ULukha 15
1 Ngalesosikhathi kwasekubuthana kuye abathelisi lezoni ukuzokuzwa imfundiso yakhe.
And all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to Him, to hear Him,
2 Kodwa abaFarisi labafundisi bomthetho bakhonona bathi, “Umuntu lo wemukela izoni adle lazo.”
and the Pharisees and the scribes were murmuring, saying, “This One receives sinners, and eats with them.”
3 UJesu wasebatshela umzekeliso lo, wathi:
And He spoke to them this allegory, saying,
4 “Ake kuthiwe omunye wenu ulezimvu ezilikhulu besekulahleka eyodwa kuzo. Kazukuzitshiya yini lezo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye khonale egangeni ayidinge leyo elahlekileyo aze ayithole na?
“What man of you having one hundred sheep, and having lost one out of them, does not leave behind the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go on after the lost one, until he may find it?
5 Kuthi lapho eseyitholile ayithwale emahlombe ngokuthokoza
And having found, he lays [it] on his shoulders rejoicing,
6 aye layo ekhaya. Abesebiza abangane bakhe labomakhelwane athi, ‘Thokozani lami; sengiyitholile imvu yami ebilahlekile.’
and having come into the house, he calls together the friends and the neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I found my sheep—the lost one.
7 Ngilitshela ukuthi ngaleyondlela kuzakuba lokuthokoza ezulwini ngokuphenduka kwesoni esisodwa okudlula labobantu abalungileyo abangamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye abangakudingiyo ukuphenduka.”
I say to you that [more] joy will be in Heaven over one sinner converting, rather than over ninety-nine righteous men who have no need of conversion.
8 “Kumbe kuthi owesifazane elenhlamvu zesiliva ezilitshumi kulahleke uhlamvu olulodwa. Kalumathisi yini isibane, athanyele endlini, adingisise kuhle aze aluthole na?
Or what woman having ten drachmas, if she may lose one drachma, does not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek carefully until she may find?
9 Kuthi eselutholile abize abangane bakhe labomakhelwane, athi kubo, ‘Thokozani lami; sengilutholile uhlamvu lwami lwesiliva obelulahlekile.’
And having found, she calls together the female friends and the neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I found the drachma that I lost.
10 Ngiyalitshela ukuthi ngaleyondlela kulokuthokoza phambi kwezingilosi zikaNkulunkulu ngokuphenduka kwesoni esisodwa.”
So I say to you, joy comes before the messengers of God over one sinner converting.”
11 UJesu waqhubeka wathi: “Kwakukhona indoda eyayilamadodana amabili.
And He said, “A certain man had two sons,
12 Encinyane yathi kuyise, ‘Baba, ngipha esami isabelo selifa.’ Ngakho uyise wabehlukanisela impahla yakhe bobabili.
and the younger of them said to the father, Father, give me the portion of the substance falling to [me], and he divided to them the living.
13 Ngemva kwesikhatshana indodana encane yabutha konke okungokwayo yasuka yaya elizweni elikhatshana, yafika khonale yayichitha inotho yayo ngempilo yokuxhwala.
And not many days after, having gathered all together, the younger son went abroad to a far country, and there he scattered his substance, living riotously;
14 Isitshaye yachitha konke, kwaba lendlala enkulu kulolonke ilizwe, yasiswela kakhulu.
and he having spent all, there came a mighty famine on that country, and himself began to be in want;
15 Yasisiyadinga umsebenzi komunye umuntu wakulelolizwe owayisa esiqintini sakhe ukuyagcina ingulube.
and having gone on, he joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into the fields to feed pigs,
16 Yabona kungcono kuyo ukuthi ixotshe iphango ngokudla okwakudliwa zingulube, kodwa kayizange iphiwe lutho langubani.
and he was desirous to fill his belly from the husks that the pigs were eating, and no one was giving to him.
17 Kwathi lapho ingqondo yayo isicabanga kuhle, yathi, ‘Kambe zingaki izinceku zikababa ezidla zizezitshiye kodwa nanku mina ngifa ngendlala!
And having come to himself, he said, How many hired workers of my father have a superabundance of bread, and I am perishing here with hunger!
18 Ngizasuka ngibuyele kubaba ngifike ngithi kuye: Baba, ngenze isono phambi kwezulu lakuwe.
Having risen, I will go on to my father, and will say to him, Father, I sinned—to Heaven, and before you,
19 Kangisafanelanga ukuthiwa ngiyindodana yakho; ngenza ngibe njengomunye wezinceku zakho.’
and I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired workers.
20 Ngakho yaphakama yaya kuyise. Kodwa yathi isesebucwala uyise wayibona wayizwela isihawu; wagijimela kuyo indodana yakhe, wayigona, wayanga.
And having risen, he went to his own father, and he being yet far distant, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and having ran he fell on his neck and kissed him;
21 Indodana yathi kuye, ‘Baba, ngenze isono phambi kwezulu lakuwe. Kangisafanelanga ukuthiwa ngiyindodana yakho.’
and the son said to him, Father, I sinned—to Heaven, and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
22 Kodwa uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe, ‘Phangisani! Lethani isembatho esihle ukwedlula ezinye limgqokise. Lifake indandatho emunweni wakhe, limgqokise lamanyathela ezinyaweni zakhe.
And the father said to his servants, Bring forth the foremost robe, and clothe him, and give a ring for his hand, and sandals for the feet;
23 Beseliletha ithole elinonisiweyo lilihlabe. Asenzeni idili sithokoze.
and having brought the fatted calf, kill [it], and having eaten, we may be merry,
24 Ngoba indodana yami le yayisifile, kodwa isiphila njalo; yayilahlekile manje isifunyenwe.’ Waqalisa manje umkhosi wokujabula.
because this son of mine was dead, and lived again, and he was lost, and was found; and they began to be merry.
25 Sonke lesisikhathi indodana endala yayisensimini. Yathi isibanga endlini yezwa kuhlatshelelwa njalo kugidwa.
And his elder son was in a field, and as, coming, he drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing,
26 Yasibiza omunye wezinceku yambuza ukuthi kwakusenzakalani.
and having called near one of the young men, he was inquiring what these things might be,
27 Waphendula wathi, ‘Umfowenu usebuyile, ngakho uyihlo usemhlabele ithole elinonisiweyo ngoba ubuye ephilile, ephelele.’
and he said to him, Your brother has arrived, and your father killed the fatted calf, because he received him back in health.
28 Umnewabo wazonda kakhulu, wala ukungena ngekhaya. Uyise wasephuma esiya kuye ukuyamncenga.
And he was angry, and would not go in, therefore his father, having come forth, was pleading him;
29 Kodwa waphendula uyise wathi, ‘Khangela! Iminyaka yonke le bengikusebenzela kanzima njalo kangizange ngeqe imilayo yakho. Kodwa kawuzange ungiphe lokulizinyane kodwa lokhu ukuthi lami kengithokoze labangane bami.
and he answering said to the father, Behold, so many years I serve you, and never did I transgress your command, and you never gave to me a kid that I might make merry with my friends;
30 Kodwa lokhu kuthi nxa indodana yakho le esitshaye yathintitha inotho yakho lezifebe, isibuyile ekhaya uyihlabele ithole elinonisiweyo!’
but when your son—this one who devoured your living with prostitutes—came, you killed to him the fatted calf.
31 Uyise wathi, ‘Ndodana yami, uhlezi ulami sonke isikhathi njalo konke engilakho ngokwakho.
And he said to him, Child, you are always with me, and all my things are yours;
32 Kodwa bekufanele sithokoze sijabule ngoba umfowenu lo wayesefile, manje usephila njalo; ubelahlekile, usefunyenwe.’”
but to be merry, and to be glad, it was necessary, because this your brother was dead, and lived again, he was lost, and was found.”
