UMathewu 11
1 UJesu wathi eseqedile ukulaya abafundi bakhe abalitshumi lambili wasuka kuleyondawo ukuyafundisa lokutshumayela emadolobheni aseGalile.
After Jesus had finished giving directions to his twelve Disciples, he left that place in order to teach and preach in their towns.
2 UJohane esentolongweni wathi esizwa ukuthi uKhristu wayesenzani, wathuma abafundi bakhe
Now John had heard in prison what the Christ was doing, and he sent a message by his disciples,
3 ukuba bayembuza bathi, “Unguye yini ozayo kumbe silindele omunye na?”
and asked —” Are you ‘The Coming One,’ or are we to look for someone else?”
4 UJesu waphendula wathi, “Buyelani liyebikela uJohane lokhu elikuzwayo lelikubonayo ukuthi
The answer of Jesus to the question was — “Go and report to John what you hear and see —
5 Iziphofu zenziwa zibone, abaqhugezelayo bayahamba, abalobulephero bayahlanjululwa, izacuthe ziyezwa, abafileyo bayavuswa, levangeli liyatshunyayelwa kubayanga.
the blind recover their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are made clean and the deaf hear, the dead, too, are raised to life, and the good news is told to the poor.
6 Ubusisiwe umuntu ongakhubekiyo ngenxa yami.”
And blessed is the man who finds no hindrance in me.”
7 Kwathi abafundi bakaJohane sebesuka, uJesu waqala ukukhuluma labantu ngoJohane esithi: “Laphuma lisiyabonani enkangala na? Umhlanga owazunguzwa ngumoya na?
While these men were going back, Jesus began to say to the crowds with reference to John:
8 Nxa kungayisikho, pho lalisiyabonani? Indoda eyayicecile na? Hatshi, labo abagqoka izigqoko ezinhle basezigodlweni zamakhosi.
“What did you go out into the Wilderness to look at? A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man richly dressed? Why, those who wear rich things are to be found in the courts of kings!
9 Pho laphuma lisiyabonani na? Umphrofethi? Yebo, ngiyalitshela, odlula umphrofethi.
What, then, did you go for? To see a Prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a Prophet.
10 Lo nguye okulotshwe ngaye ukuthi: ‘Ngizathuma isithunywa sami phambi kwakho, esizalungisa indlela yakho phambi kwakho.’
This is the man of whom Scripture says — ‘Behold, I am myself sending my Messenger before thy face, and he shall prepare thy way before thee.’
11 Ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi, phakathi kwabo bonke abazelwe ngabesifazane akukaveli loyedwa omkhulu kuloJohane uMbhaphathizi ikanti lowo ongomncinyane kakhulu embusweni wezulu mkhulu kulaye.
I tell you, no one born of a woman has yet appeared who is greater than John the Baptist; and yet the lowliest in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.
12 Kusukela ensukwini zikaJohane uMbhaphathizi kuze kube khathesi, umbuso wezulu wala uqhubeka ngamandla ngoba abantu abalamandla bawubambile.
From the time of John the Baptist to this very hour, the Kingdom of Heaven has been taken by force, and men using force have been seizing it.
13 Ngoba bonke abaPhrofethi kanye loMthetho baphrofitha kwaze kwafika uJohane.
For the teaching of all the Prophets and of the Law continued till the time of John;
14 Ngakho nxa likwamukela lokhu, ungu-Elija okwathiwa uyeza.
and — if you are ready to accept it — John is himself the Elijah who was destined to come.
15 Lowo olendlebe zokuzwa, kezwe.
Let him who has ears hear.
16 Kambe ngingasifanisa lani isizukulwane lesi na? Banjengabantwana abahlezi emikambo bememeza abanye besithi:
But to what shall I compare the present generation? It is like little children sitting in the market-places and calling out to their playmates —
17 ‘Salitshayela umhubhe, kodwa kaligidanga; salihlabelela ingoma yesililo kodwa kalililanga.’
‘We have played the flute for you, but you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not mourned.’
18 Ngoba uJohane wafika engadli njalo enganathi basebesithi, ‘Uledimoni,’
For, when John came, neither eating nor drinking, men said ‘He has a demon in him’;
19 INdodana yoMuntu yafika yadla, yanatha, bathi, ‘Nansi isidli lesidakwa, umngane wabathelisi lezoni.’ Kodwa, ukuhlakanipha kuziveza ukuthi kuqondile ngemisebenzi yakho.”
and now that the Son of Man has come, eating and drinking, they are saying ‘Here is a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and outcasts!’ And yet Wisdom is vindicated by her actions.”
20 UJesu waseqalisa ukuwasola amadolobho lawo lapho izimangaliso zakhe ezinengi ezazenziwe khona ngoba kabazange baphenduke:
Then Jesus began to reproach the towns in which most of his miracles had been done, because they had not repented:
21 “Maye kuwe Khorazini! Maye kuwe Bhethisayida! Aluba izimangaliso lezo ezenziwa kuwe zazenziwe eThire leSidoni, ngabe kudala baphenduka begqoke izigqoko zamasaka, bazibhuqa lemlotheni.
“Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For, if the miracles which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22 Kodwa ngiyalitshela, kuzakuba ngcono eThire leSidoni ngosuku lokwahlulelwa kulalokho okuzalehlela lina.
Yet, I tell you, the doom of Tyre and Sidon will be more bearable in the ‘Day of Judgment’ than yours.
23 Lawe Khaphenawume, kambe uzaphakanyiselwa emazulwini na? Hatshi, uzatshona phansi uye eHadesi. Ngoba aluba izimangaliso ezenziwa kuwe zazenziwe eSodoma ngabe ikhona lanamuhla. (Hadēs g86)
And you, Capernaum! Will you ‘exalt yourself to Heaven’? ‘You shall go down to the Place of Death.’ For, if the miracles which have been done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been standing to this day. (Hadēs g86)
24 Kodwa ngiyalitshela ukuthi kuzakuba ngcono elizweni leSodoma ngelanga lokwahlulelwa kulakuwe.”
Yet, I tell you, the doom of Sodom will be more bearable in the ‘Day of Judgment’ than yours.”
25 Ngalesosikhathi uJesu wathi, “Ngiyakubonga Baba, Nkosi yezulu lomhlaba ngoba uzifihlile lezizinto kwabahlakaniphileyo labafundileyo, wazambulela abantwana abancinyane.
At that same time Jesus uttered the words: “I thank thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that, though thou hast hidden these things from the wise and learned, thou hast revealed them to the child-like!
26 Yebo Baba, lokhu kwaba yikuthanda kwakho.
Yes, Father, I thank thee that this has seemed good to thee.
27 Zonke izinto zethulwe kimi nguBaba. Kakho oyaziyo iNdodana ngaphandle kukaBaba, njalo kakho omaziyo uBaba ngaphandle kweNdodana lalabo iNdodana ekhethe ukuba imveze kubo.
Everything has been committed to me by my Father; nor does any one fully know the Son, except the Father, or fully know the Father, except the Son and those to whom the Son may choose to reveal him.
28 Wozani kimi lina lonke elikhatheleyo lelisindwayo, ngizaliphumuza.
Come to me, all you who toil and are burdened, and I will give you rest!
29 Zithwaliseni ijogwe lami, lifunde kimi, ngoba ngimnene futhi ngithobekile enhliziyweni njalo lizazuza ukuphumula kwemiphefumulo yenu.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly-minded, and ‘you shall find rest for your souls’;
30 Ngoba ijogwe lami lilula, lomthwalo wami kawusindi.”
for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
