Matthew 18
1 In that hour came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
Ngalesosikhathi abafundi beza kuJesu babuza bathi, “Ngubani omkhulu kulabo bonke embusweni wezulu na?”
2 And he called to him a little child, and set him in the midst of them,
Wabiza umntwana omncinyane wamisa phakathi kwabo.
3 and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Wasesithi, “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, ngaphandle kokuba liguquke libe njengabantwana abancinyane, kalisoze lafa langena embusweni wezulu.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Ngakho lowo ozithobayo njengomntwana lo nguye omkhulu kulabo bonke embusweni wezulu.
5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me:
Njalo lowo owamukela umntwana omncane njengalo ebizweni lami wamukela mina.”
6 but whoso shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it is profitable for him that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and [that] he should be sunk in the depth of the sea.
“Nxa umuntu ekhubekisa oyedwa walaba abancinyane abakholwa kimi ukuthi enze isono, kungabangcono kuye ukuthi kulengiswe entanyeni yakhe inkalakatha yembokodo yokuchola agaluliswe enzikini yolwandle.
7 Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling! for it must needs be that the occasions come; but woe to that man through whom the occasion cometh!
Maye kuwo umhlaba ngenxa yezinto ezenza abantu benze isono! Izinto ezinjalo zivele ziyafika kodwa maye kulowomuntu ezifika ngaye!
8 And if thy hand or thy foot causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed or halt, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. (aiōnios g166)
Nxa isandla sakho loba unyawo lwakho kukwenzisa isono, kuqume ukulahle. Kungcono kuwe ukuba ungene ekuphileni uyingini kumbe ugogekile kulokuba lezandla zombili kumbe inyawo zombili uphoselwe emlilweni ongapheliyo. (aiōnios g166)
9 And if thine eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire. (Geenna g1067)
Nxa ilihlo lakho likwenzisa isono, likopole ulilahle. Kungcono kuwe ukungena ekuphileni ulelihlo elilodwa kulokuba lamehlo amabili kodwa uphoselwe esihogweni somlilo.” (Geenna g1067)
10 See that ye despise not one of these little ones: for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.
“Nanzelelani ukuthi lingeyisi lamunye walaba abancinyane. Ngoba ngilitshela ukuthi izingilosi zabo zezulu zihlezi zibona ubuso bukaBaba ezulwini. [
INdodana yoMuntu yalanda ukusindisa okwakulahlekile.]
12 How think ye? if any man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go unto the mountains, and seek that which goeth astray?
Kambe likhumbulani? Nxa indoda ilezimvu ezilikhulu, enye iqambuke kwezinye, kayiyikuzitshiya yini lezo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye ezintabeni iyedinga leyo eqambukileyo?
13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth over it more than over the ninety and nine which have not gone astray.
Ithi ingayithola, ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi, iyathokoza ngaleyo ukwedlula lezo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye ezingazange zilahleke.
14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
Ngokufanayo, uYihlo osezulwini kafisi ukuthi lamunye walaba abancinyane abhubhe.”
15 And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
“Nxa umfowenu ekona, yana kuye umtshengise isiphambeko sakhe lilodwa lobabili. Nxa ekulalela usumzuzile umfowenu.
16 But if he hear [thee] not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established.
Kodwa nxa engakulaleli, biza omunye loba ababili ukuze ‘indaba yonke ivele obala ilabofakazi ababili loba abathathu.’
17 And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican.
Nxa esala ukubalalela, tshela ibandla, nxa esala ukulilalela lalo ibandla mthatheni njengomhedeni kumbe njengomthelisi.
18 Verily I say unto you, What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi, loba yini eliyibophayo emhlabeni izabotshwa lasezulwini njalo lokho elikuthukululayo emhlabeni kuzathukululwa lasezulwini.
19 Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven.
Njalo ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi nxa ababili kini emhlabeni bevumelana loba ngalutho bani abalucelayo bazalwenzelwa nguBaba osezulwini.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Ngoba lapho okuhlangana khona ababili loba abathathu ngebizo lami, ngizabe ngikhona lami.”
21 Then came Peter and said to him, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times?
UPhethro weza kuJesu wabuza wathi, “Nkosi, umfowethu loba udadewethu ngizamthethelela kangaki nxa elokhu engona na? Kuze kube kasikhombisa na?”
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven.
UJesu waphendula wathi, “Ngithi hatshi kasikhombisa kodwa okwezikhathi ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa lesikhombisa.
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, who would make a reckoning with his servants.
Ngakho umbuso wezulu unjengenkosi eyayifuna ukuqeda izikwelede zayo lezinceku zayo.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, that owed him ten thousand talents.
Yathi isiqalisa ukuthonisa kwalethwa kuyo indoda eyayilesikwelede samathalenta azinkulungwane ezilitshumi.
25 But forasmuch as he had not [wherewith] to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
Kwathi ngoba ingelamandla okuhlawula inkosi yalaya ukuthi yona, umkayo, abantwana lakho konke eyayilakho kuthengiswe ukuze kuqedwe umlandu.
26 The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Inceku yaguqa phambi kwenkosi yayincenga yathi, ‘Ake ungibekezelele, ngizahlawula konke.’
27 And the lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
Inkosi yenceku leyo yayizwela usizi, yayithethelela, yawesula umlandu yayiyekela yahamba.
28 But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred shillings: and he laid hold on him, and took [him] by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest.
Kodwa leyo yonela ukuphuma, yafumana eyinye inceku eyayilesikwelede sayo samadenari alikhulu. Yayibamba ngomphimbo, yayiklinya, yathi ngolaka, ‘Hlawula isikwelede sami!’
29 So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee.
Leyonceku layo yawa ngamadolo yayincenga yathi, ‘Ake ungibekezelele, ngizakuhlawula.’
30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay that which was due.
Kodwa yona yala. Endaweni yalokho, yahamba yenza ukuba leyondoda iphoselwe entolongweni ize iqale ihlawule isikwelede.
31 So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
Kwathi ezinye izinceku sezibonile okwakwenzakele, zathukuthela kakhulu zayaceba enkosini ngalokho okwenzakeleyo.
32 Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me:
Inkosi yayibiza leyonceku, yathi, ‘Wena nceku embi. Ngikuthethelele, ngasesula sonke isikwelede sakho ngoba ungincengile.
33 shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee?
Kungani pho ungazwelanga omunye wakho isihawu njengalokhu ngenzile kuwe?’
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due.
Inkosi yayo yathukuthela kakhulu, yayinikela kubaphathi bejele ukuthi bayihlukuluze ize isihlawule sonke isikwelede.
35 So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.
Yiyo le indlela uBaba osezulwini azaphatha ngayo lowo lalowo wenu nxa lingathetheleli abazalwane kuphuma enhliziyweni.”
