Malangizo kwa Amayi Amasiye, Akulu Ampingo ndi Akapolo
1Usadzudzule munthu wachikulire mokalipa, koma umuchenjeze ngati abambo ako. Achinyamata uwatenge ngati abale ako. 2Amayi achikulire uwatenge ngati amayi ako ndipo amayi achitsikana uwatenge ngati alongo ako, nʼkuyera mtima konse.
3Uziwachitira ulemu akazi amasiye amene ali okhaokha. 4Koma ngati mkazi wamasiye ali ndi ana ndi zidzukulu, anawo ayambe aphunzira kukwaniritsa udindo wawo pa banja lawo moopa Mulungu, potero akubweza zabwino kwa makolo awo ndi agogo awo. Pakuti zimenezi ndiye zimakondweretsa Mulungu. 5Mkazi wamasiye amene ali yekha ndi wopanda womuthandiza, ameneyo wayika chiyembekezo chake pa Mulungu, ndipo amapemphera kosalekeza usana ndi usiku kuti Mulungu azimuthandiza. 6Koma mkazi wamasiye amene amangokhalira kuchita zosangalatsa moyo wake, wafa kale ngakhale akanali ndi moyo. 7Pereka malangizo amenewa kwa anthu kuti akhale opanda zolakwa. 8Ngati wina sasamalira abale ake, makamaka a mʼbanja mwake mwenimweni, ameneyo wakana chikhulupiriro ndipo ndi woyipa kuposa wosakhulupirira.
9Mayi wamasiye aliyense amene sanakwanitse zaka 60 zakubadwa, asakhale mʼgulu la akazi amasiye. Akhale woti anakwatiwapo ndi mwamuna wake mmodzi yekha. 10Akhale mayi woti amadziwika bwino pa ntchito zake zabwino monga kulera ana, kusamalira alendo, kusambitsa mapazi a anthu a Mulungu, kuthandiza amene ali pa mavuto ndi kudzipereka pa ntchito zonse zabwino.
11Akazi amasiye achitsikana, usawayike mʼgulu limeneli. Pakuti zilakolako zawo zikayamba kuwavutitsa nʼkuwalekanitsa ndi Khristu, amafuna kukwatiwanso. 12Zikatero amadziweruza okha chifukwa aphwanya lonjezo lawo loyamba. 13Komanso amakhala ndi chizolowezi cha ulesi ndi kumangoyenda khomo ndi khomo. Ndipo sikungokhala aulesi kokha komanso kuchita miseche, kududukira za eni ake, kumangokamba zinthu zosayenera kukamba. 14Kotero, ndikulangiza akazi amasiye achitsikana kuti akwatiwe, akhale ndi ana, asamalire makomo awo ndipo asamupatse mdani mpata wonyoza 15Akazi amasiye ena apatuka kale nʼkumatsatira Satana.
16Ngati mayi aliyense wokhulupirira ali ndi akazi amasiye amene akuwasamalira, apitirizebe kuwasamalira ndipo asalemetse mpingo, kuti mpingo uthandize akazi amasiye amene ali okhaokha.
17Akulu ampingo amene amayangʼanira bwino zochitika za mu mpingo, ndi oyenera ulemu wowirikiza, makamaka amene ntchito yawo ndi kulalikira ndi kuphunzitsa. 18Pakuti Mawu a Mulungu amati, “Musamange ngʼombe pakamwa pamene ikupuntha tirigu,” ndi “Wantchito ngoyenera kulandira malipiro ake.” 19Usamamvere mawu oneneza akulu ampingo pokhapokha patakhala mboni ziwiri kapena zitatu. 20Akulu ampingo amene akuchimwa, uwadzudzule poyera kuti ena aphunzirepo.
21Ndikukulamulira pamaso pa Mulungu, pamaso pa Yesu Khristu ndi pamaso pa angelo osankhika, kuti usunge malangizowa mosachotsera ndipo usachite kalikonse mokondera.
22Usafulumire kusanjika manja munthu, ndipo usavomerezane ndi anthu ena pa machimo. Usunge bwino kuyera mtima kwako.
23Uleke kumangomwa madzi okha, koma uzimwako vinyo pangʼono chifukwa cha vuto lako la mʼmimba ndi kudwala kwako kwa pafupipafupi.
24Anthu ena machimo awo amaonekeratu poyera, amakafika pa mpando wachiweruzo eni akewo asanakafike. Machimo a anthu ena amabwera mʼmbuyo mwawo. 25Momwemonso, ntchito zabwino zimaonekera poyera, ndipo ngakhale zipande kutero, sizingatheke kubisika.
Widows, elders and slaves
1Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
3Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. 4But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. 5The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. 6But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7Give the people these instructions, so that no-one may be open to blame. 8Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, 10and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
11As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. 12Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. 13Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to. 14So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. 15Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.
16If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.
17The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18For Scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,’5:18 Deut. 25:4 and ‘The worker deserves his wages.’5:18 Luke 10:7 19Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. 20But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. 21I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favouritism.
22Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
24The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. 25In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden for ever.
