Luke 2
1 Ka nako e Kaesare Aguseto, Kgosi e kgolo ya Roma a ntsha molao wa gore merafe yotlhe e kwalwe.
About that time the Emperor Augustus commanded that ([his officials must] write down the names/[a census be taken]) of all the people who lived in countries [controlled] by the Roman [government] {that the Roman [government controlled]}, [so that the government could collect taxes from them].
2 Go kwalwa mo go ne ga dirwa ka lobaka lwa Kwirinio e le molaodi wa Siria.
That was the first time that they (wrote down the names/took a census) in Syria [province, which included Judea district]. They did this while Quirinius was the governor of the province.
3 Mongwe le mongwe o ne a kopiwa go boela kwa ga gabo mogolo go ikwadisa.
Every person had to go to the town where his [most famous ancestor] had lived, so that [the officials] could write down their names.
4 Mme Josefe ka e ne e le ngwana wa bogosi, a tshwanelwa ke go tswa kwa motseng wa Galalea wa Nasaretha a etela kwa Bethelehema mo Judea legae la bogologolo la ga Kgosi Dafide.
So, because Joseph was a descendant of [King] David, he went up from Nazareth, the town in Galilee [district where he lived], to the town of Bethlehem in Judea [district]. That was the town where [King] David [grew up].
5 A tsamaya le Marea, mmeelediwa wa gagwe yo o neng a bonala a le moimana ka nako e.
Joseph went with Mary, who [was considered] {whom [people considered]} [to be] his wife, who was now pregnant. They went so that they could put his name and Mary’s name [in the record book].
6 Mme fa ba sa le teng foo, lobaka lwa tla lwa gore ngwana a tsholwe;
When they arrived [in Bethlehem], there was no place for them to stay in the house where travelers stay. [So they stayed in a cattle shed]. When the time for Mary to give birth arrived, she gave birth to her first son there. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and placed him in a trough where [people] put food for the animals.
7 mme a tshola ngwana wa ntlha, e le mosimane. A mo phuthela ka kobo a mmaya mo bojelong jwa diruiwa, gonne ba ne ba sena bonno mo motseng wa baeti.
8 Bosigo joo badisa bangwe ba bo ba le mo nageng kwa ntle ga motse, ba disitse letsomane la bone la dinku.
That night, there were [some] shepherds who were taking care of their sheep [as usual] in the fields near [Bethlehem].
9 Ka tshoganetso moengele a iponatsa mo go bone mme lefatshe la phatsima ka ntlha ya kgalalelo ya Morena, mme ba tshoga thata.
An angel from God appeared to them. A great light (from the Lord/from God) shone on them and around them. [So] they became very afraid.
10 Mme moengele a ba nametsa a re, “Se boifeng!” “Ke lo lereditse mafoko a boitumelo jo bogolo jo bo tlaa bolelwang ka bosakhutleng, mme ke jwa mongwe le mongwe!
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! I have come to tell you good news, which will [make you] very happy! This message is for everyone [to hear].
11 Mmoloki ee, Mesia o tsetswe bosigong jono mo Bethelehema!
[The message is that] today a baby has been born in [Bethlehem, the town where King] David grew up. That baby will [eventually] save you [from the guilt of your sins]! He is the Messiah, [your] Lord!
12 Lo tlaa mo lemoga jang? Lo tlaa bona losea lo phuthetswe mo kobong, lo robaditswe mo bojelong!”
I will tell you how [you will recognize him] (OR, how you will know [that what I say is true]): [In Bethlehem] you will find a baby who has been wrapped {[whose mother] has wrapped him} in strips of cloth and placed in a trough where [people] put food for the animals.”
13 Ka tshoganetso moengele a tlhakana le lesomo le legolo la ba bangwe ebong mephato ya legodimo ba baka Modimo ba opela ba re:
Suddenly a large group of angels from heaven appeared and joined the other angel. They all praised God, singing/saying,
14 “Kgalalelo e nne go Modimo kwa magodimong, le kagiso mo lefatsheng mo go botlhe ba ba mo itumedisang.”
“May [all the angels] in the highest heaven praise God! And on the earth may the people to whom God has shown his favor have peace [with him]!”
15 Erile mophato o mogolo wa baengele o sena go boela gape kwa legodimong, badisa ba raana ba re, “A re yeng! A re yeng kwa Bethelehema! A re yeng go bona kgakgamatso e e diragetseng, e Morena o re boleletseng kaga yone.”
After the angels left them [and returned] to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem to see this [wonderful] thing that has happened, which (the Lord/God) has told us about!”
16 Mme ba sianela kwa motseng ba tsaya tsela e e yang kwa go Marea le Josefe. Mme ga bo go le ngwana a rapame mo bojelong.
So they went quickly. They found the [place where] Mary and Joseph [were staying], and [they saw] the baby lying in the trough where [people] put food for the animals.
17 Badisa ba bolelela mongwe le mongwe kaga se se diragetseng le se moengele o se ba boleletseng kaga ngwana yo.
Then they told [Mary and Joseph and others] what had been told them {what [the angel] had told them} about this child.
18 Botlhe ba ba utlwileng polelo ya badisa ba gakgamala.
Everyone who heard what was said by the shepherds {what the shepherds said} to them was amazed.
19 Mme Marea a baya dilo tse mo pelong ya gagwe ka tidimalo mme a akanya kaga tsone gantsi.
But Mary [did not talk to others about what the angels said]; she just kept thinking very much about it.
20 Hong badisa ba boela gape kwa nageng kwa letsomaneng la bone, ba galaletsa Modimo kaga go etelwa ke moengele le gore ba bone ngwana, fela jaaka baengele ba ba boleletse.
The shepherds returned [to their sheep]. They kept praising God very much for all the things that they had heard and seen, [because] everything [happened] exactly like [the angels] told them.
21 Morago ga malatsi a fera bobedi, kwa tirelong ya thupiso ya losea, a rewa leina gatwe Jesu, leina le o le neilweng ke moengele pele ga a ise a ithwalwe.
Seven days later, when [the priests] circumcised the baby, [his parents] named him Jesus. That was the name that [they were told by] the angel {the angel [told them]} [to] give him before Mary became pregnant.
22 E rile fa nako e tla ya gore Marea a ntshe tshupelo ya ntlafatso kwa tempeleng, ka fa melaong ya ga Moshe morago ga botsalo jwa ngwana, batsadi ba gagwe ba mo tseela kwa Jerusalema go ya go mo neela mo Moreneng;
It had been written by Moses {Moses had written} [long ago] in a law that God gave him, that when a woman gave birth to her first son, the parents had to take him [to the Temple] in Jerusalem in order that they might dedicate him (to the Lord/to God). So when the time came for them to do those rituals so that [God would consider] them pure again, Mary and Joseph took Jesus there.
23 Gonne mo melaong e go tulwe, “Fa ngwana wa ntlha wa mosadi e le mosimane, o tlaa neelwa Morena.”
24 Ka nako eo batsadi ba ga Jesu le bone ba ntsha setlhabelo sa bone sa go itshekisiwa, a e ka nna maphoi a le mabedi! kgotsa maebana a mabedi! E ne e le kopo e e ka fa molaong.
God had commanded in his laws that if the first child [of a couple] was a boy, his parents should offer as a sacrifice to God two turtledoves or two young pigeons. [So Joseph and Mary gave the priest two birds so he could offer them].
25 Ka letsatsi leo monna yo o bidiwang Simione moagi wa Jerusalema, o na a le mo tempeleng. E ne e le monna yo o siameng, morapedi yo mogolo, a tletse Mowa o o Boitshepo ebile ka metlha yotlhe a solofetse Mesia go tla ka bonako.
At that time there was an [old] man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. He habitually did what was pleasing to God and he obeyed God’s laws. The Holy Spirit was [directing] him as he was waiting for [God] [MTY] [to] encourage the Israeli [people by sending the Messiah].
26 Gonne Mowa o o Boitshepo o ne o iponaditse mo go ene gore ga a na go swa go fitlhelela a bona kgosi e e tloditsweng ya Modimo.
It was [previously] revealed by the Holy Spirit {The Holy Spirit [previously] revealed} to him that he would see God’s [promised] Messiah before he died.
27 Mowa O O Boitshepo o ne wa mo tlhotlheletsa go ya kwa tempeleng ka letsatsi leo; mme jalo fa Marea le Josefe ba goroga go neela Jesu mo Moreneng ka go ikobela molao,
When Joseph and Mary brought their baby Jesus [to the Temple] in order to perform the rituals that [God had commanded] in his laws, the Spirit led Simeon to enter the Temple [courtyard, and revealed to him that Jesus was the Messiah].
28 Simione o ne a le teng mme a tsaya ngwana ka mabogo a gagwe, a baka Modimo.
So he took Jesus up in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 A re, “Morena. Jaanong ke ka a swa ka kagiso! Gonne ke mmone jaaka o ntsholofeditse gore ke tlaa mmona, ke bone Mmoloki yo o mo neileng lefatshe.
Lord, you promised me that I would see the one [MTY] who would enable you to save people of all people-groups from the guilt of their sins. He will be [MET] like a light that will reveal your truth to non-Jews, and he will cause people to think highly of your people, the Israeli people. Since I [SYN] have now seen this one that you promised to send, now let me die peacefully.
32 Ke lesedi le le tlaa phatshimelang dichaba, e bile o tlaa nna kgalalelo mo bathong ba gago ba Iseraele!”
33 Marea le Josefe ba ema fela foo, ba gakgamalela se se buiwang kaga Jesu.
His parents marveled about what [Simeon] said about [Jesus]. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary,
34 Simione a ba segofatsa mme a raya Marea a re, “Chaka e tlaa tlhaba mowa wa gago, gonne ngwana yo o tlaa ganwa ke batho ba le bantsi mo Iseraele ka ntlha ya tshenyego ya bone. Mme o tlaa nna boipelo jo bogolo jwa ba bangwe ba le bantsi. Le dikakanyo tse di kwa teng tsa dipelo tse di ntsi di tlaa senolwa.”
“Note what I say: [God] has determined that because of this child, many Israeli people will [turn away from God], and many others will turn to God [MET]. Although he will be like a sign [MET] [to warn people], [many] people will oppose him.
As a result, the [evil] thoughts of many people will be made evident {he will reveal the [evil] thoughts of many people}. [Furthermore, the cruel things that they will do to him] [MET] [will be like] a sword that will pierce your (soul/inner being).”
36 Ana, moporofiti wa mosadi o na a le teng ka letsatsi leo. E ne e le morwadia Fanuela, wa morafe wa Sejuta wa ga Ashere, mme o ne a tsofetse, gonne e ne e le motlholagadi wa selekanyo sa dingwaga di le masome a fera bobedi le bone go tloga mo dingwageng di supa tsa lenyalo la gagwe, o ne a seka a tloga mo tempeleng mme a nna teng bosigo le motshegare, a obamela Modimo ka go rapela le go itima dijo gantsi.
There was also [in the Temple courtyard] a very old woman named Anna. She was a prophetess. Her father Phanuel was a member of the tribe of Asher. After she had been married seven years, her husband died.
After that, she lived until she was 84 years old, and she was still a widow. She stayed in the Temple [area] all the time, night and day, worshipping God. She often (abstained from food/fasted) as she prayed.
38 A atamela fa Simione a sa ntse a bua le Marea le Josefe, mme a simolola go leboga Modimo le go itsise mongwe le mongwe mo Jerusalema yo a neng a letile go tla ga Mmoloki kaga kgorogo ya ga Mesia.
[While Joseph and Mary and the baby were] still [in the Temple, Anna came to them. She thanked God for the baby]. Then she spoke about Jesus to many people who were expecting [God to send the Messiah] [MTY] to set [the people of] [MTY] Jerusalem free [from their enemies].
39 Erile batsadi ba ga Jesu ba sena go diragatsa gotlhe mo go neng go tlhokwa ke Molao wa Modimo ba boela gae kwa Nasaretha mo Galalea.
After Joseph and Mary had finished performing the rituals that (the Lord/God) required [the parents of a first son] to perform, they returned to their own town, Nazareth, in Galilee [district].
40 Koo ngwana a feta a nna mosimane yo o thata yo o nonofileng, a ba a itsiwe ka botlhale jo bo fetileng dingwaga tsa gagwe; mme Modimo wa gorometsa matlhogonolo a one mo go ene.
As Jesus grew up, he became strong and very wise, and God was very pleased with him.
41 Erile Jesu a le dingwaga di le lesome le bobedi a tsamaya le batsadi ba gagwe go ya kwa moletlong wa Tlolaganyo o ba neng ba o tsena ngwaga le ngwaga.
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem to [celebrate] the Passover festival.
So when Jesus was twelve years old, they went up [to Jerusalem] as they always did.
43 Morago ga moletlo ba simolola go boela gae kwa Nasaretha, mme Jesu a sala mo Jerusalema. Mme batsadi ba gagwe ga ba a ka ba mo tlhoka letsatsi la ntlha,
When the celebration ended, his parents started to return home, but Jesus stayed in Jerusalem. [His parents] did not realize that [Jesus stayed there].
44 gonne ba ne ba gopola gore o na le ditsala mo baeting ba bangwe. Mme erile fa a sa bonale mo maabanyaneng ao, ba simolola go mmatla mo ditsaleng tsa bone.
They thought that he was with the other people who were traveling with them. They walked all day. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends.
45 Mme ya re ba sa mmone, ba boela kwa Jerusalema go ya go mmatla teng.
They did not find him, so they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.
46 Morago ga malatsi a mararo ba mmona. O ne a le mo Tempeleng, a ntse fa gare ga baruti ba molao, a ganetsanya le bone ka dipotso tse di thata mme a gakgamatsa mongwe le mongwe ka kitso ya gagwe le dikarabo.
Two days later, they found him. He was in the Temple [courtyard], sitting with the [Jewish] religious teachers. He was listening to what they said, and he was asking them questions.
Everyone who heard what he [said] was amazed at how much he understood and [how well] he answered [the questions that the teachers asked].
48 Mme batsadi ba gagwe ba se ka ba itse gore ba ka akanyang fa ba mmona a ntse foo a didimetse. Hong mmaagwe a mo raya a re, “Morwaaka! Ke eng fa o re diretse jaana. Rrago le nna re go batlile ka tlhoafalo gongwe le gongwe?”
When his parents saw him, they were very surprised. His mother said to him, “My son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been very worried as we [(exc)] have been searching for you!”
49 Mme a ba raya a re, “Lo ne lo mpatlelang? A lo ne lo sa lemoge gore ke tlaa bo ke le fano mo Tempeleng, mo tlung ya ga Rre?”
He said to them, [speaking about the Temple being God his Father’s house], “(I am surprised that you [(dl)] did [not know] where to find me!/Why did you [not know] where to find me?) [RHQ] (You [(dl)] should have known that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house!/Did you not know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?) [RHQ]”
50 Mme ba bo ba sa tlhaloganye gore o raya jang.
But they did not understand [the meaning of] what he said to them.
51 Hong a boela kwa Nasaretha le bone a ba utlwa; mme mmaagwe a boloka dilo tse tsotlhe mo pelong ya gagwe.
Then he returned with them down to Nazareth. He always obeyed them. But his mother kept thinking about all those things.
52 Mme Jesu a gola a nna moleele ebile a le botlhale, mme a ratwa ke Modimo le batho.
[As the years passed], Jesus continued to become wiser and he grew taller. God and people continued to approve of him more and more.
