< Matthew 24 >

1 Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way. His disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.
UJesu wathi esuka ethempelini esehamba abafundi bakhe beza kuye bathi kake ananzelele izakhiwo zalo.
2 But he answered them, “You see all of these things, do not you? Most certainly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone on another, that will not be thrown down.”
Wathi, “Liyazibona na zonke lezizinto? Ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi akulalitshe lapha elizasala liphezu kwelinye; wonke azabhidlizwa.”
3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the consummation of the age (aiōn g165)?"
Kwathi uJesu ehlezi eNtabeni yama-Oliva abafundi bakhe beza kuye ngasese bathi, “Sitshele, kuzakwenzakala nini lokhu na, njalo kuzakuba lesibonakaliso bani sokuza kwakho lokuphela kwesikhathi na?” (aiōn g165)
4 Jesus answered them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray.
UJesu waphendula wathi, “Qaphelani ukuze lingakhohliswa muntu.
5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will lead many astray.
Ngoba abanengi bazakuza ngebizo lami besithi, ‘NginguKhristu,’ bakhohlise abanengi.
6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet.
Lizakuzwa ngezimpi lamahungahunga azo, kodwa lingaze lethuka. Izinto ezinjalo zizakwenzeka, kodwa ukucina kulokhu kuseza.
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places.
Isizwe sizavukela isizwe, lombuso uvukele umbuso. Kuzakuba lendlala lokuzamazama komhlaba ezindaweni ezitshiyeneyo.
8 But all these things are the beginning of birth pains.
Konke lokhu kuyikuqalisa kobuhlungu bokuhelelwa.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to oppression and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name’s sake.
Lapho lizanikelwa ukuba lihlutshwe njalo libulawe, futhi lizazondwa yizizwe zonke ngenxa yami.
10 Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.
Ngalesosikhathi abanengi bazadela ukukholwa banikelane njalo bazondane,
11 Many false prophets will arise and will lead many astray.
kuvele abaphrofethi bamanga abanengi abazakhohlisa abantu abanengi.
12 Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold.
Ngenxa yokwanda kobubi, uthando lwabanengi luzaphola,
13 But he who endures to the end will be saved.
kodwa lowo oma aqine kuze kube sekupheleni uzasindiswa.
14 This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Njalo lelivangeli lombuso lizatshunyayelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba njengobufakazi kuzozonke izizwe, besekufika ukuphela.
15 “When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
Nxa libona kumi endaweni engcwele ‘amanyala aletha incithakalo,’okwakhulunywa ngomphrofethi uDanyeli, ofundayo kezwisise.
16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
Lapho-ke akuthi labo abaseJudiya babalekele ezintabeni.
17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house.
Akungabikhona osophahleni lwendlu ozakwehla phansi ukuyathatha ulutho endlini.
18 Let him who is in the field not return back to get his clothes.
Lowo osemasimini kangabuyeli ngekhaya ukuyathatha ijazi lakhe.
19 But woe to those who are with child and to nursing mothers in those days!
Yeka ubulukhuni obuzakuba khona ngalezonsuku kwabesifazane abakhulelweyo labangabadlezane!
20 Pray that your flight will not be in the winter nor on a Sabbath,
Khulekelani ukuba ukuphaphatheka kwenu kungabi sebusika loba ngeSabatha.
21 for then there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be.
Ngoba ngalesosikhathi kuzakuba lokuhlupheka okukhulu, okungazange kube khona kulokhu kwadabuka umhlaba kuze kube manje, njalo kakusoze kube khona futhi.
22 Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened.
Aluba lezinsuku bezingaphungulwanga, kakho obezaphepha, kodwa ngenxa yabakhethiweyo lezinsuku zizaphungulwa.
23 “Then if any man tells you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There!’ do not believe it.
Nxa ngalesosikhathi omunye esithi kini, ‘Khangela, nangu uKhristu!’ loba ‘Ulaphaya!’ lingakukholwa lokho.
24 For false christs and false prophets will arise, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.
Ngoba oKhristu bamanga labaphrofethi bamanga bazavela benze izibonakaliso lezimangaliso ezinkulu ukukhohlisa kanye labakhethiweyo, nxa lokho kungenzeka.
25 “Behold, I have told you beforehand.
Zwanini, sengihle ngalitshela mandulo kwesikhathi.
26 “If therefore they tell you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
Ngakho-ke, nxa umuntu elitshela esithi, ‘Nanguyana, laphayana egangeni,’ lingayi khona loba athi, ‘Nangu lapha ezindlini ezingaphakathi,’ lingaze lakukholwa lokho.
27 For as the lightning flashes from the east, and is seen even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Ngoba njengombane osuka empumalanga uhle ubonakale lasentshonalanga, kuzakuba njalo ukufika kweNdodana yoMuntu.
28 For wherever the carcass is, that is where the vultures gather together.
Lapho okulesidumbu khona kulapho amanqe abuthana khona.
29 “But immediately after the suffering of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken;
Masinyane ngemva kokuhlupheka kwalezonsuku, ‘ilanga lizafiphala lenyanga kayiyikukhanya; izinkanyezi zizakuwa esibhakabhakeni, izisekelo zasezulwini zizazanyazanyiswa.’
30 and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.
Kulesosikhathi isibonakaliso seNdodana yoMuntu sizavela emkhathini, kuthi zonke izizwe zomhlaba zilile. Zizabona iNdodana yoMuntu isiza ngamayezi esibhakabhakeni, ilamandla lobukhosi obukhulu.
31 He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
Njalo izathumela izingilosi zayo zitshaya icilongo ngomsindo omkhulu, beseziqoqa abakhethiweyo bayo emagumbini womane omhlaba, kusukela ngapha kwamazulu kusiya ngale kwawo.
32 “Now from the fig tree learn this parable: When its branch has now become tender and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near.
Manje-ke, fundani lesisifundo esihlahleni somkhiwa: Amahlumela aso angaqalisa ukuba buthakathaka lamahlamvu aso ahlume, lihle lazi ukuthi ihlobo selisondele.
33 Even so you also, when you see all these things, know that he is near, even at the doors.
Kanjalo-ke, nxa lingabona zonke lezizinto, lazi ukuthi sekusondele, khonapho emnyango.
34 Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things are accomplished.
Ngilitshela iqiniso, lesisizukulwane kasiyikudlula zize zenzakale zonke lezizinto.
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
Izulu lomhlaba kuzedlula, kodwa amazwi ami kawayikwedlula lanini.”
36 “But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
“Kodwa kakho olwaziyo lolosuku lehola, loba izingilosi zasezulwini, kumbe iNdodana, kodwa uBaba kuphela.
37 As the days of Noah were, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Njengoba kwakunjalo ensukwini zikaNowa, kuzakuba njalo ekufikeni kweNdodana yoMuntu.
38 For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship,
Ngoba ensukwini ezandulela uzamcolo, abantu babesidla, benatha, bethatha njalo besenda, kwaze kwafika usuku uNowa angena ngalo emkhunjini;
39 and they did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
futhi babengazi lutho ngalokho okwakuzakwenzeka uzamcolo waze wafika wabatshabalalisa. Kuzakuba njalo ekufikeni kweNdodana yoMuntu.
40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one will be left.
Kuzakuthi amadoda emabili esensimini, eyodwa izathathwa, eyinye isale.
41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and one will be left.
Kuzakuthi abesifazane bebabili bechola ngembokodo, oyedwa uzathathwa omunye asale.
42 Watch therefore, for you do not know in what hour your Lord comes.
Ngakho, lindani ngoba kalikwazi ukuthi iNkosi yenu izafika ngaluphi usuku.
43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
Kodwa zwisisani lokhu: Kube umninindlu wayekwazile ukuthi isela lizafika ngasiphi isikhathi sobusuku ngabe walinda kaze avumela ukuthi indlu yakhe igqekezwe.
44 Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.
Ngakho lani hlalani lilindile, ngoba iNdodana yoMuntu izafika ngesikhathi leso elizabe lingayikhumbuleli sona.
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season?
Ngubani kambe oyinceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo umninimuzi ayibeke esikhundleni sokukhangela izisebenzi zalapha ekhaya ukuthi azinike ukudla kwazo ngesikhathi esifaneleyo?
46 Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he comes.
Kuzakuba kuhle kuleyo nceku inkosi ezayifica isenza njalo ekuphendukeni kwayo.
47 Most certainly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has.
Ngilitshela iqiniso, izakumbeka ukuthi aphathe yonke impahla yayo.
48 But if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delaying his coming,’
Kodwa cabanga mhlawumbe inceku leyo ikhohlakele njalo ingazitshela ithi, ‘Inkosi yami isesekhatshana ukubuya,’
49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with the drunkards,
ibisiqalisa ukutshaya ezinye izinceku njalo lokudla inatha lezidakwa.
50 the lord of that servant will come in a day when he does not expect it and in an hour when he does not know it,
Inkosi yaleyonceku izabuya ngosuku engacatshangelwa khona langesikhathi inceku engasaziyo.
51 and will cut him in pieces and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. That is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.
Izayiqumaquma, iyiphe indawo kanye labazenzisi, lapho okuzakuba khona ukukhala lokugedla kwamazinyo.”

< Matthew 24 >