Matthew 3
1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
Ngalezonsuku kwafika uJohane uMbhabhathizi, etshumayela enkangala yeJudiya,
2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
esithi: Phendukani; ngoba umbuso wamazulu ususondele.
3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Ngoba nguye okwakhulunywa ngaye nguIsaya umprofethi, esithi: Ilizwi lomemezayo enkangala, lithi: Lungisani indlela yeNkosi; qondisani indledlana zayo.
4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
Njalo uJohane lo wayelesembatho sakhe soboya bekamela, lozwezwe lwesikhumba ekhalweni lwakhe; lokudla kwakhe kwakuzintethe loluju lweganga.
5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region about Jordan,
Kwasekuphumela kuye iJerusalema leJudiya yonke lelizwe lonke elizingelezele iJordani;
6 And were baptized by him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
basebebhabhathizwa nguye eJordani bevuma izono zabo.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said to them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Kwathi ebona abanengi babaFarisi labaSadusi besiza ekubhabhathizeni kwakhe, wathi kubo: Nzalo yezinyoka, ngubani olibonise ukubalekela ulaka oluzayo?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Ngakho thelani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka;
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for [our] father: for I say to you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
njalo lingacabangi ukutsho phakathi kwenulithi: SiloAbrahama ongubaba; ngoba ngithi kini: UNkulunkulu ulamandla okumvusela uAbrahama abantwana kula amatshe.
10 And now also the ax is laid to the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Lakhathesi ihloka selibekiwe empandeni yezihlahla; ngakho sonke isihlahla esingatheli isithelo esihle siyaganyulwa siphoselwe emlilweni.
11 I indeed baptize you with water to repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and [with] fire:
Mina ngilibhabhathiza ngamanzi kube sekuphendukeni; kodwa yena oza emva kwami ulamandla kulami, engingafanele ukuphatha amanyathela akhe; yena uzalibhabhathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele langomlilo;
12 Whose fan [is] in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and gather his wheat into the granary; but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.
okhomane lwakhe lokwela lusesandleni sakhe, njalo uzathanyelisisa isibuya sakhe, abesebuthela amabele akhe esiphaleni sakhe, kodwa amakhoba uzawatshisa ngomlilo ongacitshekiyo.
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
Khona uJesu evela eGalili wafika eJordani kuJohane, ukuze abhabhathizwe nguye.
14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me?
Kodwa uJohane wayemalela esithi: Mina ngiswela ukubhabhathizwa nguwe, kanti wena uza kimi?
15 And Jesus answering said to him, Suffer [it to be so] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
Kodwa uJesu ephendula wathi kuye: Vuma khathesi; ngoba kusifanele ukuthi sigcwalise ngokunjalo ukulunga konke. Wasemvumela.
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up immediately out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
UJesu esebhabhathiziwe wahle wakhuphuka emanzini; njalo khangela, amazulu amvulekela, wasebona uMoya kaNkulunkulu esehla kungathi lijuba esiza phezu kwakhe.
17 And lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Njalo khangela, ilizwi livela emazulwini, lisithi: Lo uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo, engithokoza ngayo.
