UMathewu 18

1 Ngalesosikhathi abafundi beza kuJesu, bathi: Kanti ngubani omkhulu embusweni wamazulu?

At that hour the disciples came to Jesus, and said: Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

2 UJesu wasebizela kuye umntwana omncane wammisa phakathi kwabo,

And Jesus called a little child to him, and placed him in the midst of them,

3 wathi: Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Ngaphandle kokuthi liphenduke libe njengabantwana abancane, kalisoze lingene embusweni wamazulu.

and said: Verily I say to you, Unless you turn and become as little children, you can not enter the kingdom of heaven.

4 Ngakho lowo ozazithoba njengalumntwana omncane, nguye omkhulu embusweni wamazulu.

Whoever, therefore, humbles himself as this little child, is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 Njalo loba ngubani owemukela abe munye umntwana omncane onje ebizweni lami, wemukela mina.

And whoever receives one such little child on my account, receives me;

6 Kodwa loba ngubani okhubekisa omunye walaba abancinyane abakholwa kimi, kungakuhle kuye ukuthi ilitshe lokuchola elikhulu lilengiswe entanyeni yakhe, abesetshoniswa enzikini yolwandle.

but whoever ensnares one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hung about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

7 Maye kuwo umhlaba ngenxa yezikhubekiso! Ngoba izikhubekiso zimele ukufika; kodwa maye kulowomuntu, esifika ngaye isikhubekiso!

Alas for the world because of snares! for it is necessary that snares come: but alas for that man by whom the snare comes!

8 Njalo uba isandla sakho kumbe unyawo lwakho kukukhubekisa, kuqume ukulahlele khatshana lawe; kungcono kuwe ukungena ekuphileni uyingini kumbe uyisiqhwala, kulokuthi ulezandla ezimbili kumbe inyawo ezimbili uphoselwe emlilweni olaphakade. (aiōnios g166)

If, then, your hand or your foot ensnares you, cut it off, and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, than, having two hands or two feet, to be thrown into the eternal fire. (aiōnios g166)

9 Futhi uba ilihlo lakho likukhubekisa, likhuphe ulilahlele khatshana lawe; kungcono kuwe ukungena ekuphileni ulelihlo elilodwa, kulokuthi ulamehlo amabili uphoselwe esihogweni somlilo. (Geenna g1067)

And if your eye ensnares you, pull it out, and throw it from you. It is better to enter into life with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be thrown into hell-fire. (Geenna g1067)

10 Qaphelani lingadeleli omunye walaba abancinyane, ngoba ngithi kini: Emazulwini ingilosi zabo zihlala zibona ubuso bukaBaba osemazulwini.

Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, That their angels in heaven do always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.

11 Ngoba iNdodana yomuntu ize ukusindisa okwakulahlekile.

For the Son of man has come to save that which is lost.

12 Licabangani? Uba umuntu othile elezimvu ezilikhulu, besekulahleka enye yazo, kazitshiyi yini ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye, ahambe ezintabeni ukuyadinga elahlekileyo?

What think you? If a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them go astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine, and go into the mountains, and seek for that which has gone astray?

13 Futhi uba kungenzakala ukuthi ayithole, ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Uthokoza ngayo kakhulu kulalezo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye ezingalahlekanga.

And if it so be that he find it, verily I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

14 Ngokunjalo kayisiyo intando kaYihlo osemazulwini ukuthi kubhubhe abe munye walaba abancinyane.

Even so, it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should be lost.

15 Kodwa nxa umfowenu ekona, hamba umsole phakathi kwakho laye lilodwa. Uba ekuzwa, umzuzile umfowenu;

And if your brother sin against you, go and tell him of his fault between you and him alone; if he hear you, you have gained your brother.

16 kodwa uba engakuzwa, thatha abe munye kumbe babe babili kanye lawe futhi, ukuze lonke ilizwi liqiniswe ngomlomo wabafakazi ababili kumbe abathathu;

But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that, by the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established.

17 njalo nxa esala ukubezwa bona, tshela ibandla; uba esala ukuzwa lalo ibandla, kabe njengowezizwe lomthelisi kuwe.

But if he refuse to hear them, tell it to the church; and if he also refuse to hear the church, let him be to you as a heathen man and a publican.

18 Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Konke elizakubopha emhlabeni, kuzakuba kubotshiwe ezulwini; njalo konke elizakukhulula emhlabeni, kuzakuba kukhululiwe ezulwini.

Verily, I say to you, my disciples, Whatever you bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.

19 Njalo ngithi kini: Uba ababili benu bevumelana emhlabeni loba ngaluphi ulutho abalucelayo, bazalwenzelwa nguBaba osemazulwini.

Again, I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about any thing for which they will ask, it shall be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.

20 Ngoba lapho ababili kumbe abathathu ababuthene khona ebizweni lami, ngikhona lapho phakathi kwabo.

For where there are two or three that have come together for my sake, there I am in the midst of them.

21 UPetro wasemsondelela wathi: Nkosi, umfowethu uzangona kangaki, njalo ngimthethelela? Kuze kube kasikhombisa yini?

Then Peter came to him, and said: Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?

22 UJesu wathi kuye: Kangitsho kuwe ukuthi kuze kube kasikhombisa, kodwa kuze kube ngamatshumi ayisikhombisa aphindwe kasikhombisa.

Jesus said to him: I say to you, Not till seven times, but till seventy times seven.

23 Ngakho umbuso wamazulu ufananiswa lomuntu oyinkosi, owayethanda ukulandiselana lenceku zakhe.

For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is likened to a king that wished to settle accounts with his servants.

24 Kwathi eseqalile ukulandisa, kwalethwa kuye enye elomlandu kuyo wamathalenta azinkulungwane ezilitshumi.

And when he began to make a settlement, there was brought to him one that owed him ten thou sand talents.

25 Kodwa njengoba yayingelalutho lokuhlawula, inkosi yayo yalaya ukuthi ithengiswe, lomkayo labantwana bayo, lakho konke elakho, besekuhlawulwa.

But as he was not able to pay, his lord commanded him, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, to be sold, and payment to be made.

26 Ngakho inceku yawa phansi imkhothamela, yathi: Nkosi, ngibekezelela, futhi ngizakuhlawula konke.

Therefore, the servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, Lord, and I will pay you all.

27 Inkosi yaleyonceku yasisiba lesihelo yayikhulula, yayixolela umlandu.

And the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and let him go, and forgave him the debt.

28 Kodwa yaphuma leyonceku yathola omunye oyinceku kanye layo, olomlandu kuyo wabodenariyo abalikhulu, yambamba yamkhama, yathi: Ngihlawula okufaneleyo.

But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hold of him, and took him by the throat, saying: Pay me what you owe.

29 Ngakho oyinceku kanye layo wawa phansi ezinyaweni zayo wayincenga, wathi: Ungibekezelele, futhi ngizakuhlawula konke.

Then his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.

30 Kodwa yona kayivumanga, kodwa yasuka yayiphosela entolongweni, ize iwuhlawule umlandu.

And he would not; but went and threw him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

31 Kwathi abayizinceku kanye layo bebona izinto ezazenzakele badabuka kakhulu; beza babikela inkosi yabo konke okwakwenzekile.

When his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very sad, and went and made known to their lord all that was done.

32 Inkosi yayo yasiyibizela kiyo yathi kiyo: Wena nceku embi, ngakuxolela wonke lowomlandu, ngoba wangincenga;

Then his lord called him and said to him: Wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you besought me.

33 ngabe lawe kawumhawukelanga yini omunye oyinceku kanye lawe, njengoba lami ngakuhawukela?

Ought you not to have had mercy on your fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on you?

34 Inkosi yayo yasithukuthela yayinikela kubahlukuluzi, ize ihlawule konke okufaneleyo kuyo.

And his lord was angry, and delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all that was due him.

35 Uzakwenza njalo kini laye uBaba osezulwini, uba lingathetheleli lowo lalowo umfowenu iziphambeko zabo ngenhliziyo zenu.

So also will my heavenly Father do to you, if, from your hearts, you forgive not every one his brother’s offenses.