Several very learned writers have entertained a favourable opinion of these Epistles. They are undoubtedly of high antiquity. Salmeron cites them to prove that Seneca was one of Car's household, referred to by Paul, Philip. iv. 22, as saluting the brethren at Philippi. In Jerome's enumeration of illustrious men, he places Seneca, on account of these Epistles, amongst the ecclesiastical and holy writers of the Christian Church. Sixtus Senensis has published them in his Bibliotheque, pp. 89, 90; and it is from thence that the present translation is made. Baronius, Bellarmine, Dr. Cave, Spanheim, and others, contend that they are not genuine.

1. Iincwadi zikaPawulos
eziya eSeneca,
nezikaSeneca eziya
kuPawulos
ISAHLUKO 1
UAnnæus Seneca kuPawulos uyabulisa.
1 Ndiba ke, Pawulos, unixelelwe kakuhle, ngentetho efike
izolo phakathi kwam noLusiyo wam, ephathelele uhanahaniso
nezinye izinto; kuba kwakukho nabafundi bakho ababekunye
nathi;
2 Kuba sakuphumela kwimiyezo yakwaSalusi, ababecanda
kuyo nabo, bethanda ukucanda ngandlela yimbi, boyiseka
ukuba badlelane nathi.
3 Ndiyathanda ukuba nikholwe, ukuba sikunqwenelela
kakhulu ukuthetha kwenu.
4 Kwasiyolisa kakhulu ngencwadi yakho yeencwadi ezininzi,
owazibhalelayo kwimizi ngemizi nemizi emikhulu yamazwe,
enemiyalelo emangalisayo ngokuziphatha:
5 Ezi mvakalelo, njengoko ndiba wawungenguye umbhali,
kodwa isixhobo sokudlulisa, nangona ngamanye amaxesha
kokubini umbhali kunye nesixhobo.
6 Kuba bunjalo ubungangamsha bezo mfundiso, nobukhulu
bazo, ukuba ndiba iminyaka yomntu inqongophele
ngokwaneleyo ukuba afundiswe aze agqibelele kulwazi lwazo.
Ndikunqwenelela impilo entle mntakwethu. Sala kakuhle.
ISAHLUKO 2
UPawulos uya eSeneca Umbuliso.
1 Ndiyifumene izolo le ncwadi, ndivuya; ke bendiza
kuyibhalela kwaoko, ukuba ebekho ekhaya umfana lowo,
bendiza kumthumela kuni;
2 Kuba uyawazi wena ukuba nini na, ngubani na, ukuba
ngawaphi na amaxesha;
3 Ndiyathanda ke ngoko, ukuba ungandithethisi ngokuswela,
ukuba ndilinde owamkelekileyo;
4 Ndizibalela ekuthini ndonwabile, ekubeni ndigwetyelwe
ngokwalo, ukuba nikholisiweyo nje ngeencwadi zam;
5 Kuba ubungayi kugqalwa njengongqwabalala, ingqondi,
okanye umfundisi wenkosi engaka, nomphathi wayo yonke
into, ukuba ubunganyanisekanga. Ndininqwenelela
impumelelo ehlala ihleli.
ISAHLUKO 3
UAnnæus Seneca kuPawulos uyabulisa.
1 Ndiyigqibile imiqulu ethile, ndaza ndayahlula ngokwazo.
2 Ndizimisele ukuyilesa kuKesare; ukuba ke kuthe kwabakho
ithuba, wobakho nawe, xa zileswayo.
3 Kodwa ukuba oko akunako ukwenzeka, ndiya kunyula ndize
ndininike isaziso sosuku, apho siya kuthi kunye sifunde
umboniso.
4 Ndagqiba kwelokuba, ukuba ndinako, mna ndingoniwayo,
mandithethe kuni kuqala, ngaphambi kokuba ndiyivakalise
kuKesare, ukuze nazi ukuba ndinithanda. Sala kakuhle,
uPawulos othandekayo.
ISAHLUKO 4
UPawulos uya eSeneca Umbuliso.
1 Njengoko ndifunda iileta zakho, ndicinga ukuba usondelele
nam; kananjalo andicingi nto yimbi, ngaphandle kokuba uhleli
unathi.
2 Xenikweni ngoko nithe naqala ukuza, sobonana kwangoku.
Ndininqwenelela impumelelo nonke.
ISAHLUKO 5
UAnnæus Seneca kuPawulos uyabulisa.
1Kuyasixhalabisa kakhulu into yokuba ungabikho kuthi
ixesha elide.
2 Ziintoni na ezi ziphazamisayo ekufikeni kwakho?
3 Ukuba niyoyika ingqumbo kaKesare, ngenxa enokuba
nilushiyile unqulo lwenu lwangaphambili, naba naba
ngabangeni ebuYudeni, ninako oku ukuthetha; Sala kakuhle.
ISAHLUKO 6
UPawulos usiya eSeneca noLucilius bayabulisa.
1 Ke zona ezo zinto, enandibhalela ngazo, akundilungele
ukuba ndikhankanye nto ibhaliweyo, nentsonkotha, neinki;
2 Ngokukodwa ekubeni ndisazi ukuba kufuphi nawe, kwanam
ke, abo baya kuyiqonda intsingiselo yam.
3 Bonke abantu bafanele baphathwe ngesidima, ngakumbi ke
abo bathanda ukuxabana.
4 Kwaye ukuba sinomoya wokuzithoba, siya koyisa
ngokunempumelelo kuzo zonke iindawo, ukuba kunjalo, abo
banokubona bavume ukuba bonile. Sala kakuhle.
ISAHLUKO 7
UAnnæus Seneca kuPawulos uyabulisa.
1 Ke mna ndichulumancile kukufunda iincwadi zenu eziya
kwabaseGalati, kwabaseKorinte, nakwabaseAkaya.
2 Kuba uMoya oyiNgcwele wabanikela ngabo iimvakalelo
zabo ezinembeko, eziphakamileyo, ezifanelwe yimbeko yonke,
nangaphaya kokuvela kwenu.
3 Ndinga ke ngoko, ndinqwenela ukuba, xa nibhalayo izinto
ezincamisileyo, kungabikho ululamo lwentetho, oluvumelana
nozuko lwazo.
4 Kwaye ndimelwe kukuba ndibe ngumzalwana wam, ukuze
ndingabi nakunifihlela nto kwaoko, ndize ndingathembeki
nesam isazela, ngokokuba ukumkani ekholisiwe
ngokugqithileyo ziincwadi zenu;
5 Kuba yakuva ukuba iqalela ukuleswa kwazo, wachaza wathi,
Wamangaliswa kukufumana izinto ezinjalo emntwini
ongafundanga.
6 Ndaphendula ke ndathi, Maxa wambi oothixo babesebenzisa
abantu abangenatyala ukuba bathethe ngabo, baza bamnika
umzekelo woku kumntu okhohlakeleyo ogama linguVatienus,
owathi, esezweni laseReate, kwabonakala amadoda amabini.
kuye, obizwa ngokuba nguCastor noPollux, waza wafumana
isityhilelo esivela koothixo. Sala kakuhle.
ISAHLUKO 8
UPawulos uya eSeneca Umbuliso.
1 Noko ke ndiyazi ukuba uKhesare uyasithanda, esithanda
kakhulu, noko ke ndivumeleni ukuba ndinicebise, ukuba
ndinicenge ngenxa yobubi benu, ngokusibabala.
2 Ndicinga ukuba okunene nafikelela kwilinge eliyingozi
kakhulu, xa nithe namxelela umlawuli oko kuchasene nonqulo
lwakhe, kwanendlela yonqulo lwakhe; ngokuba unqula
oothixo beentlanga.
3 Andiyazi into obuyibonayo wena, ukumxelela oku; kodwa
ndicinga ukuba ukwenze oko ngokundihlonela kakhulu.
4 Ndiyathanda ke ukuba ningenjenjalo kwixesha elizayo; kuba
nimelwe kukuba nilumke, hleze nithi, ngokundithanda,
nikhubekise inkosi yenu.
5 Ingqumbo yakhe ayisayi kusenza bubi, ukuba uthe wahlala
ezintlangeni; nokuqumba kwakhe akuyi kuba nankonzo kuthi;

2. 6 Nokuba ithe inkosikazi yenza ngokufanelekileyo isimilo
sayo, ayiyi kuqumba; ke ukuba uthe waba ngumfazi, uya
kucunulwa. Sala kakuhle.
ISAHLUKO SE-9
UAnnæus Seneca kuPawulos uyabulisa.
1 Ndiyazi ke, ukuba incwadi yam endanazi ngayo,
endazibhalela uKesare iincwadi zenu, engapheleli nje ekuyo;
2 abathi bephambukisa ngamandla iingqiqo zabantu
kwihambo yabo yangaphambili nemikhwa yabo, endihlala
ndikhwankqisiwe, ndeyiseka ngokuzeleyo kuko
ngeempikiswano ezininzi ezingaphambili.
3 Masiqale ngoko ngokutsha; Ukuba kukho into eyenziweyo
ngempazamo, nixolele.
4 Ndikuthumelele incwadi ethi de copia verborum. Sala
kakuhle, uPawulos othandekayo.
ISAHLUKO SE-10
UPawulos uya eSeneca Umbuliso.
1 Okukhona ndinibhalela, ndilibeka phambi kwenu igama lam,
ndenza into echaseneyo nam; kwaye ngokuchasene nenkolo
yethu:
2 Kuba ndimelwe kukuthi, njengoko ndathethayo futhi, ndibe
zizinto zonke kubo bonke, ndithabathele kulo isidima senu,
wona umthetho wamaRoma uwabeke ngembeko ngawo onke
amadoda amakhulu; oko kukuthi, ukubeka igama lam
ekugqibeleni kumbhalo weNcwadana, ukuze ekugqibeleni
ndingabi nabuganga nehlazo ukwenza oko bendikuthanda
ukukwenza. Sala kakuhle, enkosi ehlonitshwayo. Ngomhla
wesihlanu wekhalenda kaJulayi, kwi-consulship yesine
yeNero, kunye neMessala.
ISAHLUKO SE-11
UAnnæus Seneca kuPawulos uyabulisa.
1 Unoyolo wena, ntánda yam, Pawulos.
2 Ukuba umntu omkhulu kangaka, kwaye yonke indlela
ethandeka njengawe, akabi nje ukuba ngumntu oqhelekileyo,
kodwa abe ngumhlobo osenyongweni kum, hayi indlela eya
kuba noyolo ngayo imeko kaSeneca!
3 Wena ke ngoko, wena ude wagqithisa, waphakanyiswayo
ngaphezu kwabo bonke, kwangoyena mkhulu, musani
ukuzicingela ukuba akufanelekanga ukuba kuqale kuthiwe
kubhalwe kuso incwadi ebhaliweyo.
4 hleze ndibe ndinikrokrela ukuba nindilinge kakhulu,
nindingcikive; kuba nawe uzazi ukuba ungummi waseRoma.
5 Kwaye ndinganqwenela ukuba kuloo meko okanye kweso
sikhululo ukuso, nokokuba ubukule meko ndikuyo. Sala
kakuhle, uPawulos othandekayo. Ngomhla we-xth we-calends
ka-Epreli, kwi-consulship ye-Aprianus kunye ne-Capito.
ISAHLUKO SE-12
UAnnæus Seneca kuPawulos uyabulisa.
1 Unoyolo wena, ntánda yam, Pawulos. Ngaba anicingi ukuba
ndikhathazeke kakhulu kwaye ndibuhlungu ngenxa yokuba
ubumsulwa benu bunifake kwiimbandezelo?
2 Kwaye bonke abantu bafanele bacinge ukuba nina maKristu
ningabenzi bobubi, nize nicinge ngawo onke amashwa ehlela
esixekweni, ukuba abangelwa nini?
3 Kodwa masiyithwale isimangalo ngomoya womonde,
sibhenela ubumsulwa bethu kwinkundla engentla, ekukuphela
kwayo ithamsanqa lethu elinzima eliya kusivumela ukuba
sijongane nayo, de ekugqibeleni amashwa ethu aya kuphelela
kulonwabo olungenakuguqulwa.
4 Izizukulwana zangaphambili zivelise oozwilakhe
uAlesandire unyana kaFilipu, noDiyonisiyo; eyethu nayo
ivelise uCaius Cæsar; ababetyekele ekukuphela kwemithetho
yabo.
5 Ngokuphathelele ukutshiswa rhoqo kwesixeko saseRoma,
unobangela ubonakalisiwe; ukuba ke kuni uthe wavunyelwa
ukuba athethe ngokwam, athethe ezi zinto zimnyama,
kungekho bungozi, wonke umntu makayibone yonke loo nto.
6 AmaKristu namaYuda eneneni ngokuqhelekileyo ohlwaywa
ngetyala lokutshisa isixeko; ke yena lowo usitshijolo,
otshisekela ukubulala nokubulala, nowagubungela amanyala
akhe ngobuxoki, umiselwe ukuba ade kufike ixesha lakhe
elifanelekileyo.
7 Ke kaloku, kwanjengokuba kubingelelwe umphefumlo
wabo bonke abalungileyo, esikhundleni salowo ubengumenzi
wobubi, kwangokunjalo uya kunikelwa ngenxa yabaninzi,
atshiswe ngomlilo esikhundleni sabo bonke.
8 Zatsha izindlu ezilikhulu elinamanci mathathu anesibini,
neendawo ezine zemigubasi neziqithi zatshiswa ngeentsuku
ezintandathu; Ndininqwenelela ulonwabo nonke.
9 Ngomhla wesihlanu kwiikhalenda zika-Epreli, ku-
consulship kaFrigius kunye neBassus.
ISAHLUKO SE-13
UAnnæus Seneca kuPawulos uyabulisa.
1 Unoyolo wena, ntánda yam, Pawulos.
2 Ubhale imiqulu emininzi ngendlela engumfuziselo
nentsonkothileyo, yaye ke ngoko imibandela enamandla ngolo
hlobo noshishino lunikelwe kuwe, akufunekanga ukuba
upheliswe ngayo nayiphi na intetho echulumancisayo, kodwa
ngobuchule obuthile obufanelekileyo.
3 Ndikhumbula usoloko usithi, abaninzi ngokuchaphazela
isimbo esinjalo benza ububi kubantu babo, baze baphulukane
namandla emibandela abayiphatha ngayo.
4 Ke kaloku ndithanda ukuba nindibeke ngembeko
ngokunyamekileyo, ninyule ukuthetha okusesikweni, ukuze
niyiphathi kakuhle ke inkoloseko le nto kuni;
5 Sala kakuhle. Ibhalwe umhla vth yamagama kaJulayi, Leo
kunye no-Savinus consuls.
ISAHLUKO SE-14
UPawulos uya eSeneca Umbuliso.
1 Ulwazelelelo lwenu olunyanisekileyo luye lwaba
nemiphumo emihle kwezi zinto zifunyenweyo, eziye
zanikelwa nguBuqu obungokobuthixo kodwa kwabambalwa.
2 Ngaloo ndlela ndiqinisekile ukuba ndihlwayela eyona
mbewu inamandla emhlabeni ochumileyo, kungekhona
nantoni na enokubola, kodwa ilizwi likaThixo elihlala lihleli,
eliya kukhula livelise isiqhamo ngonaphakade.
3 Oko ukufumeneyo ngobulumko bakho, kuya kuhlala
kungaboli naphakade.
4 kholwani, ukuba nimelwe kukuthi nikhwebuke kwiinkolelo
zamaYuda, kwanamaGrike.
5 Ezi zinto ke enisukuba niziphethe kakuhle, nizibikele
uKesare, nendlu yakhe, nakubahlobo abathembekileyo;
6 Nakuba ukucamagushela kwenu kubonakala kukubi,
kungaqotywa kubo, ekubeni abaninzi kubo bengaziqondi
iintetho zenu, lithi, libe lifakwe kubo ilizwi likaThixo, libenza
babe ngabantu abatsha, nabathanda uThixo.
7 Sala kakuhle uSeneca, oyena simthanda kakhulu. Ibhalwe
kwiKhalenda ka-Agasti, kwi-consulship kaLeo kunye
neSavinus.