< UMathewu 2 >
1 Kwathi uJesu esezelwe eBhethelehema yeJudiya, ensukwini zikaHerodi inkosi, khangela, kwafika izazi eJerusalema zivela empumalanga,
2 zisithi: Ungaphi ozelwe eyinkosi yamaJuda? Ngoba sibonile inkanyezi yakhe empumalanga, njalo sesize ukumkhonza.
3 Ngakho uHerodi inkosi esezwile wakhathazeka, leJerusalema yonke kanye laye.
4 Esebuthanisile bonke abapristi abakhulu lababhali babantu, wabuza kubo ukuthi uKristu uzazalelwa ngaphi.
5 Basebesithi kuye: EBhethelehema yeJudiya; ngoba kulotshiwe ngokunjalo ngumprofethi ukuthi:
6 Lawe, Bhethelehema, lizwe lakoJuda, kawusuye omncinyane lakanye phakathi kwababusi bakoJuda; ngoba kuzavela kuwe umbusi, ozakwelusa abantu bami uIsrayeli.
7 Khona uHerodi, esezibizile izazi ensitha, wabuzisisa kuzo isikhathi sokubonakala kwenkanyezi.
8 Wasezithuma eBhethelehema wathi: Hambani libuzisise ngomntwana omncinyane; kuzakuthi nxa limtholile, libike kimi, ukuze lami ngiye ngimkhonze.
9 Kwathi seziyizwile inkosi zasuka zahamba; njalo khangela, inkanyezi, ezayibona empumalanga, yahamba phambi kwazo, yaze yafika yema phezu kwalapho usane olwalukhona.
10 Zathi ukuyibona inkanyezi zathokoza ngentokozo enkulu kakhulu.
11 Zasezingena endlini, zabona usane kanye loMariya unina, zawela phansi zalukhonza, zavula impahla zazo eziligugu zalukhunga ngezipho, igolide lempepha lemure.
12 Kwathi sezilayiwe nguNkulunkulu ephutsheni ukuthi zingabuyeli kuHerodi, zasuka zabuyela elizweni lakizo ngenye indlela.
13 Kwathi sezisukile, khangela, ingilosi yeNkosi ibonakala kuJosefa ephutsheni, isithi: Vuka uthathe usane lonina, ubusubalekela eGibhithe, ube khona ngize ngikutshele; ngoba uHerodi uzaludinga usane, ukuze alubulale.
14 Wavuka-ke wathatha usane lonina ebusuku wasuka waya eGibhithe,
15 wasehlala khona kwaze kwaba yikufa kukaHerodi; ukuze kugcwaliswe okwakhulunywa yiNkosi ngomprofethi isithi: Ngiyibizile indodana yami iphume eGibhithe.
16 Kwathi uHerodi, esebonile ukuthi uphicwe yizazi, wathukuthela kakhulu, wathuma wabulala abantwana bonke ababeseBhethelehema lemingceleni yayo yonke, kusukela eminyakeni emibili langaphansi, njengesikhathi abebuzisise ngaso kuzazi.
17 Kwasekugcwaliseka okwakhulunywa nguJeremiya umprofethi, ukuthi:
18 Kwezwakala ilizwi eRama, ukukhala lokulila lokudabuka okukhulu, uRasheli elilela abantwana bakhe, njalo engavumi ukududuzwa, ngoba bengasekho.
19 Kodwa kwathi esefile uHerodi, khangela, ingilosi yeNkosi yabonakala ephutsheni kuJosefa eGibhithe,
20 isithi: Vuka uthathe umntwana omncinyane lonina, uye elizweni lakoIsrayeli; ngoba sebefile ababedinga umphefumulo womntwana omncinyane.
21 Wavuka-ke wathatha umntwana omncinyane lonina wasefika elizweni lakoIsrayeli.
22 Kodwa esezwile ukuthi uAkelawu usebusa eJudiya esikhundleni sikaHerodi uyise, wesaba ukuya khona; kodwa esexwayisiwe nguNkulunkulu ephutsheni, wasuka waya kungxenye zeGalili,
23 wasefika wahlala emzini othiwa yiNazaretha; ukuze kugcwaliseke okwakhulunywa ngabaprofethi ukuthi: Uzabizwa ngokuthi ngumNazaretha.
