UFilimoni 1
1 UPawuli isibotshwa sikaKristu Jesu loTimothi umzalwane, kuFilimoni othandekayo lesisebenzi kanye lathi,
From Paul, now a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, a fellow follower of the Lord.
2 lakuApifiya othandekayo, lakuArkipho owebutho kanye lathi, lakubandla elisendlini yakho:
To our dear friend and fellow worker Philemon, to our sister Apphia, to our fellow soldier Archippus; and to the church that meets at Philemon’s house;
3 Umusa kawube kini lokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu leNkosini uJesu Kristu.
may God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace.
4 Ngiyambonga uNkulunkulu wami, ngikuphatha ngezikhathi zonke emikhulekweni yami,
I always mention you in my prayers and thank God for you,
5 ngisizwa ngothando lwakho langokholo olalo eNkosini uJesu lakubo bonke abangcwele,
because I hear of the love and the faith which you show, not only to the Lord Jesus, but also to all his people;
6 ukuze ukuhlanganyela kokholo lwakho kube lamandla elwazini lwento yonke enhle ekini kuKristu Jesu.
and I pray that your participation in the faith may result in action, as you come to a fuller realisation of everything that is good and Christlike in us.
7 Ngoba silentokozo enkulu lenduduzo ethandweni lwakho, ngoba imibilini yabangcwele yavuselelwa ngawe, mzalwane.
I have indeed found great joy and encouragement in your love, knowing, as I do, how the hearts of Christ’s people have been cheered, friend, by you.
8 Ngalokho, lanxa ngilesibindi esikhulu kuKristu sokuthi ngikulaye into efaneleyo,
And so, though my union with Christ enables me, with all confidence, to dictate the course that you should adopt,
9 kanti ngenxa yothando kungcono ukuthi ngincenge, nginjengonje, uPawuli omdala, esengiyisibotshwa futhi sikaJesu Kristu.
yet the claims of love make me prefer to plead with you – yes, even me, Paul, though I am an ambassador for Christ Jesus and, now a prisoner for him as well.
10 Ngiyakuncenga ngomntanami, engimzeleyo kuzibopho zami, uOnesimo,
I plead with you for this child of mine, Onesimus, to whom, in my prison, I have become a father.
11 okade engelasizo kuwe, kodwa khathesi-ke ulosizo kuwe lakimi,
Once he was of little service to you, but now he has become of great service, not only to you, but to me as well;
12 engimbuyisela kuwe; kodwa wena, memukele, okuyikuthi imibilini yami;
and I am sending him back to you with this letter – though it is like tearing out of my heart.
13 ebengifisa mina ukumbamba abe lami, ukuze angisebenzele esikhundleni sakho kuzibopho zevangeli;
For my own sake I should like to keep him with me, so that, while I am in prison for the good news, he might attend to my wants on your behalf.
14 kodwa kangithandanga ukwenza ulutho ngaphandle kwemvumo yakho, ukuze okuhle kwakho kungabi ngokokubanjwa ngamandla, kodwa njengokwesihle.
But I do not wish to do anything without your consent, because I want your generosity to be voluntary and not, as it were, compulsory.
15 Ngoba mhlawumbe wehlukaniswa lawe okwesikhatshana ngenxa yalokhu, ukuze ubuye umemukele phakade; (aiōnios g166)
It may be that he was separated from you for an hour, for this reason, so that you might have him back for ever, (aiōnios g166)
16 angabe esaba njengesigqili, kodwa ngaphezu kwesigqili, umzalwane othandekayo, ikakhulu kimi, kodwa kakhulu kangakanani kuwe konke enyameni leNkosini.
no longer as a slave, but as something better – a dearly loved friend and follower of the Lord, especially dear to me, and how much more so to you, not only as a person, but as your fellow Christian!
17 Ngakho uba usithi ngingumhlanganyeli lawe, memukele njengami.
If, then, you count me your friend, receive him as you would me.
18 Kodwa uba ekone ngolutho kumbe elomlandu, lokho kubalele kimi;
If he has caused you any loss, or owes you anything, charge it to me.
19 mina Pawuli ngibhale ngesandla sami, mina ngizahlawula; ukuthi ngingatsho kuwe ukuthi lawe uqobo ulomlandu oseleyo kimi.
I, Paul, put my own hand to it – I will repay you myself. I say nothing about your owing me your self.
20 Yebo, mzalwane, sengathi ngingaba lentokozo ngawe eNkosini; uvuselele imibilini yami eNkosini.
Yes, friend, let me gain something from you because of your union with the Lord. Cheer my heart by your Christlike spirit.
21 Ngikubhalele ngithemba ukulalela kwakho, ngisazi ukuthi lawe uzakwenza okungaphezu kwalokho engikutshoyo.
Even as I write, I have such confidence in your compliance with my wishes, that I am sure that you will do even more than I am asking.
22 Futhi ngesikhathi esifananayo ungilungisele lami indawo yokuhlala; ngoba ngiyathemba ukuthi ngemikhuleko yenu ngizanikwa kini.
Please also get a lodging ready for me, for I hope that I will be given back to you all in answer to your prayers.
23 Uyakubingelela uEpafra oyisibotshwa kanye lami kuKristu Jesu,
Epaphras, who is my fellow prisoner for Christ Jesus, sends you his greeting;
24 uMarko, uAristako, uDema, uLuka, izisebenzi kanye lami.
and Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers, send theirs.
25 Umusa weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu kawube lomoya wenu. Ameni.
May the blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ rest on your souls.
