Matthew 3
1 And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa, saying,
Ngalezonsuku kwafika uJohane uMbhabhathizi, etshumayela enkangala yeJudiya,
2 Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
esithi: Phendukani; ngoba umbuso wamazulu ususondele.
3 For this is he that was spoken of through Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.
Ngoba nguye okwakhulunywa ngaye nguIsaya umprofethi, esithi: Ilizwi lomemezayo enkangala, lithi: Lungisani indlela yeNkosi; qondisani indledlana zayo.
4 Now John himself had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
Njalo uJohane lo wayelesembatho sakhe soboya bekamela, lozwezwe lwesikhumba ekhalweni lwakhe; lokudla kwakhe kwakuzintethe loluju lweganga.
5 Then went out unto him Jerusalem, and all Judæa, and all the region round about the Jordan;
Kwasekuphumela kuye iJerusalema leJudiya yonke lelizwe lonke elizingelezele iJordani;
6 and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
basebebhabhathizwa nguye eJordani bevuma izono zabo.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said unto them, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Kwathi ebona abanengi babaFarisi labaSadusi besiza ekubhabhathizeni kwakhe, wathi kubo: Nzalo yezinyoka, ngubani olibonise ukubalekela ulaka oluzayo?
8 Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance:
Ngakho thelani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka;
9 and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
njalo lingacabangi ukutsho phakathi kwenulithi: SiloAbrahama ongubaba; ngoba ngithi kini: UNkulunkulu ulamandla okumvusela uAbrahama abantwana kula amatshe.
10 And even now the axe lieth at the root of the trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Lakhathesi ihloka selibekiwe empandeni yezihlahla; ngakho sonke isihlahla esingatheli isithelo esihle siyaganyulwa siphoselwe emlilweni.
11 I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and [in] fire:
Mina ngilibhabhathiza ngamanzi kube sekuphendukeni; kodwa yena oza emva kwami ulamandla kulami, engingafanele ukuphatha amanyathela akhe; yena uzalibhabhathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele langomlilo;
12 whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor; and he will gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.
okhomane lwakhe lokwela lusesandleni sakhe, njalo uzathanyelisisa isibuya sakhe, abesebuthela amabele akhe esiphaleni sakhe, kodwa amakhoba uzawatshisa ngomlilo ongacitshekiyo.
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
Khona uJesu evela eGalili wafika eJordani kuJohane, ukuze abhabhathizwe nguye.
14 But John would have hindered him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
Kodwa uJohane wayemalela esithi: Mina ngiswela ukubhabhathizwa nguwe, kanti wena uza kimi?
15 But Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [it] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffereth him.
Kodwa uJesu ephendula wathi kuye: Vuma khathesi; ngoba kusifanele ukuthi sigcwalise ngokunjalo ukulunga konke. Wasemvumela.
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him;
UJesu esebhabhathiziwe wahle wakhuphuka emanzini; njalo khangela, amazulu amvulekela, wasebona uMoya kaNkulunkulu esehla kungathi lijuba esiza phezu kwakhe.
17 and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Njalo khangela, ilizwi livela emazulwini, lisithi: Lo uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo, engithokoza ngayo.
