UMathewu 20
1 Ngoba umbuso wamazulu ufanana lomuntu ongumninindlu, owaphuma ekuseni kakhulu ukuqhatsha izisebenzi ziye esivinini sakhe;
“For the kingdom of the heavens is like a certain landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
2 esevumelene lezisebenzi ngodenariyo ngosuku, wazithuma esivinini sakhe.
And agreeing with the workers for a denarius a day he sent them into his vineyard.
3 Wasephuma sekungaba lihola lesithathu, wabona abanye bemi emdangeni bengenzi lutho;
And going out about the third hour [9 a.m.] he saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
4 lakulabo wathi: Yanini lani esivinini; njalo loba yini efaneleyo ngizalinika yona. Bahamba-ke.
And he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard and I will give you whatever is right.’ So off they went.
5 Wabuya waphuma sekungaba lihola lesithupha langelesificamunwemunye, wenza njalo.
He went out again about the sixth hour, and the ninth, and did the same.
6 Kwathi sekungaba lihola letshumi lanye waphuma, wathola abanye bemi bengenzi lutho, wathi kubo: Limeleni lapha usuku lonke lingenzi lutho?
Now about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and he says to them, ‘Why have you stood here idle all day?’
7 Bathi kuye: Ngoba akulamuntu osiqhatshileyo. Wathi kubo: Yanini lani esivinini, njalo lizakwemukela loba kuyini okufaneleyo.
They say to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He says to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.’
8 Kwathi sekuntambama umninisivini wathi enduneni yakhe: Biza izisebenzi, uzibhadale iholo, uqale ngezokucina kuze kube ngezokuqala.
So when evening had come the owner of the vineyard says to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wage, beginning at the last to the first.’
9 Kuthe befika abaqhatshwa ngehola letshumi lanye ngulowo lalowo wemukela udenariyo.
The eleventh hour ones came and each received a denarius.
10 Njalo sebezile abokuqala bacabanga ukuthi bazakwemukela okungaphezulu; kodwa labo bemukela udenariyo ngamunye.
So when the first ones came they supposed that they would receive more; yet each of them also received a denarius.
11 Kwathi beyemukela bamsola umninindlu,
When they received it they began grumbling against the landowner
12 besithi: Labo abokucina basebenze ihola elilodwa, kodwa ubalinganise lathi esithwele ubunzima bosuku lokutshisa.
saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who bore the burden and the heat of the day!’
13 Kodwa ephendula wathi komunye wabo: Mngane, angikoni; kanti kawuvumelananga lami ngodenariyo?
But in answer he said to one of them: ‘Friend, I am not wronging you. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?
14 Thatha okwakho uhambe; ngiyathanda ukumnika lowokucina njengawe.
Take what is yours and go. I wish to give to this last one just as to you.
15 Kumbe angivunyelwa yini ukwenza engikuthandayo ngezinto zami? Loba ilihlo lakho libi yini, ngoba mina ngilungile?
Or is it not permissible for me to do what I want with what is mine? Is your eye evil because I am good?’
16 Kunjalo-ke abokucina bazakuba ngabokuqala, labokuqala ngabokucina; ngoba banengi ababiziweyo, kodwa balutshwana abakhethiweyo.
Just so the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”
17 Kwathi uJesu esesenyukela eJerusalema wathatha abalitshumi lambili bebodwa endleleni, wathi kubo:
As Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem He took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them privately:
18 Khangelani, senyukela eJerusalema, njalo iNdodana yomuntu izanikelwa kubapristi abakhulu lakubabhali; besebeyilahlela ukufa,
“Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of the Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and scribes; and they will condemn Him to death,
19 bayinikele kwabezizwe ukuze bayiyangise bayitshaye ngesiswepu bayibethele; njalo ngosuku lwesithathu izabuya ivuke.
and they will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock, to scourge and to crucify. And on the third day He will rise!”
20 Kwasekusiza kuye unina wamadodana kaZebediya kanye lamadodana akhe, waguqa wacela ulutho kuye.
Then the mother of Zebedee's sons approached Him, with her sons, and kneeling down she asked something from Him.
21 Wasesithi kuye: Ufunani? Wathi kuye: Tshono ukuthi la amadodana ami amabili ahlale, enye ngakwesokunene sakho, lenye ngakwesokhohlo, embusweni wakho.
So He said to her, “What do you wish?” She says to Him, “State that these my two sons may sit one on Your right and one on Your left in Your kingdom.”
22 Kodwa uJesu waphendula wathi: Kalikwazi elikucelayo. Linganatha yini inkezo engizayinatha mina, njalo libhabhathizwe ngobhabhathizo engibhabhathizwa ngalo mina? Bathi kuye: Singakwenza.
But in answer Jesus said: “You (pl.) do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup which I am about to drink, or to be baptized with the baptism that I am being baptized with?” They say to Him, “We are able.”
23 Wasesithi kubo: Ngeqiniso lizayinatha inkezo yami, libhabhathizwe ngobhabhathizo mina engizabhabhathizwa ngalo; kodwa ukuhlala ngakwesokunene sami langakwesokhohlo sami, kayisikho okwami ukuphana ngakho, kodwa kungokwalabo abakulungiselweyo nguBaba.
And He says to them: “You will indeed drink my cup, and you will be baptized with the baptism that I am being baptized with, but to sit on my right and on my left is not mine to give; rather it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
24 Kwathi sebezwile abalitshumi, bathukuthela ngezelamani ezimbili.
Now when the ten heard it they were indignant at the two brothers.
25 Kodwa uJesu wababizela kuye wathi: Liyazi ukuthi ababusi bezizwe bayazibusa ngobulukhuni, lezikhulu zisebenzisa amandla phezu kwazo.
But summoning them Jesus said: “You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and the great exercise authority over them;
26 Kodwa akuyikuba njalo phakathi kwenu; kodwa loba ngubani othanda ukuba ngomkhulu phakathi kwenu kabe yisisebenzi senu;
but it must not be so among you. Rather, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
27 njalo loba ngubani othanda ukuba ngowokuqala phakathi kwenu kabe yisisebenzi senu;
and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave;
28 njengalokhu iNdodana yomuntu kayizanga ukukhonzwa, kodwa ukukhonza, lokunika impilo yayo ibe lihlawulo labanengi.
just like the Son of the Man—He did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
29 Kwathi bephuma eJeriko, ixuku elikhulu lamlandela.
Now as they went on from Jericho a large crowd followed Him.
30 Njalo khangela, iziphofu ezimbili zihlezi endleleni, sezizwile ukuthi uJesu uyadlula, zamemeza, zathi: Sihawukele, Nkosi, Ndodana kaDavida!
And then, two blind men sitting alongside the road and hearing, “Jesus is passing by!” cried out saying, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!”
31 Ixuku laselizikhuza ukuthi zithule, kodwa zamemeza kakhulu, zisithi: Sihawukele, Nkosi, Ndodana kaDavida!
So the crowd threatened them to be quiet, but they cried out all the more saying, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!”
32 UJesu wasesima wazibiza, wathi: Lifuna ukuthi ngilenzeleni?
Jesus stopped, called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?”
33 Zathi kuye: Nkosi, ukuthi amehlo ethu avuleke.
They say to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened!”
34 UJesu esesiba lesihelo wathinta amehlo azo; njalo amehlo azo ahle abuya abona, zasezimlandela.
So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes, and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.
