ULukha 15
1 Kwasekusondela kuye bonke abathelisi lezoni, ukumuzwa.
And all the tax-gatherers and the sinners were coming near to him to hear him;
2 AbaFarisi lababhali basebesola besithi: Lo wemukela izoni, adle lazo.
and the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This [man] receives sinners and eats with them.
3 Wasebatshela lumfanekiso, esithi:
And he spoke to them this parable, 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, and having lost one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 Njalo athi eseyitholile ayetshate ethokoza.
and having found it, he lays it upon his own shoulders, rejoicing;
6 Esefikile ekhaya, abizele ndawonye abangane labomakhelwane, esithi kubo: Thokozani lami, ngoba ngithole imvu yami ebilahlekile.
and being come to the house, calls together the friends and the neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.
7 Ngithi kini: Ngokunjalo kuzakuba khona intokozo ezulwini ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo, kulabalungileyo abangamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye, abangasweli ukuphenduka.
I say unto you, that thus there shall be joy in heaven for one repenting sinner, [more] than for ninety and nine righteous who have no need of repentance.
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 drachmas, if she lose one drachma, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek carefully till she find it?
9 Njalo nxa eselutholile ubizela ndawonye abangane labomakhelwane, athi: Thokozani lami, ngoba sengilutholile uhlamvu lwesiliva ebengilahlekelwe yilo.
and having found it she calls together the friends and neighbours, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost.
10 Ngokunjalo, ngithi kini, ikhona intokozo phambi kwezingilosi zikaNkulunkulu ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo.
Thus, I say unto you, there is joy before the angels of God for one repenting sinner.
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 to me the share of the property that falls [to me]. And he divided to them what he was possessed of.
13 Njalo kungelansuku ezinengi emva kwalokhu indodana encinyane yabutha konke yasuka yahamba yaya elizweni elikhatshana, njalo lapho yachitha khona impahla yayo, iphila okobuhlanya.
And after not many days the younger son gathering all together went away into a country a long way off, and there dissipated his property, living in debauchery.
14 Yathi isichithile konke, kwavela indlala enkulu kulelolizwe, yona yasiqala ukuswela.
But when he had spent all there arose a violent famine throughout that country, and he began to be in want.
15 Yasisuka yazihlanganisa lesinye sezakhamizi zalelolizwe; njalo sayithuma emasimini aso ukuze yeluse izingulube.
And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 Yasifisa ukugcwalisa isisu sayo ngamakhasi ingulube eziwadlayo; njalo kwakungelamuntu oyinika ulutho.
And he longed to fill his belly with the husks which the swine were eating; and no one gave to him.
17 Kwathi ingqondo yayo isibuyile yathi: Zingaki izisebenzi zikababa eziqhatshiweyo ezilezinkwa ezinengi kakhulu, kanti mina ngiyafa yindlala;
And coming to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have abundance of bread, and I perish here by famine.
18 ngizasukuma ngiye kubaba, ngithi kuye: Baba, ngonile ezulwini, laphambi kwakho;
I will rise up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee;
19 njalo kangisafanelanga ukubizwa ngithiwe ngiyindodana yakho; ngenza ngibe njengomunye wezisebenzi zakho eziqhatshiweyo.
I am no longer worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 Yasisukuma yaya kuyise. Kodwa kuthe isesekhatshana, uyise wayibona, waba lesihelo, wagijima wawela entanyeni yayo, wayanga.
And he rose up and went to his own father. But while he was yet a long way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell upon his neck, and covered him with kisses.
21 Indodana yasisithi kuye: Baba, ngonile ezulwini laphambi kwakho, futhi kangisafanelanga ukubizwa ngokuthi ngiyindodana yakho.
And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee; I am no longer worthy to be called thy 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 bondmen, Bring out the best robe and clothe him in [it], and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;
23 lilethe ithole elinonisiweyo lilihlabe, njalo sidle sithokoze;
and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry:
24 ngoba indodana yami le ibifile, isibuye yaphila; ibilahlekile, itholiwe; basebeqala ukuthokoza.
for this my son was dead and has come to life, was lost and has been found. And they began to make merry.
25 Kodwa indodana yakhe endala yayisensimini; yathi isiza isondela endlini, yezwa ukuhlabelela lokusina.
And his elder son was in the field; and as, coming [up], he drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 Yasibizela kuyo omunye wezinceku, yabuza ukuthi zitshoni lezizinto.
And having called one of the servants, he inquired what these things might be.
27 Yasisithi kuyo: Umfowenu ufikile; loyihlo uhlabile ithole elinonisiweyo, ngoba ememukele ephila.
And he said to him, Thy brother is come, and thy father has killed the fatted calf because he has received him safe and well.
28 Kodwa yathukuthela, ayizange ifune ukungena; ngakho uyise waphuma wayincenga.
But he became angry and would not go in. And his father went out and besought him.
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 answering said to his father, Behold, so many years I serve thee, and never have I transgressed a commandment of thine; and to me hast thou never given a kid that I might make merry with my friends:
30 Kodwa kuthe isifikile lindodana yakho eyachitha impahla yakho lezifebe, wayihlabela ithole elinonisiweyo.
but when this thy son, who has devoured thy substance with harlots, is come, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 Wasesithi kuyo: Ndodana, wena uhlezi ulami, futhi konke okungokwami kungokwakho.
But he said to him, Child, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine.
32 Kodwa bekufanele ukujabula lokuthokoza; ngoba umfowenu lo owayefile, usebuye waphila; wayelahlekile, utholiwe.
But it was right to make merry and rejoice, because this thy brother was dead and has come to life again, and was lost and has been found.
