ULukha 7
1 Kwathi eseqedile amazwi akhe wonke endlebeni zabantu, wangena eKapenawume.
When Jesus had finished all he had to say to the people, he entered Capernaum.
2 Njalo inceku yenduna yekhulu ethile, eyayiligugu kuyo, yayigula isizakufa.
A centurion in the Roman army had a slave whom he valued, and who was seriously ill – almost at the point of death.
3 Kwathi isizwile ngoJesu, yathuma kuye abadala bamaJuda, imcela, ukuze eze asilise inceku yayo.
And, hearing about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, with the request that he would come and save his slave’s life.
4 Kwathi bona, sebefikile kuJesu, bamncenga kakhulu, besithi: Yona kufanele ukuthi uyenzele lokhu;
When they found Jesus, they earnestly implored him to help. ‘He deserves this favour from you.’ they said,
5 ngoba iyasithanda isizwe sakithi, njalo yiyo eyasakhela isinagoge.
‘He is devoted to our people, and even built our synagogue for us.’
6 UJesu wasehamba labo. Kwathi engasekhatshana lendlu, induna yekhulu yathuma abangane kuye, isithi kuye: Nkosi, ungazikhathazi; ngoba kangifanele ukuthi ungene ngaphansi kophahla lwami;
So Jesus went with them. But, when he was no great distance from the house, the centurion sent some friends with the message – ‘Do not trouble yourself, Sir; for I am unworthy to receive you under my roof.
7 yikho kangizibonanga ngifanele ukuza kuwe; kodwa khuluma ngelizwi, njalo inceku yami izasiliswa.
That was why I did not even venture to come to you myself; but speak, and let my manservant be cured.
8 Ngoba lami ngingumuntu obekwe ngaphansi kwamandla, ngilamabutho ngaphansi kwami, njalo ngithi kuleli: Hamba, njalo lihambe; lakwelinye: Woza, njalo lize; lencekwini yami: Yenza lokhu, njalo ikwenze.
For I myself am a man under the orders of others, with soldiers under me; and if I say to one of them “Go,” he goes, and to another “Come,” he comes, and to my slave “Do this,” he does it.’
9 Kwathi uJesu ezizwa lezizinto wamangala ngayo, watshibilika, wathi exukwini elimlandelayo: Ngithi kini, angitholanga ukholo olungaka ngitsho lakoIsrayeli.
Jesus was surprised to hear these words from him; and, turning to the crowd which was following him, he said, ‘I tell you, nowhere in Israel have I met with such faith as this!’
10 Kwathi ababethunyiwe sebebuyele endlini bafica inceku eyayigula isisilile.
And, when the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave recovered.
11 Kwasekusithi ngelanga elilandelayo, waya emzini othiwa yiNayini; abafundi bakhe abanengi basebehamba laye, lexuku elikhulu.
Shortly after, Jesus went to a town called Nain, his disciples and a great crowd going with him.
12 Kwathi esesondela esangweni lomuzi, njalo khangela, kwakulofileyo ethwelwe kuphunywa, indodana engeyodwa kanina, futhi yena engumfelokazi; lexuku elikhulu lomuzi lalilaye.
Just as he approached the gate of the town, there was a dead man being carried out for burial – an only son, and his mother was a widow. A large number of the people of the town were with her.
13 INkosi imbona, yasisiba lesihelo ngaye, yathi kuye: Ungakhali.
When he saw her, the Master was moved with compassion for her, and he said to her, ‘Do not weep.’
14 Yasondela yathinta ithala; abalithweleyo basebesima; yasisithi: Jaha, ngithi kuwe: Vuka!
Then he went up and touched the bier, and the bearers stopped; and Jesus said, ‘Young man, I am speaking to you – Rise!’
15 Ofileyo wasevuka wahlala waqala ukukhuluma. Yasimnika unina.
The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus restored him to his mother.
16 Ukwesaba kwasekubabamba bonke, basebemdumisa uNkulunkulu, besithi: Umprofethi omkhulu usevukile phakathi kwethu; lokuthi: UNkulunkulu uhambele abantu bakhe.
Everyone was awe-struck and began praising God. ‘A great prophet has arisen among us,’ they said. ‘God has visited his people.’
17 Le indumela ngaye yasiphumela kuyo yonke iJudiya, lakuso sonke isigaba esizingelezeleyo.
And this story about Jesus spread all through Judea, and in the neighbouring countries as well.
18 Abafundi bakaJohane basebembikela ngazo zonke lezizinto.
All these events were reported to John by his disciples.
19 UJohane wasebizela kuye ababili abathile kubafundi bakhe wabathuma kuJesu, esithi: Wena unguye ozayo yini, kumbe silindele omunye?
So he summoned two of them, and sent them to the Master to ask – ‘Are you “the coming one,” or are we to look for someone else?’
20 Lamadoda esefikile kuye athi: UJohane uMbhabhathizi usithumile kuwe, esithi: Wena unguye ozayo yini, kumbe silindele omunye?
When these men found Jesus, they said, ‘John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask – Are you “the coming one,” or are we to look for somebody else?’
21 Langalelohola wasilisa abanengi ezifweni lemikhuhlaneni lakubomoya ababi, labayiziphofu abanengi wabapha ukubona.
At that very time Jesus had cured many people of diseases, afflictions, and wicked spirits, and had given many blind people their sight.
22 UJesu wasephendula wathi kubo: Hambani limtshele uJohane izinto elizibonileyo lelizizwileyo: Ukuthi iziphofu zibuye zibone, iziqhuli ziyahamba, amalephero ayahlanjululwa, izacuthe ziyezwa, abafileyo bayavuswa, abayanga bayatshunyayezwa ivangeli;
So his answer to the question was, ‘Go and report to John what you have witnessed and heard – the blind recover their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are made clean, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the good news is told to the poor.
23 njalo ubusisiwe loba ngubani ongakhubekiyo ngami.
And blessed is the person who finds no hindrance in me.’
24 Kwathi sezihambile izithunywa zikaJohane, waqala ukukhuluma lamaxuku ngoJohane esithi: Laphuma laya enkangala ukuyabonani? Umhlanga onyikinywa ngumoya yini?
When John’s messengers had left, Jesus, speaking to the crowds, began to say with reference to John,
25 Kanti laphumela ukuyabonani? Umuntu owembethe izembatho ezicolekileyo yini? Khangelani, abembethe ezikhazimulayo baphila mnandi basezindlini 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 dressed in rich clothing? Why, those who are accustomed to fine clothes and luxury live in royal palaces.
26 Pho laphumela ukuyabonani? Umprofethi yini? Yebo, ngithi kini: Loba odlula kakhulu umprofethi.
What then did you go to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet.
27 Lo nguye okubhalwe ngaye ukuthi: Khangela, mina ngiyathuma isithunywa sami phambi kobuso bakho, esizalungisa indlela yakho phambi kwakho.
This is the man of whom scripture says – “I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you.”
28 Ngoba ngithi kini: Phakathi kwabazelwe ngabesifazana kakho umprofethi omkhulu kuloJohane uMbhabhathizi; kodwa omncinyane embusweni kaNkulunkulu mkhulu kulaye.
There is, I tell you, no one born of a woman who is greater than John; and yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.’
29 Labantu bonke bekuzwa, labathelisi, bathi ulungile uNkulunkulu, sebebhabhathiziwe ngobhabhathizo lukaJohane;
(All the people, when they heard this, and even the tax collectors, having accepted John’s baptism, acknowledged the justice of God.
30 kodwa abaFarisi lezazumthetho balala icebo likaNkulunkulu bemelene labo, ngoba bengabhabhathizwanga nguye.
But the Pharisees and the students of the Law, having rejected John’s baptism, frustrated God’s purpose in regard to them.)
31 Yasisithi iNkosi: Pho-ke abantu balesisizukulwana ngizabafananisa lani? Kanti bafanana lani?
‘To what then,’ Jesus continued, ‘should I compare the people of the present generation? What are they like?
32 Banjengabantwana abancane abahlezi emakethe bememezana besithi: Silitshayele umhlanga, kodwa kalisinanga; silililele, kodwa kalikhalanga.
They are like some little children who are sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another – “We have played the flute for you, but you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not wept!”
33 Ngoba uJohane uMbhabhathizi wafika engadli isinkwa njalo enganathi iwayini, laselisithi: Uledimoni;
For now that John the Baptist has come, not eating bread or drinking wine, you are saying “He has a demon in him”;
34 iNdodana yomuntu ifikile isidla, inatha, laselisithi: Khangelani, umuntu oligovu lesinathi sewayini, umngane wabathelisi lezoni.
and now that the Son of Man has come, eating and drinking, you are saying “Here is a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax collectors and outcasts.”
35 Kodwa inhlakanipho ithiwa ilungile ngabantwana bayo bonke.
And yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.’
36 Omunye wabaFarisi wasemcela ukuthi adle laye; esengenile endlini yomFarisi wahlala ekudleni.
One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to dine with him, so Jesus went to his house and took his place at the table.
37 Njalo khangela, owesifazana kulowomuzi, owayeyisoni, esekwazi ukuthi uJesu uhlezi ekudleni endlini yomFarisi, waletha umfuma we-alibasta owamagcobo,
Just then a woman, who was an outcast in the town, having heard that Jesus was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of perfume,
38 wasesima eceleni kwenyawo zakhe ngemva kwakhe ekhala, waqala ukuthambisa inyawo zakhe ngenyembezi, wazesula ngenwele zekhanda lakhe, wanga inyawo zakhe, wazigcoba ngamagcobo.
and placed herself behind Jesus, near his feet, weeping. Then she began to make his feet wet with her tears, and she dried them with the hair of her head, repeatedly kissing his feet and anointing them with the perfume.
39 Kuthe umFarisi obemnxusile ekubona wakhulumela ngaphakathi kwakhe wathi: Lo, uba ebengumprofethi, ngabe uyamazi ukuthi ungubani lokuthi unjani lo owesifazana omthintayo, ngoba uyisoni.
When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, ‘Had this man been “the prophet,” he would have known who, and what sort of woman, this is who is touching him, and that she is an outcast.’
40 UJesu wasephendula wathi kuye: Simoni, ngilengizakukhuluma lawe. Yena wasesithi: Khuluma, Mfundisi.
But, addressing him, Jesus said, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ ‘Pray do so, teacher,’ Simon answered; and Jesus began,
41 Kwakukhona ababili ababelezikwelede kumkweledisi othile; omunye wayelomlandu wabodenariyo abangamakhulu amahlanu, lomunye abangamatshumi amahlanu.
‘There were two people who were in debt to a moneylender; one owed five hundred silver coins, and the other fifty.
42 Kwathi bengelakho okokuhlawula ngakho, wabaxolela bobabili. Kambe nguwuphi kubo, tshono, ozamthanda okwedlulisileyo?
As they were unable to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them, do you think, will love him the more?’
43 USimoni wasephendula wathi: Ngicabanga ngulowo amxolela okwedlulisileyo. Wathi kuye: Wahlulele ngokuqonda.
‘I suppose,’ answered Simon, ‘it will be the man to whom he forgave the greater debt.’ ‘You are right,’ said Jesus,
44 Wasetshibilikela kowesifazana, wathi kuSimoni: Uyambona lo owesifazana yini? Ngingene endlini yakho, amanzi enyaweni zami kawunginikanga; kodwa yena uzithambisile inyawo zami ngenyembezi zakhe, wazesula ngenwele zekhanda lakhe.
and then, turning to the woman, he said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I came into your house – you gave me no water for my feet, but she has made my feet wet with her tears and dried them with her hair.
45 Kawunganganga; kodwa yena, lokhu ngingenile, kayekelanga ukwanga inyawo zami.
You did not give me one kiss, but she, from the moment I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 Ngamagcobo ikhanda lami kawuligcobanga; kodwa yena ugcobile inyawo zami ngamakha.
You did not anoint even my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume.
47 Ngenxa yalokhu, ngithi kuwe: Izono zakhe ezinengi zithethelelwe, ngoba uthandile kakhulu; kodwa lowo othethelelwa kancinyane, uthanda kancinyane.
So I tell you, her great love shows that her sins, many as they are, have been pardoned. One who is pardoned little loves little.’
48 Wasesithi kuye: Zithethelelwe izono zakho.
Then he said to the woman, ‘Your sins have been pardoned.’
49 Ababehlezi laye ekudleni basebeqala ukukhulumisana bodwa besithi: Ngubani lo othethelela lezono?
The other guests began to say to one another, ‘Who is this man who even pardons sins?’
50 Wasesithi kowesifazana: Ukholo lwakho lukusindisile; hamba ngokuthula.
But Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has delivered you; go, and peace be with you.’
