ULukha 15
1 Ngalesosikhathi kwasekubuthana kuye abathelisi lezoni ukuzokuzwa imfundiso yakhe.
Then drew near unto Him all the publicans and other notorious sinners, to hear Him.
2 Kodwa abaFarisi labafundisi bomthetho bakhonona bathi, “Umuntu lo wemukela izoni adle lazo.”
And the pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man entertaineth wicked persons, and eateth with them.
3 UJesu wasebatshela umzekeliso lo, wathi:
But He spake to them this parable,
4 “Ake kuthiwe omunye wenu ulezimvu ezilikhulu besekulahleka eyodwa kuzo. Kazukuzitshiya yini lezo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye khonale egangeni ayidinge leyo elahlekileyo aze ayithole na?
saying, What man of you that hath an hundred sheep, and loseth one of them, doth not leave the ninety-nine in the field, and go after that which was lost, till he find it?
5 Kuthi lapho eseyitholile ayithwale emahlombe ngokuthokoza
And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders rejoicing:
6 aye layo ekhaya. Abesebiza abangane bakhe labomakhelwane athi, ‘Thokozani lami; sengiyitholile imvu yami ebilahlekile.’
and coming home, he calleth his friends and neighbors together and saith unto them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 Ngilitshela ukuthi ngaleyondlela kuzakuba lokuthokoza ezulwini ngokuphenduka kwesoni esisodwa okudlula labobantu abalungileyo abangamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye abangakudingiyo ukuphenduka.”
Thus, I tell you, there shall be joy in heaven over one repenting sinner, more than over ninety-nine righteous persons, that have no need of repentance.
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 pieces of silver, if she lose one, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and search carefully till she find it?
9 Kuthi eselutholile abize abangane bakhe labomakhelwane, athi kubo, ‘Thokozani lami; sengilutholile uhlamvu lwami lwesiliva obelulahlekile.’
and when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and neighbors together; saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost.
10 Ngiyalitshela ukuthi ngaleyondlela kulokuthokoza phambi kwezingilosi zikaNkulunkulu ngokuphenduka kwesoni esisodwa.”
Thus, I tell you, there is joy among the angels of God over one repenting sinner.
11 UJesu waqhubeka wathi: “Kwakukhona indoda eyayilamadodana amabili.
And He said, a certain man had two sons: and the younger of them said to his father,
12 Encinyane yathi kuyise, ‘Baba, ngipha esami isabelo selifa.’ Ngakho uyise wabehlukanisela impahla yakhe bobabili.
Father, give me the portion that falleth to my share. And he divided his substance between them.
13 Ngemva kwesikhatshana indodana encane yabutha konke okungokwayo yasuka yaya elizweni elikhatshana, yafika khonale yayichitha inotho yayo ngempilo yokuxhwala.
And not many days after the younger son gathered all together and went abroad into a distant country, and there squandered away his substance by living luxuriously.
14 Isitshaye yachitha konke, kwaba lendlala enkulu kulolonke ilizwe, yasiswela kakhulu.
And when he had spent all, there happen'd a grievous famine in that country, and he began to be in want.
15 Yasisiyadinga umsebenzi komunye umuntu wakulelolizwe owayisa esiqintini sakhe ukuyagcina ingulube.
And he went and let himself to one of the people of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 Yabona kungcono kuyo ukuthi ixotshe iphango ngokudla okwakudliwa zingulube, kodwa kayizange iphiwe lutho langubani.
And he would gladly have filled his belly with the husks which the swine did eat: and no man relieved him.
17 Kwathi lapho ingqondo yayo isicabanga kuhle, yathi, ‘Kambe zingaki izinceku zikababa ezidla zizezitshiye kodwa nanku mina ngifa ngendlala!
But coming to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare, and I am perishing with hunger?
18 Ngizasuka ngibuyele kubaba ngifike ngithi kuye: Baba, ngenze isono phambi kwezulu lakuwe.
I will rise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee,
19 Kangisafanelanga ukuthiwa ngiyindodana yakho; ngenza ngibe njengomunye wezinceku zakho.’
and am no longer worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 Ngakho yaphakama yaya kuyise. Kodwa yathi isesebucwala uyise wayibona wayizwela isihawu; wagijimela kuyo indodana yakhe, wayigona, wayanga.
And he rose and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion; and he ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21 Indodana yathi kuye, ‘Baba, ngenze isono phambi kwezulu lakuwe. Kangisafanelanga ukuthiwa ngiyindodana yakho.’
And his son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no longer worthy to be called thy son.
22 Kodwa uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe, ‘Phangisani! Lethani isembatho esihle ukwedlula ezinye limgqokise. Lifake indandatho emunweni wakhe, limgqokise lamanyathela ezinyaweni zakhe.
But the father said to his servants, bring out the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 Beseliletha ithole elinonisiweyo lilihlabe. Asenzeni idili sithokoze.
and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and be merry:
24 Ngoba indodana yami le yayisifile, kodwa isiphila njalo; yayilahlekile manje isifunyenwe.’ Waqalisa manje umkhosi wokujabula.
for this my son was dead, and is alive again, and was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 Sonke lesisikhathi indodana endala yayisensimini. Yathi isibanga endlini yezwa kuhlatshelelwa njalo kugidwa.
But his elder son was out in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing:
26 Yasibiza omunye wezinceku yambuza ukuthi kwakusenzakalani.
and he called one of the servants to him, and asked what these things meant.
27 Waphendula wathi, ‘Umfowenu usebuyile, ngakho uyihlo usemhlabele ithole elinonisiweyo ngoba ubuye ephilile, ephelele.’
And he said to him, Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and well: but he was angry, and would not go in.
28 Umnewabo wazonda kakhulu, wala ukungena ngekhaya. Uyise wasephuma esiya kuye ukuyamncenga.
Therefore his father came out and desired 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.
But he answered and said to his father, Behold so many years as I serve thee, nor have I ever transgressed thy command, and yet thou hast never given me a kid, to be merry with my friends:
30 Kodwa lokhu kuthi nxa indodana yakho le esitshaye yathintitha inotho yakho lezifebe, isibuyile ekhaya uyihlabele ithole elinonisiweyo!’
but as soon as this thy son was come, who hath eaten up thy substance with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 Uyise wathi, ‘Ndodana yami, uhlezi ulami sonke isikhathi njalo konke engilakho ngokwakho.
And he said unto him, Son, thou art always with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 Kodwa bekufanele sithokoze sijabule ngoba umfowenu lo wayesefile, manje usephila njalo; ubelahlekile, usefunyenwe.’”
But it was fit we should be merry and rejoice; for this thy brother was dead, and is come to life again, was lost and is found.
