Matthew 18
1 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens?
Ngalesosikhathi abafundi beza kuJesu babuza bathi, “Ngubani omkhulu kulabo bonke embusweni wezulu na?”
2 And Jesus having called a little child to [him], set it in their midst,
Wabiza umntwana omncinyane wamisa phakathi kwabo.
3 and said, Verily I say to you, Unless ye are converted and become as little children, ye will not at all enter into the kingdom of the heavens.
Wasesithi, “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, ngaphandle kokuba liguquke libe njengabantwana abancinyane, kalisoze lafa langena embusweni wezulu.
4 Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens;
Ngakho lowo ozithobayo njengomntwana lo nguye omkhulu kulabo bonke embusweni wezulu.
5 and whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name, receives me.
Njalo lowo owamukela umntwana omncane njengalo ebizweni lami wamukela mina.”
6 But whosoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me, it were profitable for him that a great millstone had been hanged upon his neck and he be sunk in the depths of the sea.
“Nxa umuntu ekhubekisa oyedwa walaba abancinyane abakholwa kimi ukuthi enze isono, kungabangcono kuye ukuthi kulengiswe entanyeni yakhe inkalakatha yembokodo yokuchola agaluliswe enzikini yolwandle.
7 Woe to the world because of offences! For it must needs be that offences come; yet woe to that man by whom the offence comes!
Maye kuwo umhlaba ngenxa yezinto ezenza abantu benze isono! Izinto ezinjalo zivele ziyafika kodwa maye kulowomuntu ezifika ngaye!
8 And if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut it off and cast [it] from thee; it is good for thee to enter into life lame or maimed, [rather] than having two hands or two feet to be cast into eternal fire. (aiōnios g166)
Nxa isandla sakho loba unyawo lwakho kukwenzisa isono, kuqume ukulahle. Kungcono kuwe ukuba ungene ekuphileni uyingini kumbe ugogekile kulokuba lezandla zombili kumbe inyawo zombili uphoselwe emlilweni ongapheliyo. (aiōnios g166)
9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast [it] from thee; it is good for thee to enter into life one-eyed, [rather] than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire. (Geenna g1067)
Nxa ilihlo lakho likwenzisa isono, likopole ulilahle. Kungcono kuwe ukungena ekuphileni ulelihlo elilodwa kulokuba lamehlo amabili kodwa uphoselwe esihogweni somlilo.” (Geenna g1067)
10 See that ye do not despise one of these little ones; for I say unto you that their angels in [the] heavens continually behold the face of my Father who is in [the] heavens.
“Nanzelelani ukuthi lingeyisi lamunye walaba abancinyane. Ngoba ngilitshela ukuthi izingilosi zabo zezulu zihlezi zibona ubuso bukaBaba ezulwini. [
11 For the Son of man has come to save that which was lost.
INdodana yoMuntu yalanda ukusindisa okwakulahlekile.]
12 What think ye? If a certain man should have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, does he not, leaving the ninety and nine on the mountains, go and seek the one that has gone astray?
Kambe likhumbulani? Nxa indoda ilezimvu ezilikhulu, enye iqambuke kwezinye, kayiyikuzitshiya yini lezo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye ezintabeni iyedinga leyo eqambukileyo?
13 And if it should come to pass that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoices more because of it than because of the ninety and nine not gone astray.
Ithi ingayithola, ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi, iyathokoza ngaleyo ukwedlula lezo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye ezingazange zilahleke.
14 So it is not the will of your Father who is in [the] heavens that one of these little ones should perish.
Ngokufanayo, uYihlo osezulwini kafisi ukuthi lamunye walaba abancinyane abhubhe.”
15 But if thy brother sin against thee, go, reprove him between thee and him alone. If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
“Nxa umfowenu ekona, yana kuye umtshengise isiphambeko sakhe lilodwa lobabili. Nxa ekulalela usumzuzile umfowenu.
16 But if he do not hear [thee], take with thee one or two besides, that every matter may stand upon the word of two witnesses or of three.
Kodwa nxa engakulaleli, biza omunye loba ababili ukuze ‘indaba yonke ivele obala ilabofakazi ababili loba abathathu.’
17 But if he will not listen to them, tell it to the assembly; and if also he will not listen to the assembly, let him be to thee as one of the nations and a tax-gatherer.
Nxa esala ukubalalela, tshela ibandla, nxa esala ukulilalela lalo ibandla mthatheni njengomhedeni kumbe njengomthelisi.
18 Verily I say to you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on the earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on the earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi, loba yini eliyibophayo emhlabeni izabotshwa lasezulwini njalo lokho elikuthukululayo emhlabeni kuzathukululwa lasezulwini.
19 Again I say to you, that if two of you shall agree on the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever it may be that they shall ask, it shall come to them from my Father who is in [the] heavens.
Njalo ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi nxa ababili kini emhlabeni bevumelana loba ngalutho bani abalucelayo bazalwenzelwa nguBaba osezulwini.
20 For where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Ngoba lapho okuhlangana khona ababili loba abathathu ngebizo lami, ngizabe ngikhona lami.”
21 Then Peter came to him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? until seven times?
UPhethro weza kuJesu wabuza wathi, “Nkosi, umfowethu loba udadewethu ngizamthethelela kangaki nxa elokhu engona na? Kuze kube kasikhombisa na?”
22 Jesus says to him, I say not to thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven.
UJesu waphendula wathi, “Ngithi hatshi kasikhombisa kodwa okwezikhathi ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa lesikhombisa.
23 For this cause the kingdom of the heavens has become like a king who would reckon with his bondmen.
Ngakho umbuso wezulu unjengenkosi eyayifuna ukuqeda izikwelede zayo lezinceku zayo.
24 And having begun to reckon, one debtor of ten thousand talents was brought to him.
Yathi isiqalisa ukuthonisa kwalethwa kuyo indoda eyayilesikwelede samathalenta azinkulungwane ezilitshumi.
25 But he not having anything to pay, [his] lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and his children, and everything that he had, and that payment should be made.
Kwathi ngoba ingelamandla okuhlawula inkosi yalaya ukuthi yona, umkayo, abantwana lakho konke eyayilakho kuthengiswe ukuze kuqedwe umlandu.
26 The bondman therefore falling down did him homage, saying, Lord, have patience with me and I will pay thee all.
Inceku yaguqa phambi kwenkosi yayincenga yathi, ‘Ake ungibekezelele, ngizahlawula konke.’
27 And the lord of that bondman, being moved with compassion, loosed him and forgave him the loan.
Inkosi yenceku leyo yayizwela usizi, yayithethelela, yawesula umlandu yayiyekela yahamba.
28 But that bondman having gone out, found one of his fellow-bondmen who owed him a hundred denarii. And having seized him, he throttled him, saying, Pay [me] if thou owest anything.
Kodwa leyo yonela ukuphuma, yafumana eyinye inceku eyayilesikwelede sayo samadenari alikhulu. Yayibamba ngomphimbo, yayiklinya, yathi ngolaka, ‘Hlawula isikwelede sami!’
29 His fellow-bondman therefore, having fallen down [at his feet], besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee.
Leyonceku layo yawa ngamadolo yayincenga yathi, ‘Ake ungibekezelele, ngizakuhlawula.’
30 But he would not, but went away and cast him into prison, until he should pay what was owing.
Kodwa yona yala. Endaweni yalokho, yahamba yenza ukuba leyondoda iphoselwe entolongweni ize iqale ihlawule isikwelede.
31 But his fellow-bondmen, having seen what had taken place, were greatly grieved, and went and recounted to their lord all that had taken place.
Kwathi ezinye izinceku sezibonile okwakwenzakele, zathukuthela kakhulu zayaceba enkosini ngalokho okwenzakeleyo.
32 Then his lord, having called him to [him], says to him, Wicked bondman! I forgave thee all that debt because thou besoughtest me;
Inkosi yayibiza leyonceku, yathi, ‘Wena nceku embi. Ngikuthethelele, ngasesula sonke isikwelede sakho ngoba ungincengile.
33 shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-bondman, as I also had compassion on thee?
Kungani pho ungazwelanga omunye wakho isihawu njengalokhu ngenzile kuwe?’
34 And his lord being angry delivered him to the tormentors till he paid all that was owing to him.
Inkosi yayo yathukuthela kakhulu, yayinikela kubaphathi bejele ukuthi bayihlukuluze ize isihlawule sonke isikwelede.
35 Thus also my heavenly Father shall do to you if ye forgive not from your hearts every one his brother.
Yiyo le indlela uBaba osezulwini azaphatha ngayo lowo lalowo wenu nxa lingathetheleli abazalwane kuphuma enhliziyweni.”
