UMathewu 11
1 Kwasekusithi uJesu eseqedile ukulaya abafundi bakhe abalitshumi lambili, wasuka lapho ukuyafundisa lokutshumayela emizini yabo.
After Jesus had finished giving directions to his twelve Disciples, he left that place in order to teach and preach in their towns.
2 Kwathi uJohane esentolongweni esezwile imisebenzi kaKristu, wathuma ababili babafundi bakhe,
Now John had heard in prison what the Christ was doing, and he sent a message by his disciples,
3 wathi kuye: Wena unguye ozayo yini, kumbe silindele omunye?
and asked – “Are you ‘the coming one,’ or are we to look for someone else?”
4 UJesu wasephendula wathi kubo: Hambani limtshele uJohane izinto elizizwayo lelizibonayo:
The answer of Jesus to the question was – “Go and report to John what you hear and see –
5 Iziphofu zibuye zibone, leziqhuli ziyahamba, abalobulephero bayahlanjululwa, lezacuthe ziyezwa, abafileyo bayavuswa, labayanga bayatshunyayezwa ivangeli;
the blind recover their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are made clean and the deaf hear, the dead, too, are raised to life, and the good news is told to the poor.
6 njalo ubusisiwe loba ngubani ongakhubekiyo ngami.
Blessed is the person who finds no hindrance in me.”
7 Kwathi labo sebesuka uJesu waqala ukukhuluma emaxukwini ngoJohane wathi: Laphuma laya enkangala ukuyabonani? Umhlanga onyikinywa ngumoya yini?
While John’s disciples were going back, Jesus began to say to the crowds with reference to John,
8 Kanti laphumela ukuyabonani? Umuntu owembethe izembatho ezibuthakathaka yini? Khangelani, abembethe ezibuthakathaka 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 richly dressed? Why, those who wear rich things are to be found in the courts of kings!
9 Pho laphumela ukuyabonani? Umprofethi yini? Yebo, ngithi kini: Loba owedlula umprofethi;
What, then, did you go for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet.
10 ngoba lo nguye okulotshwe 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.’
11 Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Kakuvelanga phakathi kwabazelwe ngabesifazana omkhulu kuloJohane uMbhabhathizi. Kodwa omncinyane embusweni wamazulu mkhulu kulaye.
I tell you, no one born of a woman has yet appeared who is greater than John the Baptist; and yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 Njalo kusukela ensukwini zikaJohane uMbhabhathizi kuze kube khathesi umbuso wamazulu uphathwa ngodlakela, labalodlakela bawuthatha ngamandla.
From the time of John the Baptist to this very hour, the kingdom of heaven has been taken by force, and people using force have been seizing it.
13 Ngoba abaprofethi bonke lomlayo baprofetha kwaze kwaba nguJohane;
For the teaching of all the prophets and of the Law continued until the time of John;
14 njalo uba livuma ukukwemukela, lo unguElija obezakuza.
and – if you are ready to accept it – John is himself the Elijah who was destined to come.
15 Olendlebe zokuzwa, akezwe.
If you have ears, listen.
16 Kodwa ngizasifananisa lani lesisizukulwana? Sifanana labantwana abahlezi emamakethe, bememeza kubangane babo,
But to what will I compare the present generation? It is like little children sitting in the market-places and calling out to their playmates –
17 besithi: Salitshayela umhlanga, kodwa kalisinanga; salililela, kodwa kalikhalanga.
We have played the flute for you, but you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not mourned.
18 Ngoba uJohane wafika engadli enganathi, basebesithi: Uledimoni.
For, when John came, neither eating nor drinking, people said ‘He has a demon in him’;
19 INdodana yomuntu yafika isidla inatha, basebesithi: Khangelani, umuntu oligovu lesinathi sewayini, umngane wabathelisi lezoni. Kodwa inhlakanipho ithiwa ilungile ngabantwana bayo.
and now that the Son of Man has come, eating and drinking, they are saying ‘Here is a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax collectors and outcasts!’ And yet wisdom is vindicated by her actions.”
20 Waseqala ukusola imizi okwakwenziwe phakathi kwayo ubunengi bemisebenzi yakhe yamandla, ngoba ingaphendukanga, wathi:
Then Jesus began to reproach the towns in which most of his miracles had been done, because they had not repented,
21 Maye kuwe, Korazini! Maye kuwe, Bhethisayida! Ngoba uba kwakwenziwe eTire leSidoni imisebenzi yamandla eyenziwe kini, ngabe kade baphenduka emasakeni lemlotheni.
“Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For, if the miracles which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22 Kodwa ngithi kini: Kuzakuba ngcono eTire leSidoni ngosuku lwesigwebo kulakini.
Yet, I tell you, the doom of Tyre and Sidon will be more bearable in the day of judgment than yours.
23 Lawe, Kapenawume, ophakanyiselwe ezulwini, uzaphoselwa phansi esihogweni; ngoba uba yayenziwe eSodoma imisebenzi yamandla eyenziwe kuwe, ngabe basekhona kuze kube lamuhla. (Hadēs g86)
And you, Capernaum! Will you exalt yourself to heaven? You will be flung down to Hades! For, if the miracles which have been done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been standing to this day. (Hadēs g86)
24 Kodwa ngithi kini: Kuzakuba ngcono kulizwe leSodoma ngosuku lwesigwebo, kulakuwe.
Yet, I tell you, the doom of Sodom will be more bearable in the day of judgment than yours.”
25 Ngalesosikhathi uJesu waphendula wathi: Ngiyakubonga, Baba, Nkosi yezulu lomhlaba, ngoba uzifihlile lezizinto kwabahlakaniphileyo labaqedisisayo, kodwa wazembulela izingane;
At that same time Jesus uttered the words, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that, though you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, you have revealed them to the childlike!
26 yebo Baba, ngoba ngokunjalo kwaba kuhle phambi kwakho.
Yes, Father, I thank you that this has seemed good to you.
27 Konke kwanikelwa kimi nguBaba; njalo kakho oyaziyo iNdodana, ngaphandle kukaYise; kakho futhi omaziyo uYise ngaphandle kweNdodana, njalo loba ngubani iNdodana ethanda ukumembulela.
Everything has been committed to me by my Father; nor does anyone fully know the Son, except the Father, or fully know the Father, except the Son and those to whom the Son may choose to reveal him.
28 Wozani kimi lonke elikhatheleyo lelisindiweyo, njalo mina ngizaliphumuza.
Come to me, all you who toil and are burdened, and I will give you rest!
29 Thathani ijogwe lami lilibeke phezu kwenu lifunde kimi, ngoba ngimnene ngithobekile enhliziyweni; njalo lizathola ukuphumula emiphefumulweni yenu;
Take my yoke on you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest for your souls;
30 ngoba ijogwe lami libutshelezi, lomthwalo wami ulula.
for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
