ULukha 15
1 Kwasekusondela kuye bonke abathelisi lezoni, ukumuzwa.
Now all the tax-farmers and sinners came near to give ear to him.
2 AbaFarisi lababhali basebesola besithi: Lo wemukela izoni, adle lazo.
And the Pharisees and scribes were angry, saying, This man gives approval to sinners, and takes food with them.
3 Wasebatshela lumfanekiso, esithi:
And he made a story for them, saying,
4 Nguwuphi umuntu kini ongathi elezimvu ezilikhulu, abeselahlekelwa ngenye yazo, ongazitshiyi ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye egangeni, alandele elahlekileyo, aze ayithole?
What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if one of them gets loose and goes away, will not let the ninety-nine be in the waste land by themselves, and go after the wandering one, till he sees where it is?
5 Njalo athi eseyitholile ayetshate ethokoza.
And when he has got it again, he takes it in his arms with joy.
6 Esefikile ekhaya, abizele ndawonye abangane labomakhelwane, esithi kubo: Thokozani lami, ngoba ngithole imvu yami ebilahlekile.
And when he gets back to his house, he sends for his neighbours and friends, saying to them, Be glad with me, for I have got back my sheep which had gone away.
7 Ngithi kini: Ngokunjalo kuzakuba khona intokozo ezulwini ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo, kulabalungileyo abangamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye, abangasweli ukuphenduka.
I say to you that even so there will be more joy in heaven when one sinner is turned away from his wrongdoing, than for ninety-nine good men, who have no need of a change of heart.
8 Loba nguwuphi umfazi othi elenhlamvu zesiliva ezilitshumi, uba elahlekelwa luhlamvu olulodwa lwesiliva, angalumathisi isibane, athanyele indlu, adingisise aze aluthole?
Or what woman, having ten bits of silver, if one bit has gone from her hands, will not get a light, and go through her house, searching with care till she sees it?
9 Njalo nxa eselutholile ubizela ndawonye abangane labomakhelwane, athi: Thokozani lami, ngoba sengilutholile uhlamvu lwesiliva ebengilahlekelwe yilo.
And when she has it again, she gets her friends and neighbours together, saying, Be glad with me, for I have got back the bit of silver which had gone from me.
10 Ngokunjalo, ngithi kini, ikhona intokozo phambi kwezingilosi zikaNkulunkulu ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo.
Even so, I say to you, There is joy among the angels of God, when one sinner is turned away from his wrongdoing.
11 Wasesithi: Umuntu othile wayelamadodana amabili;
And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 encinyane yawo yasisithi kuyise: Baba, nginika isabelo sempahla esiqondene lami. Wasewehlukanisela impahla.
And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me that part of your property which will be mine. And he made division of his goods between them.
13 Njalo kungelansuku ezinengi emva kwalokhu indodana encinyane yabutha konke yasuka yahamba yaya elizweni elikhatshana, njalo lapho yachitha khona impahla yayo, iphila okobuhlanya.
And not long after, the younger son got together everything which was his and took a journey into a far-away country, and there all his money went in foolish living.
14 Yathi isichithile konke, kwavela indlala enkulu kulelolizwe, yona yasiqala ukuswela.
And when everything was gone, there was no food to be had in that country, and he was in need.
15 Yasisuka yazihlanganisa lesinye sezakhamizi zalelolizwe; njalo sayithuma emasimini aso ukuze yeluse izingulube.
And he went and put himself into the hands of one of the people of that country, and he sent him into his fields to give the pigs their food.
16 Yasifisa ukugcwalisa isisu sayo ngamakhasi ingulube eziwadlayo; njalo kwakungelamuntu oyinika ulutho.
And so great was his need that he would have been glad to take the pigs' food, and no one gave him anything.
17 Kwathi ingqondo yayo isibuyile yathi: Zingaki izisebenzi zikababa eziqhatshiweyo ezilezinkwa ezinengi kakhulu, kanti mina ngiyafa yindlala;
But when he came to his senses, he said, What numbers of my father's servants have bread enough, and more, while I am near to death here through need of food!
18 ngizasukuma ngiye kubaba, ngithi kuye: Baba, ngonile ezulwini, laphambi kwakho;
I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have done wrong, against heaven and in your eyes:
19 njalo kangisafanelanga ukubizwa ngithiwe ngiyindodana yakho; ngenza ngibe njengomunye wezisebenzi zakho eziqhatshiweyo.
I am no longer good enough to be named your son: make me like one of your servants.
20 Yasisukuma yaya kuyise. Kodwa kuthe isesekhatshana, uyise wayibona, waba lesihelo, wagijima wawela entanyeni yayo, wayanga.
And he got up and went to his father. But while he was still far away, his father saw him and was moved with pity for him and went quickly and took him in his arms and gave him a kiss.
21 Indodana yasisithi kuye: Baba, ngonile ezulwini laphambi kwakho, futhi kangisafanelanga ukubizwa ngokuthi ngiyindodana yakho.
And his son said to him, Father, I have done wrong, against heaven and in your eyes: I am no longer good enough to be named your son.
22 Kodwa uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe: Khuphani lilethe isembatho esihle kakhulu liyigqokise, lifake indandatho esandleni sayo, lamanyathela enyaweni zayo;
But the father said to his servants, Get out the first robe quickly, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet:
23 lilethe ithole elinonisiweyo lilihlabe, njalo sidle sithokoze;
And get the fat young ox and put it to death, and let us have a feast, and be glad.
24 ngoba indodana yami le ibifile, isibuye yaphila; ibilahlekile, itholiwe; basebeqala ukuthokoza.
For this, my son, who was dead, is living again; he had gone away from me, and has come back. And they were full of joy.
25 Kodwa indodana yakhe endala yayisensimini; yathi isiza isondela endlini, yezwa ukuhlabelela lokusina.
Now the older son was in the field: and when he came near the house, the sounds of music and dancing came to his ears.
26 Yasibizela kuyo omunye wezinceku, yabuza ukuthi zitshoni lezizinto.
And he sent for one of the servants, questioning him about what it might be.
27 Yasisithi kuyo: Umfowenu ufikile; loyihlo uhlabile ithole elinonisiweyo, ngoba ememukele ephila.
And he said to him, Your brother has come; and your father has had the young ox put to death because he has come back safely.
28 Kodwa yathukuthela, ayizange ifune ukungena; ngakho uyise waphuma wayincenga.
But he was angry and would not go in; and his father came out and made a request to him to come in.
29 Kodwa yaphendula yathi kuyise: Khangela, iminyaka engaka ngikusebenzela, kangizange ngeqe umlayo wakho, kodwa kawuzange unginike lazinyane lembuzi, ukuze ngijabule kanye labangane bami.
But he made answer and said to his father, See, all these years I have been your servant, doing your orders in everything: and you never gave me even a young goat so that I might have a feast with my friends:
30 Kodwa kuthe isifikile lindodana yakho eyachitha impahla yakho lezifebe, wayihlabela ithole elinonisiweyo.
But when this your son came, who has been wasting your property with bad women, you put to death the fat young ox for him.
31 Wasesithi kuyo: Ndodana, wena uhlezi ulami, futhi konke okungokwami kungokwakho.
And he said to him, Son, you are with me at all times, and all I have is yours.
32 Kodwa bekufanele ukujabula lokuthokoza; ngoba umfowenu lo owayefile, usebuye waphila; wayelahlekile, utholiwe.
But it was right to be glad and to have a feast; for this your brother, who was dead, is living again; he had gone away and has come back.
