UMathewu 2
1 Kwathi uJesu esezelwe eBhethelehema yeJudiya, ensukwini zikaHerodi inkosi, khangela, kwafika izazi eJerusalema zivela empumalanga,
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,
2 zisithi: Ungaphi ozelwe eyinkosi yamaJuda? Ngoba sibonile inkanyezi yakhe empumalanga, njalo sesize ukumkhonza.
asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
3 Ngakho uHerodi inkosi esezwile wakhathazeka, leJerusalema yonke kanye laye.
When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 Esebuthanisile bonke abapristi abakhulu lababhali babantu, wabuza kubo ukuthi uKristu uzazalelwa ngaphi.
And when he had assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.
5 Basebesithi kuye: EBhethelehema yeJudiya; ngoba kulotshiwe ngokunjalo ngumprofethi ukuthi:
“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 Lawe, Bhethelehema, lizwe lakoJuda, kawusuye omncinyane lakanye phakathi kwababusi bakoJuda; ngoba kuzavela kuwe umbusi, ozakwelusa abantu bami uIsrayeli.
‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of My people Israel.’”
7 Khona uHerodi, esezibizile izazi ensitha, wabuzisisa kuzo isikhathi sokubonakala kwenkanyezi.
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared.
8 Wasezithuma eBhethelehema wathi: Hambani libuzisise ngomntwana omncinyane; kuzakuthi nxa limtholile, libike kimi, ukuze lami ngiye ngimkhonze.
And sending them to Bethlehem, he said: “Go and search carefully for the Child, and when you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”
9 Kwathi seziyizwile inkosi zasuka zahamba; njalo khangela, inkanyezi, ezayibona empumalanga, yahamba phambi kwazo, yaze yafika yema phezu kwalapho usane olwalukhona.
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the Child was.
10 Zathi ukuyibona inkanyezi zathokoza ngentokozo enkulu kakhulu.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great delight.
11 Zasezingena endlini, zabona usane kanye loMariya unina, zawela phansi zalukhonza, zavula impahla zazo eziligugu zalukhunga ngezipho, igolide lempepha lemure.
On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
12 Kwathi sezilayiwe nguNkulunkulu ephutsheni ukuthi zingabuyeli kuHerodi, zasuka zabuyela elizweni lakizo ngenye indlela.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route.
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.
When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”
14 Wavuka-ke wathatha usane lonina ebusuku wasuka waya eGibhithe,
So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt,
15 wasehlala khona kwaze kwaba yikufa kukaHerodi; ukuze kugcwaliswe okwakhulunywa yiNkosi ngomprofethi isithi: Ngiyibizile indodana yami iphume eGibhithe.
where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
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.
When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi.
17 Kwasekugcwaliseka okwakhulunywa nguJeremiya umprofethi, ukuthi:
Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
18 Kwezwakala ilizwi eRama, ukukhala lokulila lokudabuka okukhulu, uRasheli elilela abantwana bakhe, njalo engavumi ukududuzwa, ngoba bengasekho.
“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
19 Kodwa kwathi esefile uHerodi, khangela, ingilosi yeNkosi yabonakala ephutsheni kuJosefa eGibhithe,
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.
20 isithi: Vuka uthathe umntwana omncinyane lonina, uye elizweni lakoIsrayeli; ngoba sebefile ababedinga umphefumulo womntwana omncinyane.
“Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those seeking the Child’s life are now dead.”
21 Wavuka-ke wathatha umntwana omncinyane lonina wasefika elizweni lakoIsrayeli.
So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and went to the land of Israel.
22 Kodwa esezwile ukuthi uAkelawu usebusa eJudiya esikhundleni sikaHerodi uyise, wesaba ukuya khona; kodwa esexwayisiwe nguNkulunkulu ephutsheni, wasuka waya kungxenye zeGalili,
But when he learned that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,
23 wasefika wahlala emzini othiwa yiNazaretha; ukuze kugcwaliseke okwakhulunywa ngabaprofethi ukuthi: Uzabizwa ngokuthi ngumNazaretha.
and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
