, angayitshiyi.

And whichever woman has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to dwell with her, she should not leave him.

14 Ngoba indoda engakholwayo yenziwa ibe ngcwele ngomfazi, lomfazi ongakholwayo wenziwa abe ngcwele ngendoda. Uba kungenjalo abantwana benu ngabangcolileyo, kodwa khathesi bangcwele.

For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified by the husband, then otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

15 Uba-ke ongakholwayo ezehlukanisa, kazehlukanise; kwezinjalo umzalwane kumbe umzalwanekazi kabotshwanga; kodwa uNkulunkulu usibizele ekuthuleni.

But if the unbeliever separates, he shall separate. The brother or the sister has not been bound in such things. And God has called us to peace.

16 Ngoba wazi ngani, mfazi, ukuthi uzayisindisa indoda? Kumbe wazi ngani, ndoda, ukuthi uzamsindisa umfazi?

For how do thou know, O wife, whether thou will save thy husband? Or how will thou know, O husband, whether thou will save thy wife?

17 Kuphela nje njengokuthi uNkulunkulu ababele ngulowo lalowo, njengoba iNkosi ibizile ngulowo lalowo, akahambe ngokunjalo. Langokunjalo ngiyalaya emabandleni wonke.

Except, as God has distributed to each man, as the Lord has called each, so let him walk. And so I command in all the congregations.

18 Ukhona yini owabizwa esokile? Kangabi ngongasokwanga. Ukhona yini owabizwa engasokanga? Kangasokwa.

Was any man called circumcised? He should not become uncircumcised. Was any man called in uncircumcision? He should not be circumcised.

19 Ukusoka kakusilutho, lokungasoki kakusilutho, kodwa ukulondolozwa kwemilayo kaNkulunkulu.

Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, instead, the keeping of God's commandments.

20 Ngulowo lalowo kahlale kubizo abizwe kulo.

Each man, in the situation in which he was called, in this he should remain.

21 Wabizwa uyisigqili yini? Ungakhathazeki ngakho. Kodwa uba lawe ungakhululeka, kungcono ukusebenzise.

Were thou called being a bondman? It should not concern thee. However if also thou are able to become free, take advantage of it instead.

22 Ngoba lo obizwa eNkosini eyisigqili ungokhululekileyo weNkosi; ngokunjalo lalowo owabizwa ekhululekile, uyisigqili sikaKristu.

For he who was called in the Lord a bondman is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise also he who was called a free man is a bondman of Christ.

23 Lathengwa ngentengo; lingabi yizigqili zabantu.

Ye were bought with a price, become not bondmen of men.

24 Ngulowo lalowo abizelwe kukho, bazalwane, kahlale kukho loNkulunkulu.

Brothers, each man, in what he was called, should remain in this before God.

25 Kodwa mayelana lentombi kangilawo umlayo weNkosi; kodwa ngiyeluleka njengowemukele isihawu eNkosini ukuba athembeke.

Now concerning the virgins I have no commandment of the Lord, but I give an opinion, as having obtained mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy.

26 Ngakho ngikhumbula ukuthi lokhu kuhle ngenxa yenkathazo ezikhona, ukuthi kuhle emuntwini ukubanje.

I suppose therefore this to be good because of the present distress, that it is good for a man to be this way:

27 Ubotshelwe emfazini yini? Ungadingi ukukhululwa. Ukhululwe emfazini yini? Ungadingi umfazi.

Are thou bound to a wife? Do not seek separation. Are thou free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

28 Kodwa uba lawe uthatha, kawoni; lentombi uba isenda, kayoni. Kanti abanjalo bazakuba lenkathazo enyameni; mina-ke ngiyaliphephisa.

But also if thou did marry thou have not sinned, and if the virgin married she has not sinned. Yet such kind will have stress in the flesh, but I spare you.

29 Kodwa ngitsho lokhu, bazalwane, ukuthi isikhathi sifitshane; kusukela khathesi labalabafazi kababe njengabangelabo;

But this I say, brothers, the time is shortened. It is the remaining, so that also those who have wives may be as not having,

30 labakhalayo, njengabangakhaliyo; labathokozayo, njengabangathokoziyo; labathengayo, njengabangelalutho;

and those who weep, as not weeping, and those who rejoice, as not rejoicing, and those who buy, as not possessing,

31 labasebenzisa lumhlaba, njengabangawusebenzisisiyo; ngoba isimo salumhlaba siyedlula.

and those who use this world, as not making full use, for the form of this world passes away.

32 Kodwa ngithanda ukuthi lingabi lakukhathazeka. Ongathathanga ukhathalela izinto zeNkosi, ukuthi uzayithokozisa njani iNkosi;

But I want you to be without worry. The unmarried man cares for things of the Lord, how he will please the Lord.

33 kodwa othetheyo ukhathalela izinto zomhlaba, ukuthi uzamthokozisa njani umfazi.

But he who is married cares for things of the world, how he will please his wife.

34 Wehlukene umfazi lentombi. Ongathathwanga ukhathalela okweNkosi, ukuze abe ngcwele emzimbeni kanye lemoyeni; kodwa othethweyo ukhathalela okomhlaba, ukuthi uzayithokozisa njani indoda.

And the wife and the virgin are differentiated. The unmarried woman is concerned for the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married is concerned for the things of the world, how she will please her husband.

35 Lalokhu ngikutsho ukuthi kube ngolwenu usizo; kungesikuthi ngiliphosele umchilo wokulikhina, kodwa ngokokufaneleyo lokubambelela eNkosini kungelakuphazamiseka.

And I say this for your own benefit, not that I may cast restraint upon you, but for what is respectable and assiduous toward the Lord, undistracted.

36 Kodwa uba umuntu ebona ukuthi uziphatha ngokungafanelanga entombini yakhe, yona isikhulile, futhi kumele kwenzeke kanje, kenze akufunayo; koni; kabatshade.

But if any man thinks to behave improperly toward his virgin, if it is past the best time, and so ought to happen, she should do what she wants, she does not sin, they should marry.

37 Kodwa omiyo eqinile enhliziyweni yakhe, engacindezelwa lutho, futhi elamandla ngesakhe isifiso, esekumisile lokhu enhliziyweni yakhe ukuthi uzagcina eyakhe intombi, wenza kuhle;

But he who stands firm in his heart, not having necessity, but has power based upon his own will, and has decided this in his heart, to keep his own celibacy, does well.

38 ngakho lowo owendisayo wenza kuhle; kodwa ongendisiyo wenza ngcono.

And therefore he who gives in marriage does well, but he who does not give in marriage does better.

39 Umfazi ubotshiwe ngomthetho selokhu indoda yakhe iphila; kodwa uba indoda yakhe isifile, ukhululekile ukuthi endele kulowo amthandayo, kuphela eNkosini.

A wife is bound by law as long a time as her husband lives, but also if the husband should sleep, she is free to be married to whom she desires, only in the Lord.

40 Kodwa uyathaba kakhulu uba ehlala enjalo, ngokubona kwami; ngikhumbula-ke ukuthi lami ngiloMoya kaNkulunkulu.

But she is more blessed if she remains this way according to my opinion. And I also seem to have Spirit of God.