UMathewu 18

1 Ngalesosikhathi abafundi beza kuJesu, bathi: Kanti ngubani omkhulu embusweni wamazulu?

In that hour the disciples came to Jesus saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens?

2 UJesu wasebizela kuye umntwana omncane wammisa phakathi kwabo,

And Jesus having called a little child to [him], set it in their midst,

3 wathi: Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Ngaphandle kokuthi liphenduke libe njengabantwana abancane, kalisoze lingene embusweni wamazulu.

and said, Verily I say to you, Unless ye are converted and become as little children, ye will not at all enter into the kingdom of the heavens.

4 Ngakho lowo ozazithoba njengalumntwana omncane, nguye omkhulu embusweni wamazulu.

Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens;

5 Njalo loba ngubani owemukela abe munye umntwana omncane onje ebizweni lami, wemukela mina.

and whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name, receives me.

6 Kodwa loba ngubani okhubekisa omunye walaba abancinyane abakholwa kimi, kungakuhle kuye ukuthi ilitshe lokuchola elikhulu lilengiswe entanyeni yakhe, abesetshoniswa enzikini yolwandle.

But whosoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me, it were profitable for him that a great millstone had been hanged upon his neck and he be sunk in the depths of the sea.

7 Maye kuwo umhlaba ngenxa yezikhubekiso! Ngoba izikhubekiso zimele ukufika; kodwa maye kulowomuntu, esifika ngaye isikhubekiso!

Woe to the world because of offences! For it must needs be that offences come; yet woe to that man by whom the offence comes!

8 Njalo uba isandla sakho kumbe unyawo lwakho kukukhubekisa, kuqume ukulahlele khatshana lawe; kungcono kuwe ukungena ekuphileni uyingini kumbe uyisiqhwala, kulokuthi ulezandla ezimbili kumbe inyawo ezimbili uphoselwe emlilweni olaphakade. (aiōnios g166)

And if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut it off and cast [it] from thee; it is good for thee to enter into life lame or maimed, [rather] than having two hands or two feet to be cast into eternal fire. (aiōnios g166)

9 Futhi uba ilihlo lakho likukhubekisa, likhuphe ulilahlele khatshana lawe; kungcono kuwe ukungena ekuphileni ulelihlo elilodwa, kulokuthi ulamehlo amabili uphoselwe esihogweni somlilo. (Geenna g1067)

And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast [it] from thee; it is good for thee to enter into life one-eyed, [rather] than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire. (Geenna g1067)

10 Qaphelani lingadeleli omunye walaba abancinyane, ngoba ngithi kini: Emazulwini ingilosi zabo zihlala zibona ubuso bukaBaba osemazulwini.

See that ye do not despise one of these little ones; for I say unto you that their angels in [the] heavens continually behold the face of my Father who is in [the] heavens.

11 Ngoba iNdodana yomuntu ize ukusindisa okwakulahlekile.

For the Son of man has come to save that which was lost.

12 Licabangani? Uba umuntu othile elezimvu ezilikhulu, besekulahleka enye yazo, kazitshiyi yini ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye, ahambe ezintabeni ukuyadinga elahlekileyo?

What think ye? If a certain man should have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, does he not, leaving the ninety and nine on the mountains, go and seek the one that has gone astray?

13 Futhi uba kungenzakala ukuthi ayithole, ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Uthokoza ngayo kakhulu kulalezo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye ezingalahlekanga.

And if it should come to pass that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoices more because of it than because of the ninety and nine not gone astray.

14 Ngokunjalo kayisiyo intando kaYihlo osemazulwini ukuthi kubhubhe abe munye walaba abancinyane.

So it is not the will of your Father who is in [the] heavens that one of these little ones should perish.

15 Kodwa nxa umfowenu ekona, hamba umsole phakathi kwakho laye lilodwa. Uba ekuzwa, umzuzile umfowenu;

But if thy brother sin against thee, go, reprove him between thee and him alone. If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

16 kodwa uba engakuzwa, thatha abe munye kumbe babe babili kanye lawe futhi, ukuze lonke ilizwi liqiniswe ngomlomo wabafakazi ababili kumbe abathathu;

But if he do not hear [thee], take with thee one or two besides, that every matter may stand upon the word of two witnesses or of three.

17 njalo nxa esala ukubezwa bona, tshela ibandla; uba esala ukuzwa lalo ibandla, kabe njengowezizwe lomthelisi kuwe.

But if he will not listen to them, tell it to the assembly; and if also he will not listen to the assembly, let him be to thee as one of the nations and a tax-gatherer.

18 Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Konke elizakubopha emhlabeni, kuzakuba kubotshiwe ezulwini; njalo konke elizakukhulula emhlabeni, kuzakuba kukhululiwe ezulwini.

Verily I say to you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on the earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on the earth shall be loosed in heaven.

19 Njalo ngithi kini: Uba ababili benu bevumelana emhlabeni loba ngaluphi ulutho abalucelayo, bazalwenzelwa nguBaba osemazulwini.

Again I say to you, that if two of you shall agree on the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever it may be that they shall ask, it shall come to them from my Father who is in [the] heavens.

20 Ngoba lapho ababili kumbe abathathu ababuthene khona ebizweni lami, ngikhona lapho phakathi kwabo.

For where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them.

21 UPetro wasemsondelela wathi: Nkosi, umfowethu uzangona kangaki, njalo ngimthethelela? Kuze kube kasikhombisa yini?

Then Peter came to him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? until seven times?

22 UJesu wathi kuye: Kangitsho kuwe ukuthi kuze kube kasikhombisa, kodwa kuze kube ngamatshumi ayisikhombisa aphindwe kasikhombisa.

Jesus says to him, I say not to thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven.

23 Ngakho umbuso wamazulu ufananiswa lomuntu oyinkosi, owayethanda ukulandiselana lenceku zakhe.

For this cause the kingdom of the heavens has become like a king who would reckon with his bondmen.

24 Kwathi eseqalile ukulandisa, kwalethwa kuye enye elomlandu kuyo wamathalenta azinkulungwane ezilitshumi.

And having begun to reckon, one debtor of ten thousand talents was brought to him.

25 Kodwa njengoba yayingelalutho lokuhlawula, inkosi yayo yalaya ukuthi ithengiswe, lomkayo labantwana bayo, lakho konke elakho, besekuhlawulwa.

But he not having anything to pay, [his] lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and his children, and everything that he had, and that payment should be made.

26 Ngakho inceku yawa phansi imkhothamela, yathi: Nkosi, ngibekezelela, futhi ngizakuhlawula konke.

The bondman therefore falling down did him homage, saying, Lord, have patience with me and I will pay thee all.

27 Inkosi yaleyonceku yasisiba lesihelo yayikhulula, yayixolela umlandu.

And the lord of that bondman, being moved with compassion, loosed him and forgave him the loan.

28 Kodwa yaphuma leyonceku yathola omunye oyinceku kanye layo, olomlandu kuyo wabodenariyo abalikhulu, yambamba yamkhama, yathi: Ngihlawula okufaneleyo.

But that bondman having gone out, found one of his fellow-bondmen who owed him a hundred denarii. And having seized him, he throttled him, saying, Pay [me] if thou owest anything.

29 Ngakho oyinceku kanye layo wawa phansi ezinyaweni zayo wayincenga, wathi: Ungibekezelele, futhi ngizakuhlawula konke.

His fellow-bondman therefore, having fallen down [at his feet], besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee.

30 Kodwa yona kayivumanga, kodwa yasuka yayiphosela entolongweni, ize iwuhlawule umlandu.

But he would not, but went away and cast him into prison, until he should pay what was owing.

31 Kwathi abayizinceku kanye layo bebona izinto ezazenzakele badabuka kakhulu; beza babikela inkosi yabo konke okwakwenzekile.

But his fellow-bondmen, having seen what had taken place, were greatly grieved, and went and recounted to their lord all that had taken place.

32 Inkosi yayo yasiyibizela kiyo yathi kiyo: Wena nceku embi, ngakuxolela wonke lowomlandu, ngoba wangincenga;

Then his lord, having called him to [him], says to him, Wicked bondman! I forgave thee all that debt because thou besoughtest me;

33 ngabe lawe kawumhawukelanga yini omunye oyinceku kanye lawe, njengoba lami ngakuhawukela?

shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-bondman, as I also had compassion on thee?

34 Inkosi yayo yasithukuthela yayinikela kubahlukuluzi, ize ihlawule konke okufaneleyo kuyo.

And his lord being angry delivered him to the tormentors till he paid all that was owing to him.

35 Uzakwenza njalo kini laye uBaba osezulwini, uba lingathetheleli lowo lalowo umfowenu iziphambeko zabo ngenhliziyo zenu.

Thus also my heavenly Father shall do to you if ye forgive not from your hearts every one his brother.