ULukha 15
1 Kwasekusondela kuye bonke abathelisi lezoni, ukumuzwa.
And all the tax collectors and 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 were murmuring, saying, “This One receives sinners, and eats with them.”
3 Wasebatshela lumfanekiso, esithi:
And He spoke to them this allegory, 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 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 Njalo athi eseyitholile ayetshate ethokoza.
And having found, he lays [it] on his shoulders rejoicing,
6 Esefikile ekhaya, abizele ndawonye abangane labomakhelwane, esithi kubo: Thokozani lami, ngoba ngithole 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 Ngithi kini: Ngokunjalo kuzakuba khona intokozo ezulwini ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo, kulabalungileyo abangamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye, abangasweli 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 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 may lose one drachma, does not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek carefully until she may find?
9 Njalo nxa eselutholile ubizela ndawonye abangane labomakhelwane, athi: Thokozani lami, ngoba sengilutholile uhlamvu lwesiliva ebengilahlekelwe yilo.
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 Ngokunjalo, ngithi kini, ikhona intokozo phambi kwezingilosi zikaNkulunkulu ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo.
So I say to you, joy comes before the messengers of God over one sinner converting.”
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 the father, Father, give me the portion of the substance falling to [me], and he divided to them the living.
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 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 Yathi isichithile konke, kwavela indlala enkulu kulelolizwe, yona yasiqala ukuswela.
and he having spent all, there came a mighty famine on that country, and himself began to be in want;
15 Yasisuka yazihlanganisa lesinye sezakhamizi zalelolizwe; njalo sayithuma emasimini aso ukuze yeluse izingulube.
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 Yasifisa ukugcwalisa isisu sayo ngamakhasi ingulube eziwadlayo; njalo kwakungelamuntu oyinika ulutho.
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 ingqondo yayo isibuyile yathi: Zingaki izisebenzi zikababa eziqhatshiweyo ezilezinkwa ezinengi kakhulu, kanti mina ngiyafa yindlala;
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 ngizasukuma ngiye kubaba, ngithi kuye: Baba, ngonile ezulwini, laphambi kwakho;
Having risen, I will go on to my father, and will say to him, Father, I sinned—to Heaven, and before you,
19 njalo kangisafanelanga ukubizwa ngithiwe ngiyindodana yakho; ngenza ngibe njengomunye wezisebenzi zakho eziqhatshiweyo.
and I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired workers.
20 Yasisukuma yaya kuyise. Kodwa kuthe isesekhatshana, uyise wayibona, waba lesihelo, wagijima wawela entanyeni yayo, 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 yasisithi kuye: Baba, ngonile ezulwini laphambi kwakho, futhi kangisafanelanga ukubizwa ngokuthi 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: Khuphani lilethe isembatho esihle kakhulu liyigqokise, lifake indandatho esandleni sayo, lamanyathela enyaweni zayo;
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 lilethe ithole elinonisiweyo lilihlabe, njalo sidle sithokoze;
and having brought the fatted calf, kill [it], and having eaten, we may be merry,
24 ngoba indodana yami le ibifile, isibuye yaphila; ibilahlekile, itholiwe; basebeqala ukuthokoza.
because this son of mine was dead, and lived again, and he was lost, and was found; and they began to be merry.
25 Kodwa indodana yakhe endala yayisensimini; yathi isiza isondela endlini, yezwa ukuhlabelela lokusina.
And his elder son was in a field, and as, coming, he drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing,
26 Yasibizela kuyo omunye wezinceku, yabuza ukuthi zitshoni lezizinto.
and having called near one of the young men, he was inquiring what these things might be,
27 Yasisithi kuyo: Umfowenu ufikile; loyihlo uhlabile ithole elinonisiweyo, ngoba ememukele ephila.
and he said to him, Your brother has arrived, and your father killed the fatted calf, because he received him back in health.
28 Kodwa yathukuthela, ayizange ifune ukungena; ngakho uyise waphuma wayincenga.
And he was angry, and would not go in, therefore his father, having come forth, was pleading him;
29 Kodwa yaphendula yathi kuyise: Khangela, iminyaka engaka ngikusebenzela, kangizange ngeqe umlayo wakho, kodwa kawuzange unginike lazinyane lembuzi, ukuze ngijabule kanye 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 kuthe isifikile lindodana yakho eyachitha impahla yakho lezifebe, wayihlabela ithole elinonisiweyo.
but when your son—this one who devoured your living with prostitutes—came, you killed to him the fatted calf.
31 Wasesithi kuyo: Ndodana, wena uhlezi ulami, futhi konke okungokwami kungokwakho.
And he said to him, Child, you are always with me, and all my things are yours;
32 Kodwa bekufanele ukujabula lokuthokoza; ngoba umfowenu lo owayefile, usebuye waphila; wayelahlekile, utholiwe.
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.”
