Luk 15
1 Ugbu a, ndị ọna ụtụ na ndị mmehie na-abịa ya nso ịnụta ihe ọ na-ekwu.
The tax collectors and the outcasts were all drawing near to Jesus to listen to him;
2 Ndị Farisii na ndị ozizi iwu tamuru ntamu na-asị, “Nwoke a na-anabata ndị mmehie sorokwa ha na-eri nri.”
but the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law found fault. ‘This man always welcomes outcasts, and takes meals with them!’ they complained.
3 Ya mere, ọ tụrụ ha ilu a sị,
So Jesus told them this parable –
4 “Ọ bụrụ na otu onye nʼime unu enwee narị atụrụ ma otu nʼime ha akpafuo. Ọ bụ na ọ gaghị ahapụ iri atụrụ itoolu na itoolu ahụ fọdụrụ nʼọzara, pụọ ịchọgharị otu ahụ kpafuru ruo mgbe ọ chọtara ya?
‘Who among you who has a hundred sheep, and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine out in the open country, and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
5 Mgbe ọ chọtara ya, ọ ga-eji ọṅụ tụkwasị ya nʼubu ya.
And, when he has found it, he puts in on his shoulders rejoicing;
6 Mgbe ọ lọtara nʼụlọ ya, ọ ga-akpọkọta ndị enyi ya na ndị agbataobi ya sị ha, ‘Soronụ m ṅụrịa ọṅụ nʼihi na achọtala m atụrụ m furu efu.’
and, on reaching home, he calls his friends and his neighbours together, and says “Come and rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.”
7 Asị m unu, nʼụzọ dị otu a, ọṅụ dị ukwu ga-adị nʼeluigwe nʼihi otu onye mmehie nke chegharịrị, karịa iri itoolu na itoolu ndị ezi omume bụ ndị nchegharị na-adịghị mkpa.
So, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one outcast who repents, than over ninety-nine religious people, who have no need to repent.
8 “Maọbụ olee nwanyị nke nwere mkpụrụ ọlaọcha iri, ọ bụrụ nʼotu nʼime ha adafuo. Ọ gaghị amụnye oriọna, zaa ime ụlọ ya ịchọ otu mkpụrụ ego ahụ tutu ọ chọta ya?
Or again, what woman who has ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?
9 Mgbe ọ chọtara otu mkpụrụ ego ahụ, ọ ga-akpọ ndị enyi ya na ndị agbataobi ya sị ha, ‘Soronụ m ṅụrịa ọṅụ nʼihi na achọtala m ego m furu efu.’
And, when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbours together, and says “Come and rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I lost.”
10 Nʼụzọ dị otu a, asị m unu, ọṅụ ga-adị nʼihu ndị mmụọ ozi Chineke nʼihi otu onye mmehie nke chegharịrị.”
So, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of God’s angels over one outcast who repents.’
11 O kwukwaara sị, “Otu nwoke mụtara ụmụ nwoke abụọ.
Then Jesus continued, ‘A man had two sons;
12 Nwa ya nke nta sịrị nna ya, ‘Nna, kenye m oke ruuru m nʼihe niile i nwere.’ Ya mere, o kenyere ya oke nke ya site nʼihe o nwere.
and the younger of them said to his father “Father, give me my share of the inheritance.” So the father divided the property between them.
13 “Mgbe ụbọchị ole na ole gasịrị, nwokorobịa ahụ kwakọtara ihe niile o nwere gaa biri nʼotu obodo dị anya. Nʼebe ahụ, o mefuchara ihe niile o nwere nʼibi ndụ ọjọọ.
A few days later the younger son got together all that he had, and went away into a distant land; and there he squandered his inheritance by leading a dissolute life.
14 Mgbe o mefuchara ihe niile o nwere, oke ụnwụ dara nʼala ahụ. Ọ malitere ịnọ nʼụkọ.
After he has spent all that he had, there was a severe famine through all that country, and he began to be in actual want.
15 Nʼihi nke a, ọ gara binyere otu onye obodo ahụ nyere ya ọrụ ilekọta ezi ya na inye ha nri.
So he went and engaged himself to one of the people of that country, who sent him into his fields to tend pigs.
16 Ma ọ na-agụ ya ka o site na nri ọ na-enye ezi rijuo afọ, ma ọ dịghị onye nyere ya ụdị nri ahụ.
He even longed to satisfy his hunger with the bean-pods on which the pigs were feeding; and no one gave him anything.
17 “Mgbe ọ ghọtara onwe ya, ọ sịrị, ‘Mmadụ ole bụ ndị ọrụ e goro ego nna m nwere, ndị nri na-ezuru ma mapụtakwa, ma agụụ na-egbu m nʼebe a.
But, when he came to himself, he said “How many of my father’s hired servants have more bread than they can eat, while here am I starving to death!
18 Aga m ebili lakwuru nna m, sị ya, Nna, emehiela m megide eluigwe na gị onwe gị.
I will get up and go to my father, and say to him ‘Father, I sinned against heaven and against you;
19 Ekwesikwaghị m ka a kpọọ m nwa gị ọzọ, were m dị ka otu nʼime ndị i goro ọrụ.’
I am no longer fit to be called your son; make me one of your hired servants.’”
20 Ya mere, o biliri laghachikwuru nna ya. “Ma mgbe ọ nọrịị nʼebe dị anya, nna ya hụrụ ya, nwee ọmịiko nʼahụ ya, gbaara ọsọ ga makụọ ya, sutukwa ya ọnụ.
And he got up and went to his father. But, while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was deeply moved; he ran and threw his arms round his neck and kissed him.
21 “Nwa ya nwoke ahụ sịrị ya, ‘Nna, emehiela m megide eluigwe na gị onwe gị. Ekwesighị m ka a kpọọ m nwa gị ọzọ.’
“Father,” the son said, “I sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer fit to be called your son; make me one of your hired servants.”
22 “Ma nna ya gwara ndị ohu ya sị, ‘Meenụ ngwangwa weta uwe kachasị mma yikwasị ya. Gbanye ya ọlaaka nʼaka, yinyekwanụ ya akpụkpọụkwụ nʼụkwụ.
But the father turned to his servants and said “Be quick and fetch a robe – the very best – and put it on him; give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet;
23 Gaanụ kpụpụta nwa ehi gbara abụba, gbuo ya, ka anyị rie ma ṅụrịakwa.
and bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry;
24 Nʼihi na nwa m a, nwụrụ anwụ ma ọ dịla ndụ ọzọ. O fukwara efu ma a chọtala ya.’ Ha bidoro na-eri, na-aṅụ na-aṅụrịkwa ọṅụ.
for here is my son who was dead, and is alive again, was lost, and is found.” So they began making merry.
25 “Ọ dịghị anya, nwa ya nke okenye, onye jere ịrụ ọrụ nʼubi, mgbe ọ na-abịaru ụlọ nso, ọ nụrụ ụda egwu na ịgba egwu.
Meanwhile the elder son was out in the fields; but, on coming home, when he got near the house, he heard music and dancing,
26 Ọ kpọrọ otu nʼime ndị ohu jụọ ya ihe na-eme.
and he called one of the servants and asked what it all meant.
27 Ọ sịrị ya, ‘Nwanne gị nwoke alọtala. Nna gị egbuola nwa ehi gbara abụba nʼihi na ọ lọtara nʼudo na ahụ ike.’
“Your brother has come back,” the servant told him, “and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.”
28 “Iwe were ya, ọ jụrụ ịbata nʼime ụlọ. Nna ya pụtara nʼezi rịọ ya arịrịọ.
This made him angry, and he would not go in. But his father came out and begged him to do so.
29 Ma ọ zara nna ya sị, ‘Lee ọtụtụ afọ niile ndị a ka m nọọ na-ejere gị ozi, enupukwaghị m isi nʼiwu gị nʼụzọ ọbụla. Ma o nweghị oge i nyere m ọ bụladị nwa ewu sị mụ na ndị enyi m jiri ya mee oriri.
“No,” he said to his father, “look at all the years I have been serving you, without ever once disobeying you, and yet you have never given me even a young goat, so that I might have a party with my friends.
30 Ma ugbu a, nwa gị a, onye ya na ndị akwụna mefuru akụ gị alọtala, ya ka i gburu nwa ehi gbara abụba.’
But, no sooner has this son of yours come, who has eaten up your property in the company of prostitutes, than you have killed the fattened calf for him.”
31 “Ma ọ sịrị ya, ‘Nwa m, mụ na gị nọ mgbe niile, ihe niile m nwere bụkwa nke gị.
“Child,” the father answered, “you are always with me, and everything that I have is yours.
32 Ma anyị kwesiri ịṅụrị ọṅụ, kpọọkwa oriri, nʼihi na nwanne gị nwoke a nwụrụ anwụ ma ọ dịla ndụ ọzọ. O fukwara efu ma a chọtala ya.’”
We could but make merry and rejoice, for here is your brother who was dead, and is alive; who was lost, and is found.”’
