Kwabase-Efesu 5

1 Ngakho banini ngabalandeli bakaNkulunkulu, njengabantwana abathandekayo;

Become ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children.

2 njalo lihambe ethandweni, njengalokhu uKristu laye wasithanda, wazinikelela thina abe ngumnikelo lomhlatshelo kuNkulunkulu ukuba luqhatshi olumnandi.

And walk in love, as also the Christ loved us, and delivered himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a fragrant aroma.

3 Kodwa ubufebe lakho konke ukungcola kumbe umhawu kakungaphathwa lakanye phakathi kwenu, njengoba kufanele abangcwele;

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or greed, shall not even be named among you as befits the sanctified,

4 lamanyala, lokukhuluma okuyize, kumbe ukusoma okulenhlamba, okuyizinto ezingafanelanga; kodwa kulalokhu, ukubonga.

also indecency, and foolish talking or jesting, things not befitting, but thankfulness instead.

5 Ngoba lokhu liyakwazi, ukuthi sonke isifebe, kumbe ongcolileyo, kumbe olomhawu, ongumkhonzi wezithombe, kalalifa embusweni kaKristu lokaNkulunkulu.

For ye are men who know this, that no fornicator, or unclean man, or covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and God.

6 Kakungabi lamuntu olikhohlisayo ngamazwi ayize; ngoba ngenxa yalezizinto ulaka lukaNkulunkulu luyehlela phezu kwabantwana bokungalaleli.

Let no man deceive you by empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

7 Ngakho lingabi ngabahlanganyeli labo.

Do not become ye therefore partakers with them.

8 Ngoba lake laba ngumnyama, kodwa khathesi liyikukhanya eNkosini; hambani njengabantwana bokukhanya,

For ye were once darkness, but now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

9 ngoba isithelo sikaMoya sikubo bonke ubuhle lokulunga leqiniso,

(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

10 lihlolisise okuthokozisayo eNkosini;

proving what is acceptable to the Lord.

11 njalo lingahlanganyeli lemisebenzi yobumnyama engelazithelo, kodwa-ke kulalokho solani;

And do not associate with the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead even rebuke them.

12 ngoba kuthelela inhloni lokukhuluma ngezinto ezenziwa yibo ekusithekeni.

For it is disgusting even to speak of the things happening by them secretly.

13 Kodwa konke okusolwayo yikukhanya kuyabonakaliswa; ngoba konke okubonakaliswayo kuyikukhanya,

But all things exposed are revealed by the light, for everything that is seen is light.

14 ngakho uthi: Phaphama wena oleleyo uvuke kwabafileyo, njalo uKristu uzakukhanyisela.

Therefore he says, Awake, thou who sleep. And arise from the dead, and the Christ will shine upon thee.

15 Ngakho qaphelani ukuthi lihamba njani ngonanzelelo, kungabi njengezithutha, kodwa njengabahlakaniphileyo,

Therefore watch carefully how ye walk, not as unwise but as wise,

16 lihlenga isikhathi, ngoba insuku zimbi.

redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17 Ngakho lingabi yizithutha, kodwa liqedisisa okuyintando yeNkosi.

Because of this do not become foolish, but understanding what is the will of the Lord.

18 Njalo lingadakwa liwayini, okukulo umsindo, kodwa gcwaliswani nguMoya,

And do not become intoxicated with wine, during which is debauchery, but be filled in Spirit,

19 likhulumisana ngezihlabelelo langamahubo okudumisa langezingoma zomoya, lihlabelele licule eNkosini enhliziyweni yenu,

speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and striking strings in your heart to the Lord,

20 limbonga njalo uNkulunkulu loBaba ngazo zonke izinto ebizweni leNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu,

expressing thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to the God and Father,

21 lizehlisela ngaphansi omunye komunye ekumesabeni uNkulunkulu.

submitting yourselves to each other in the fear of Christ.

22 Bafazi, zehliseleni ngaphansi kwawenu amadoda, njengeNkosini,

Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord.

23 ngoba indoda iyinhloko yomfazi, njengoba uKristu laye eyinhloko yebandla, njalo yena unguMsindisi womzimba.

Because a husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church, and himself the savior of the body.

24 Kodwa njengoba-ke ibandla lehliselwe ngaphansi kukaKristu, ngokunjalo labafazi kwawabo amadoda kuyo yonke into.

But as the church is subject to the Christ, so also the wives to their own husbands in everything.

25 Madoda, thandani abenu abafazi, njengoKristu laye walithanda ibandla, wasezinikelela lona;

Husbands, love your own wives even as Christ also loved the church, and delivered himself up for it,

26 ukuze azingcwelisele lona, eselihlambulule ngesihlambo samanzi ngelizwi,

so that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it with the washing of water by the word,

27 ukuze azimisele lona, ibandla elilenkazimulo, elingelachatha, kumbe umxhele kumbe okunye nje, kodwa ukuze libe ngcwele lingelacala.

so that he might present it to himself, the glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and unblemished.

28 Ngokunjalo amadoda afanele ukuthanda abawo abafazi njengeyawo imizimba. Othanda owakhe umfazi, uyazithanda yena;

So ought the husbands to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.

29 ngoba kakho owake wazonda eyakhe inyama, kodwa uyayondla ayiphathe kuhle, njengalokhu leNkosi isenza kubandla;

For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as also Christ the church,

30 ngoba siyizitho zomzimba wakhe, okwenyama yakhe lokwamathambo akhe.

because we are parts of his body, of his flesh and of his bones.

31 Ngenxa yalokhu umuntu uzatshiya uyise lonina anamathele kumkakhe, njalo laba ababili bazakuba nyamanye.

Separate from this a man will leave his father and mother behind, and will be bonded with his wife, and the two will be in one flesh.

32 Inkulu le imfihlo; kodwa mina ngikhuluma ngoKristu lebandla.

This mystery is great, but I speak for Christ and for the church.

33 Ngalokho lonke ngokukhethekileyo lani-ke, ngulowo lalowo kathande ngokunjalo owakhe umfazi njengaye; lomfazi ukuze ahloniphe indoda.

Nevertheless ye also, each one in particular, shall so love his own wife as himself, and the wife that she fear her husband.