ULukha 1
1 Njengoba abanengi sebebeke izandla ukubeka ngendlela efaneleyo ukulandiswa kwezinto eziqiniseke ngokupheleleyo phakathi kwethu,
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a narration of the things that have been accomplished among us;
2 njengalokhu basinika labo ababonayo ngamehlo ekuqaleni njalo bezinceku zelizwi,
According as they have delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word:
3 kukhanye kukuhle lakimi, sengizihlolisisile zonke izinto kusukela ekuqaleni, ukuthi ngikubhalele ngokulandelana, mhlekazi Teyofilu,
It seemed good to me also, having diligently attained to all things from the beginning, to write to thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
4 ukuze wazi iqiniso ngalezozinto ozifundisiweyo.
That thou mayest know the verity of those words in which thou hast been instructed.
5 Ensukwini zikaHerodi inkosi yeJudiya kwakukhona umpristi othile othiwa nguZakariya, oweqembu likaAbhiya; lomkakhe wayevela kumadodakazi kaAroni, lebizo lakhe linguElizabethi.
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zachary, of the course of Abia; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth.
6 Njalo babelungile bobabili phambi kukaNkulunkulu, behamba ngayo yonke imilayo lezimiso zeNkosi, bengasoleki.
And they were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame.
7 Njalo babengelamntwana, ngoba uElizabethi wayeyinyumba, basebeleminyaka eminengi bobabili.
And they had no son, for that Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
8 Kwasekusithi esenza inkonzo yobupristi phambi kukaNkulunkulu esesimisweni seqembu lakibo,
And it came to pass, when he executed the priestly function in the order of his course before God,
9 ngomkhuba wenkonzo yobupristi, nguye owadliwa yinkatho yokutshisa impepha esengene ethempelini leNkosi.
According to the custom of the priestly office, it was his lot to offer incense, going into the temple of the Lord.
10 Njalo ixuku lonke labantu lalikhuleka ngaphandle ngesikhathi sokutshisa impepha.
And all the multitude of the people was praying without, at the hour of incense.
11 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasibonakala kuye, imi ngakwesokunene selathi lempepha.
And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the alter of incense.
12 Kwathi uZakariya eyibona waqhuqha, lokwesaba kwawela phezu kwakhe.
And Zachary seeing him, was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 Kodwa ingilosi yathi kuye: Ungesabi Zakariya; ngoba umkhuleko wakho uzwakele, lomkakho uElizabethi uzakuzalela indodana, njalo uzakuthi ibizo layo nguJohane.
But the angel said to him: Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John:
14 Futhi uzakuba lenjabulo lentokozo, labanengi bazakujabulela ukuzalwa kwakhe.
And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice in his nativity.
15 Ngoba uzakuba mkhulu phambi kweNkosi, iwayini kanye lokunathwayo okulamandla kasoze akunathe, futhi uzagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele kusukela esesesiswini sikanina.
For he shall be great before the Lord; and shall drink no wine nor strong drink: and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
16 Labanengi kubantwana bakoIsrayeli uzabaphendulela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo;
And he shall convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
17 njalo yena uzahamba phambi kwayo emoyeni lemandleni kaElija, ukuphendulela inhliziyo zaboyise kubantwana, labangalaleliyo ekuhlakanipheni kwabalungileyo, ukulungiselela iNkosi isizwe esilungisiweyo.
And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias; that he may turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children, and the incredulous to the wisdom of the just, to prepare unto the Lord a perfect people.
18 UZakariya wasesithi kuyo ingilosi: Ngizakwazi ngani lokhu? Ngoba mina ngilixhegu, lomkami useleminyaka eminengi.
And Zachary said to the angel: Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.
19 Ingilosi yasiphendula yathi kuye: NginguGabriyeli mina, omayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu; njalo ngithunyiwe ukukhuluma lawe, lokukubikela lezizindaba ezinhle.
And the angel answering, said to him: I am Gabriel, who stand before God: and am sent to speak to thee, and to bring thee these good tidings.
20 Njalo khangela, uzakuba yisimungulu njalo wehluleke ukukhuluma, kuze kube lusuku okuzakwenzeka ngalo lezizinto, ngenxa yokuthi ungakholwanga amazwi ami, azagcwaliseka ngesikhathi sawo.
And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be able to speak until the day wherein these things shall come to pass, because thou hast not believed my words, which shall be fulfilled in their time.
21 Labantu babemlindele uZakariya; bamangala ngokuphuza kwakhe ethempelini.
And the people were waiting for Zachary; and they wondered that he tarried so long in the temple.
22 Kuthe esephuma wehluleka ukukhuluma labo; njalo bazi ukuthi ubone umbono ethempelini; njalo yena wayesebaqhweba, wahlala eyisimungulu.
And when he came out, he could not speak to them: and they understood that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he made signs to them, and remained dumb.
23 Kwasekusithi seziphelile insuku zokukhonza kwakhe, waya endlini yakhe.
And it came to pass, after the days of his office were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
24 Kwathi emva kwalezonsuku uElizabethi umkakhe wathatha isisu, wazifihla okwezinyanga ezinhlanu, esithi:
And after those days, Elizabeth his wife conceived, and hid herself five months, saying:
25 Yenze kanje kimi iNkosi ensukwini eyangikhangela ngazo ukususa ihlazo lami phakathi kwabantu.
Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he hath had regard to take away my reproach among men.
26 Kwathi ngenyanga yesithupha ingilosi uGabriyeli yathunywa nguNkulunkulu emzini weGalili othiwa yiNazaretha,
And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth,
27 entombini eyayigane indoda, ebizo layo lalinguJosefa, eyendlu kaDavida; lebizo lentombi linguMariya.
To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
28 Ingilosi yasingena kuye yathi: Ekuhle, wena othandiweyo! INkosi ilawe, ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana.
And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29 Kwathi eseyibonile wethuswa kakhulu yilizwi layo, wanakana ukuthi yikubingelela okunjani lokhu.
Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be.
30 Ingilosi yasisithi kuye: Ungesabi, Mariya; ngoba uthole uthando kuNkulunkulu.
And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.
31 Njalo khangela, uzathatha isisu, uzale indodana, uzakuthi ibizo layo nguJesu.
Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus.
32 Yena uzakuba mkhulu, uzabizwa ngokuthi yiNdodana yoPhezukonke; futhi iNkosi uNkulunkulu izamnika isihlalo sobukhosi sikayise uDavida,
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father;
33 njalo uzabusa phezu kwendlu kaJakobe kuze kube nininini, langombuso wakhe kawuzukuba lokuphela. (aiōn g165)
and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end. (aiōn g165)
34 UMariya wasesithi kuyo ingilosi: Lokhu kungenzeka njani, njengoba ngingazi indoda?
And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man?
35 Ingilosi yasiphendula yathi kuye: UMoya oNgcwele uzakuza phezu kwakho, lamandla oPhezukonke azakwembesa; ngakho lalokhu okungcwele okuzazalwa nguwe kuzakuthiwa yiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.
And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
36 Njalo khangela, isinini sakho uElizabethi, laye ukhulelwe yindodana ebudaleni bakhe; lale yinyanga yesithupha kuye obekuthiwa uyinyumba.
And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren:
37 Ngoba kuNkulunkulu kakulalutho oluzakwehlula.
Because no word shall be impossible with God.
38 UMariya wasesithi: Khangela, incekukazi yeNkosi; kakube kimi njengelizwi lakho. Ingilosi yasisuka kuye.
And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
39 Ngalezonsuku uMariya wasesukuma waya ezintabeni ngokuphangisa, emzini weJuda,
And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda.
40 wangena endlini kaZakariya, wabingelela uElizabethi.
And she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth.
41 Kwasekusithi uElizabethi ezwe ukubingelela kukaMariya, inkonyane yeqa esiswini sakhe; loElizabethi wagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele,
And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
42 wamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu, wathi: Ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana, njalo sibusisiwe isithelo sesizalo sakho!
And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
43 Kanti kuvela ngaphi lokhu kimi, ukuthi unina weNkosi yami eze kimi?
And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 Ngoba khangela, kuthe ilizwi lokubingelela kwakho lifika endlebeni zami, umntwana weqa esiswini sami ngokuthokoza.
For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
45 Futhi ubusisiwe okholiweyo, ngoba kuzagcwaliseka lezozinto ezakhulunywa kuye yiNkosi.
And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.
46 UMariya wasesithi: Umphefumulo wami uyayikhulisa iNkosi,
And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord.
47 lomoya wami uyathokoza kuNkulunkulu uMsindisi wami,
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48 ngoba ukhangele ubuphansi bencekukazi yakhe. Ngoba khangela, kusukela khathesi zonke izizukulwana zizakuthi ngibusisiwe.
Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 Ngoba yena olamandla ungenzele izinto ezinkulu, lingcwele lebizo lakhe,
Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name.
50 lesihawu sakhe sikusizukulwana ngesizukulwana kulabo abamesabayo.
And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.
51 Wenzile amandla ngengalo yakhe; uhlakazile abazigqajayo ekunakaneni kwenhliziyo zabo.
He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
52 Wehlisile iziphathamandla ezihlalweni zobukhosi, kodwa uphakamisile abantukazana.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.
53 Abalambileyo ubasuthise ngezinto ezinhle, kodwa abanothileyo wabamukisa beze.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54 Umsizile uIsrayeli inceku yakhe, ngokukhumbula isihawu,
He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy:
As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever. (aiōn g165)
56 UMariya wasehlala laye okungaba zinyanga ezintathu, wasebuyela endlini yakhe.
And Mary abode with her about three months; and she returned to her own house.
57 Isikhathi sikaElizabethi sokuthi abelethe sesiphelele, wasebeletha indodana.
Now Elizabeth’s full time of being delivered was come, and she brought forth a son.
58 Abakhelene laye lezinini zakhe basebesizwa ukuthi iNkosi yenze isihawu sayo saba sikhulu kuye, basebethokoza laye.
And her neighbours and kinsfolks heard that the Lord had shewed his great mercy towards her, and they congratulated with her.
59 Kwasekusithi ngosuku lwesificaminwembili, beza ukuzasoka usane; balubiza ngebizo likayise ngokuthi nguZakariya.
And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called him by his father’s name Zachary.
60 Kodwa unina waphendula wathi: Hatshi bo, kodwa luzathiwa nguJohane.
And his mother answering, said: Not so; but he shall be called John.
61 Basebesithi kuye: Kakho ezihlotsheni zakho obizwa ngalelibizo.
And they said to her: There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
62 Basebeqhweba uyise, ukuthi angathanda ukuthi lubizwe ngokuthini.
And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
63 Wasecela into yokubhalela, wabhala, esithi: NguJohane ibizo lalo; basebemangala bonke.
And demanding a writing table, he wrote, saying: John is his name. And they all wondered.
64 Njalo wahle wavulwa umlomo wakhe lolimi lwakhe lwatshwaphululwa, wasekhuluma edumisa uNkulunkulu.
And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.
65 Lokwesaba kwehlela phezu kwabo bonke abakhelene labo; njalo kwakhulunywa ngazo zonke lezizinto kulo lonke elezintabeni zeJudiya,
And fear came upon all their neighbours; and all these things were noised abroad over all the hill country of Judea.
66 labo bonke abazizwayo bazilondoloza ezinhliziyweni zabo, besithi: Kambe lolusane luzakuba njani? Njalo isandla seNkosi sasilalo.
And all they that had heard them laid them up in their heart, saying: What an one, think ye, shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 LoZakariya uyise wagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele, waprofetha, esithi:
And Zachary his father was filled with the Holy Ghost; and he prophesied, saying:
68 Ibusisiwe iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ngoba ihambele yasenzela inkululeko isizwe sayo,
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people:
69 yasivusela uphondo losindiso endlini kaDavida inceku yayo,
And hath raised up an horn of salvation to us, in the house of David his servant:
70 njengalokho yakhuluma ngomlomo wabaprofethi bayo abangcwele kusukela ekuqaleni komhlaba, (aiōn g165)
As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who are from the beginning: (aiōn g165)
71 isikhulula ezitheni zethu, lesandleni sabo bonke abasizondayo;
Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us:
72 ukwenzela obaba bethu isihawu, lokukhumbula isivumelwano sayo esingcwele,
To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember his holy testament,
73 isifungo eyasifunga kubaba wethu uAbrahama,
The oath, which he swore to Abraham our father, that he would grant to us,
74 ukusinika, ukuthi sesikhululiwe esandleni sezitha zethu, siyikhonze singelakwesaba,
That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear,
75 ngobungcwele langokulunga phambi kwayo zonke izinsuku zempilo yethu.
In holiness and justice before him, all our days.
76 Lawe-ke, sane, uzabizwa ngokuthi ungumprofethi woPhezukonke; ngoba uzahamba phambi kobuso beNkosi ukulungisa izindlela zayo;
And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways:
77 lokunika isizwe sayo ulwazi losindiso ngothethelelo lwezono zabo,
To give knowledge of salvation to his people, unto the remission of their sins:
78 ngesihelo sikaNkulunkulu wethu, okuthi ngaso ukusa kwaphezulu kusethekelele,
Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us:
79 ukubakhanyisela abahlezi emnyameni lethunzini lokufa, ukuqondisa inyawo zethu endleleni yokuthula.
To enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death: to direct our feet into the way of peace.
80 Wakhula-ke umntwana omncane, waqina emoyeni, waba sezinkangala kwaze kwaba lusuku lokubonakala kwakhe kuIsrayeli.
And the child grew, and was strengthened in spirit; and was in the deserts until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
